Maersk has inaugurated two major logistics facilities, strengthening its cold chain and contract logistics infrastructure across two continents. In South Africa, the company opened the Belcon Cold Store in Cape Town, while in Malaysia, it launched the Maersk Mega Distribution Centre—its largest contract logistics site in Asia Pacific.
The Belcon Cold Store is part of Maersk’s over USD 100 million investment to enhance temperature-controlled logistics in South Africa. The facility is designed to support the country’s perishable exports, especially citrus and table grapes, by addressing persistent cold chain disruptions that have caused annual losses of around 1.5 billion Rand (approx. USD 80 million) for the grape industry.
With the addition of Belcon, Maersk now operates three cold stores in South Africa—alongside Cato and PreCool—offering a combined capacity of 32,000 pallet positions. The network is integrated with rail and road links to the ports of Cape Town and Durban, and includes container depots and renewable energy systems to improve efficiency and sustainability.
In Malaysia, the Maersk Mega Distribution Centre spans nearly 180,000 square metres and offers 100,000 pallet positions in a multi-client setup. Located in Shah Alam, the facility provides direct access to major highways and key logistics nodes, including Port Klang and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It supports a wide range of commodities, including food and beverage products, consumer goods, and apparel.
The centre features advanced automation technologies such as Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), Put-to-Light systems, and Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) to improve order accuracy and reduce lead times. It is equipped with bonded and non-bonded storage, real-time transport tracking, and value-added services such as labelling, repacking, and returns management. The building holds Green Building Index (GBI) Gold and LEED Gold certifications.
“We are committed to building and delivering logistics solutions that create tangible value for our customers and their businesses, while contributing to South Africa’s economic prosperity and the livelihoods of its people,” said Lubabalo Mtya, Managing Director of Maersk Southern Africa & Islands.
Malaysia’s Minister of Transport, YB Anthony Loke, added that the new Mega Distribution Centre supports the country’s ambition to become the “Logistics Gateway to Asia,” aligning with the national Logistics and Trade Facilitation Masterplan.