World’s first successful sea shipment of premium Malaysian tree-drop ripe durian reaches Dalian, China

A consortium of Daikin Reefer, Hernan Cooperation, and Yidu Group successfully shipped a two-tonne load of premium Malaysian durian by sea to Dalian, China, in just 12 days. Upon arrival in Dalian on September 19th, the quality of the fruit matched that of air-freighted shipments and was comparable to the fruit at its origin. The shipment was inspected by representatives from all partnering companies, as well as the Trade Commissioner from the Malaysian Embassy, who traveled from Beijing to attend.

China is now the world's largest consumer of durian, accounting for over 90% of global consumption. In 2025, China imported 1.87 million metric tons of durian fruit, valued at $7.5 billion. Malaysian durian plantations have expanded to cultivate its two most popular varieties, Musang King and Black Thorn, to meet this growing demand from Chinese consumers.

The Malaysian durian is harvested when it naturally falls from the tree, known as "tree-drop ripe." This harvesting method gives the fruit its unique flavor but also poses challenges due to its short shelf life and high respiration rate. Air freight has traditionally been the only viable option for transporting this fruit, but it is limited in capacity and expensive, creating concerns within the Malaysian durian industry about realizing full export potential.

In 2020, Daikin partnered with Hernan Cooperation on a research program to develop postharvest handling and shipment technology specifically for tree-drop durian. The resulting shipment to Dalian in September used Daikin's patented Active CA (controlled atmosphere) technology, which reduces fruit respiration by over 50% to around 20 mg CO₂/kg.hr.

This technology slows the fruit's respiration, extending its shelf life and allowing the ripening process to be halted during transit. The Daikin Active CA system also maintains positive pressure inside the container, preventing the ingress of ambient air and avoiding condensation that could wet the fruit cartons.

The successful shipment to Dalian marks a significant milestone for Hernan Cooperation, as it demonstrates a viable logistics solution that eliminates the reliance on air cargo for durian exports. This development not only reduces carbon emissions by around 70 times compared to air freight but also opens up new commercial opportunities for Malaysian durian exports in China's mass market.