SAKIGAKE管理人 Decarbonizing Seafood Logistics, Island by Island
This project has been selected for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Global South GX Promotion Project,” and promotes the decarbonization of seafood distribution and the reduction of food loss in unelectrified remote islands and coastal areas of Indonesia.
SAKIGAKE JAPAN Corp. is advancing the development of an off-grid cold chain transport system that integrates everything from on-board cold storage immediately after catch, the operation of cold-storage hubs on remote islands and coastal areas, to land transport to the mainland and markets.
We aim to shift seafood distribution away from its conventional dependence on ice, diesel power generation, and refrigerated trucks, toward a sustainable distribution model that combines solar power, storage batteries, PCM (phase change material) / specialized thermal storage materials, highly insulated boxes, and portable cold-storage units.
We will implement a new seafood distribution model that addresses the combined challenges of freshness retention, logistics costs, power infrastructure, and greenhouse gas emissions, while achieving both GX (green transformation) and regional resilience.
Maintaining the Cold Chain from Catch to Delivery
In island nations and coastal regions such as Indonesia, while marine resources are abundant, many areas face challenges with temperature control after catch and with transport infrastructure.
In particular, in unelectrified areas and on remote islands with unstable power supply, cold storage relying on ice and diesel generators is common, giving rise to issues such as rising fuel costs, CO₂ emissions, loss of freshness, and food waste.
To address these local challenges, SAKIGAKE JAPAN Corp. is building an integrated cold chain connecting the sea, island hubs, and land transport, achieving the decarbonization and increasing the value of seafood products at the same time.
Features of the Off-Grid Cold Chain
■ On-Board Cold Storage: Preserving Freshness at Sea
In conventional small-scale fishing, ice water is often used to keep the catch cold, and quality is heavily affected by outside temperature and transport time. In addition, procuring, storing, and transporting ice incurs both cost and environmental burden.
This system equips traditional fishing boats with specialized thermal storage materials and cold-storage units, achieving stable temperature control from the moment of catch. It enables the freshness of seafood to be maintained without consuming large amounts of additional fuel or electricity on board.
■ Remote Island Hub: Cold Storage, Powered by Renewables
At hub sites installed on remote islands and in coastal areas, solar panels and storage batteries are used to build fully off-grid cold-storage and cold thermal storage facilities.
In addition to the temporary storage of seafood, these hubs are used to freeze and charge the specialized thermal storage materials. This reduces dependence on diesel generators and aims to achieve stable cold chain operation even in regions with fragile power infrastructure.
In the future, use as a power source for fishing boats or as a regional cold-storage hub during disasters is also being considered.
■ Land Transport: Constant-Temperature Transport Without Refrigerated Trucks
In land transport, charged specialized thermal storage materials are combined with highly insulated boxes to transport seafood at a constant temperature without using refrigerated trucks.
This makes it possible to maintain temperature over long periods even in environments with high outside temperatures, enabling a shift toward transport using regular trucks. This is expected to reduce not only fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions from refrigerated vehicles, but also transport costs.
Note: The duration of temperature retention and the extent of cost reduction will vary depending on transport distance, outside temperature, loading conditions, and operational methods. Verification will proceed based on demonstration conditions going forward.
Decarbonization Meets Less Food Loss
What this system aims for is not simply the introduction of refrigeration and freezing equipment. It is a rethinking of the “cooling mechanism” itself within seafood distribution, in order to advance decarbonization across the entire supply chain.
In conventional seafood distribution, energy is consumed at various stages, including ice production and transport, diesel power generation, and the operation of refrigerated trucks. By combining PCM / specialized thermal storage materials, highly insulated boxes, solar power generation, and storage batteries, this system aims to reduce both fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.
In addition, by improving temperature control after catch, the system suppresses waste loss caused by declining freshness. Reducing food waste leads not only to lower economic losses, but also to a reduction in the environmental burden associated with disposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. It is primarily intended for remote islands, coastal areas, and fishing villages with unstable power infrastructure. It is particularly expected to be used in regions where cold storage after catch, transport from remote islands to the mainland, or the introduction of refrigerated trucks is difficult.
A. This does not mean the system uses no electricity whatsoever. It is a system that aims for off-grid operation by utilizing solar power generation and storage batteries, without depending on commercial power sources or diesel generators.
A. This varies depending on transport conditions, but by utilizing specialized thermal storage materials and highly insulated boxes, the system aims to enable constant-temperature transport using regular trucks without refrigeration functions. The feasibility of actual operation will be verified according to transport distance, outside temperature, transport time, and loading conditions.
A. Yes. The knowledge gained through demonstration projects in Indonesia is expected to be applied to remote islands, coastal areas, disaster-response hubs, and regional logistics within Japan as well.
A. Yes, it is possible. We anticipate collaboration with a wide range of partners across fields such as fisheries, logistics, renewable energy, storage batteries, cold-chain technology, local governments, and international cooperation. Please contact us for further details.
Partner Introduction
NB Cold Chain Co., Ltd. is a company that provides cold-storage and constant-temperature transport solutions centered on its specialized thermal storage material “Crescent F.” Without relying on refrigerated or frozen vehicles, it enables temperature control using cold-storage boxes and ambient-temperature vehicles, contributing to the quality maintenance of food and pharmaceuticals, the reduction of logistics costs, and the reduction of environmental impact. In this project, the company participates as a partner company providing PCM technology.