Maersk’s Ruakura CO₂ Cold Storage Facility Awarded New Zealand’s Highest Green Star Rating

Danish shipping giant Maersk’s new Ruakura Superhub CO₂ (R744) cold storage facility near Hamilton, New Zealand, has received a 6 Star rating, the country’s highest in its Green Star Design & As-Built sustainability assessment.

The rating marks the facility as a “project among world leaders in green building” design and construction, according to the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC). It is the first cold storage facility in the country to achieve a 6 Star rating, Maersk noted.

“This facility is a clear example of how high–performance, lower greenhouse gas industrial buildings can and should be delivered in New Zealand,” said Andrew Eagles, Chief Executive of the NZGBC. “It sets a strong precedent for the sector.”

The Ruakura Superhub facility, which opened in February 2024, represents Maersk’s biggest infrastructure investment in New Zealand, according to the shipping company. Strategically located on the north island in the Auckland–Tauranga trade corridor, it provides access to various transport modes, including ocean, road and rail. New Zealand construction firm Apollo Projects designed and built the 18,000m² (193,750ft²) distribution facility.

Assessment criteria: “[A facility] must meet mandatory benchmarks for lower-carbon, high-performing projects before applying optional credits to achieve a final [Green Star] score,” the NZGBC said.

• Considerations include reducing energy demand, reducing the effects of emissions on the environment, adopting sustainable management practices and implementing innovative technology.
• Other criteria include supporting indoor environment quality, reducing transportation emissions, reducing potable water consumption, encouraging the use of low-impact materials and limiting harm to the site’s ecological value.
• With its membership in the World Green Building Council, the NZGBC’s ratings are recognized internationally.

The setup: In one system, seven SteelXL CO₂ (R744) racks produced by Danish manufacturer Advansor supply 0.9MW (256TR) of cooling capacity to the cold storage facility, 2.1MW (597TR) of blast freezing, 1.7MW (483TR) of freezing, 0.15MW (43TR) of air-conditioning and 2MW of heating.

• With storage for 21,000 pallet positions, the facility provides 16,000m² (172,223ft²) of “fully convertible,” temperature-controlled space, ranging from −25 to 15°C (−13 to 59°F). It provides meat blast freezing at −45°C (−49°F).
• Heat recovery from the CO₂ racks supplies defrosting, floor heating and hot domestic water, with the permanent magnet motor compressors providing an extra energy savings of 7‒8%, according to Advansor.

Going CO₂: With Maersk’s aim to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its entire business operations by 2040, the company’s partnership with Advansor extends around the globe.

• In June, it opened a 35,000m² (375,740ft²) distribution center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, equipped with six STEELXL CO₂ racks providing 2.4MW (624TR) of cooling capacity, 700kW (199TR) of freezing and 2.4MW (682TR) of heating.
• Advansor is supplying similar systems for two new Maersk facilities in South Africa ‒ one in Cape Town and one near Durban ‒ with expected official launches by the end of 2025.
• “We have proposed and agreed on a very energy-efficient design,” Advansor told NaturalRefrigerants.com, adding that it meets Maersk’s simultaneous requirements for freezing, cooling and heating.

Quotable: “[Green Star] has helped projects slash waste to landfill, choose better materials and systems and create spaces that better serve the environment and people,” the NZGBC said.

“This facility is a clear example of how high–performance, lower greenhouse gas industrial buildings can and should be delivered in New Zealand.”

Andrew Eagles, Chief Executive of the NZGBC