RSA Cold Chain (RCC) has broken ground for its new facility in Dubai South which will have a total capacity of 21,000 pallets.

The company is a venture of Dubai-based third-party logistics (3PL) provider RSA Logistics and will offer an initial capacity of 10,800 pallets when it begins commercial operations in Phase 1 in March 2017. 

The company promises sophisticated end-to-end 3PL services for packaged food, fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and frozen food, said a company statement.  

The warehouse will comprise eight independent chambers. Equipped with a unique ammonia-based chilling system, each chamber will accommodate temperatures as low as -25 degrees. With global temperatures on the rise, coupled with the burgeoning demand for food products due to a swelling population, there is a critical need for reliable cold storage solutions, particularly in the UAE, it said.

The new facility is expected to serve surging demand for storage leading up to Expo 2020 in Dubai. Its location just outside the bonded zone in Dubai South affords ease of access and reduced time lags in cargo transportation.  RCC has highlighted it will provide a holistic solution, including temperature-controlled transportation, that will meet stringent compliance requirements for food storage and movement. 

Abhishek Ajay Shah, co-founder and managing director of RSA Logistics, said: “We take pride in the launch of our latest project, RSA Cold Chain, which increases the scope of niche services we can offer to our customers.

“We believe this is coming at a critical time in the context of global changes that will affect the demand and supply of food products, and in turn influence the requirement for quality services that meet these needs in a safe and sustainable manner.” 

Shah continued: “The cold chain is an under-served sector in the UAE and the Middle East and we are excited to be part of the journey that will see a change in this equation. We look forward to offering a high-growth and scalable solution to quality-focused food companies.” 

Ahmed Alansari, acting CEO, Dubai World Central Corporation, said: “Our platform offers unparalleled speed, connectivity and efficiency and sets a new global standard when handling freight, allowing for goods to be transferred from sea to air in only four hours.”

He added that RSA stood out as a prime example of a successful business that has capitalised on growth prospects.