It’s a first in the Latin American carrier’s history: flying Chilean salmon fillets to Australia. The 220-kilogram cargo shipments loaded in the holds of a passenger B787-9, departed from Santiago de Chile (SCL) in the early morning of 27NOV24 and arrived in 11,356 km distant Melbourne 13 hours later. The air transport of salmon marks the beginning of a new chapter for Chilean seafood exports.
Only days before, LATAM Cargo presented plastic pallets made from recycled beverage boxes. The durable ULDs will replace pallets made of wood.
New chapter
LATAM Cargo speaks of a ‘significant milestone’ and a ‘new chapter’ for Chile’s seafood industry as the country’s first shipment of fresh, chilled salmon fillets arrived in Australia on board of flight LA805. The transport was preceded by extensive audits conducted by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca), with support from ProChile. The audits ensured that the product met the stringent requirements of the Australian market, both in terms of sanitary controls and food safety. In late SEP24, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE), officially recognized Chile as a country eligible to export processed salmonids, designating Sernapesca as the competent authority for sanitary and safety certification.
Important export commodity
Soledad Tapia Almonacid, National Director of Sernapesca, highlighted the significance of Salmon supply to the markets in Oceania for her country: “The successful completion of this first export to Australia is a testament to the hard work of the entire salmoniculture industry and our service as the competent authority for certification and export facilitation,” she emphasized.
Farmed salmon from Chilean coastal waters are currently exported to 76 countries, with the main markets being the United States, Brazil, Russia, China, and the European Union. In 2023, salmon exports exceeded USD 6 billion, and between Q1 and Q3, 2024, they have already reached USD 4.1 billion.
Daily flights to Australia
Claudio Torres, Commercial Director for South America at LATAM Cargo, points out that his airline has handled 49% of Chilean salmon exports this year. Natalia Arcos, International Director of ProChile, emphasized the importance of this milestone for salmon exports, stating: “This achievement is crucial for our salmon exports as it opens up a market of over 26 million people, offering significant potential for our products. Furthermore, it diversifies our export destinations and creates new opportunities for Chilean companies in the sector.” In SEP23, LATAM reinstated its flights to Melbourne (MEL), following a pause of almost three and a half years due to the pandemic. In addition, the carrier reintroduced direct flights between Santiago and Sydney (SYD) on 28OCT24. While the sector SCL-MEL is serviced thrice weekly, SCL-SYD is connected four times a week.
Durable plastic pallets will replace wooden ULDs
In addition to the salmon flights destined for Australia, the LATAM Cargo Group announced the introduction of plastic pallets made from recycled beverage boxes. They will replace traditional wooden and conventional plastic pallets. The new pallets are more resistant, durable, and have a lower environmental impact. In a first step, they will be used in the carrier’s domestic Chilean operation. Provided they prove their worth in daily use and contribute to the circular economy, the group plans to expand this initiative to cities where it currently has cargo operations, nationwide. Additionally, it will evaluate the implementation of the use of these recycled plastic pallets in other South American markets such as Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, and Colombia.
Impressive lifespan
According to LATAM Cargo, these new plastic pallets have a lifespan of approximately a decade, significantly longer than a conventional pallet. The initiative is part of the Group’s commitment to achieving its goal of zero waste to landfill by 2027.“Sustainability is a priority for LATAM Cargo Group and the transition to recycled materials such as plastic pallets, reflects our commitment to the circular economy and the goal of being a zero waste to landfill group by 2027. In line with this, the use of recycled plastic pallets adds to initiatives already implemented in other operational processes, such as replacing plastic with reusable blankets or a stretchable tape,” says Cristina Oñate, VP Sustainability and Product at LATAM Cargo Group.
