DFDS has received and is preparing to deploy the first 10 units of Sunswap’s zero-emission ‘Endurance’ transport refrigeration units (TRUs), marking the commercial launch of the UK-based clean-tech startup’s sustainable cold chain technology. The units, now stationed at DFDS’s Peterborough depot, signal the company’s shift towards diesel-free refrigeration solutions within its UK fleet.
Sunswap’s Endurance TRUs are powered by a combination of battery and solar panels mounted on refrigerated trailers, eliminating diesel use to maintain required temperatures for goods in transit. During trials in 2022, DFDS confirmed that using 10 Endurance units could reduce CO₂ emissions by 895 tonnes and save approximately 500,000 litres of diesel over a 10-year lifespan. Additionally, the units demonstrated the capability to provide up to 22 hours of cooling on a single full charge, typically achieved in around 80 minutes.
DFDS’s adoption of this technology aligns with its environmental goals, which include a targeted 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The company projects that operating costs could decrease by 71% with Sunswap’s solar and battery-powered refrigeration units, with a 13% reduction in total cost of ownership compared to diesel-based systems.
Sunswap’s solar-powered units further enhance efficiency, with trailer-mounted panels supplying between 65% and 100% of the TRU’s required charge under suitable conditions, minimizing grid dependency.
“The Sunswap trailers provide a huge opportunity for us to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations and further strengthen our offering to customers,” said Matt O’Dell, Managing Director of Cold Chain, UK & Ireland at DFDS. “Introducing the Sunswap trailers to our UK fleet is an exciting part of our goals for emission reduction, and I believe it will be a shift away from legacy diesel technology for cold storage transport.”
Michael Lowe, CEO of Sunswap, described the deployment as “a defining moment for Sunswap and sustainable transport refrigeration,” adding, “Seeing the first Sunswap units enter full-time service with DFDS marks the beginning of diesel-free cold chain operations at scale. DFDS has shown true industry leadership by being first to adopt this technology.”
With production underway in Leatherhead, Sunswap is preparing to fulfil further orders for major European retailers and logistics firms aiming to decarbonise cold chain operations.