Sushi Lovers Well-Fed from Maersk Line's Expertise

Bluefin tuna is one of the biggest fish living in the Mediterranean Sea, and at the same time one the most wanted and ‘coolest’ on the planet.

The interesting part is that it is consumed almost entirely in one single country: Japan. 80% of Mediterranean bluefin tunas are exported to Japan for use in sushi and sashimi. Shipping tunas long-distance is no simple matter, however.

Preservation and regulation

Bluefin tuna has been overfished for decades, and to preserve stocks strict regulations are in place. Japan has firm rules prohibiting IUU (Illegal, Unreported & Unregulated) fish from entering the country.

In the Mediterranean, no tuna weighing less than 30 kilograms (kg) can be fished or captured to be farmed, and the fishing season spans only from 26 May to 24 June. During this period, fish are captured to be transported into big cages where the farming process begins. After three to six months, tunas are ready to be harvested, weighing up to 300 kg each by autumn.

This is the season when representatives of Japanese buyers go the Maltese farms to inspect if the tunas are ready to begin their journey to Japan.

A smooth, cold chain

This is also where Maersk Line becomes involved with its state-of-the-art Super Freezer containers and staff competences to make sure the cargo moves from farm to shelf in perfect condition.

Super reefer technology allows transportation at temperatures below 60 degrees which preserves the quality of the meat with almost no quality loss.

To be loaded onboard, super reefers follow strict and careful procedures which requires spare part kits to always be on board and the lowest possible transhipments.

Maersk Line’s dedicated terminal team, run by Maltese agent Thomas Smith, monitors and assists the loading operation 24/7 and ensures that everything goes smoothly.

From market to plate

Upon arrival in Japan, the cargo is transferred to the storage area of the owner, ready to be sold at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. This market handles more than 400 different types of seafood, ranging from cheap seaweed to the most expensive caviar, and from tiny sardines to up to 300-kg tunas.

In specifically licensed auction houses, buyers inspect the fish and make their bids. They are typically intermediate wholesalers with marketplace stalls or agents for restaurants, food processing companies, and large retailers.

Once the auction is over, the purchased fish is either loaded onto trucks to be shipped to the next destination or on small carts and moved to the many shops inside the market. There the shop owners cut and prepare the products for retail. In the case of large fish such as tuna and swordfish, the cutting and preparation is quite elaborate, often using large band saws.

From the first capture in the Mediterranean, the fish has ended its long adventure and is ready to be transformed further into delicious food.

The tuna business is one of the most profitable commodities in the container business and a niche market dominated by Maersk Line.