Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo - 396 m² Seafood Low-Temperature Cold Storage
Project Basic Information
This case study documents a completed industrial cold-chain project in Pointe-Noire, the principal deep-water port city of the Republic of the Congo. The facility was built to provide reliable, long-term low-temperature storage for locally landed fish and seafood, directly addressing a long-standing weakness in the region's post-harvest supply chain.
| Location | Client | Storage Area | Ceiling Height |
| Pointe - Noire, Republic of the Congo | Local seafood cold-chain operator, Pointe-Noire | 396 m² (33 m × 12 m) | 8.2 m |
| Target Temperature | Compressor | Evaporator | Refrigerant |
| -18℃ to -25℃ | 34 HP Bitzer piston compressor condensing unit | DJ-210 low-temperature air cooler | Not specified |
Customer Core Requirements
The Republic of the Congo's coastal economy depends heavily on marine fisheries, yet the cold-chain infrastructure required to preserve the catch has historically been inadequate. In Pointe-Noire, fish and seafood are highly perishable; without prompt and continuous low-temperature storage, a large share of the daily catch deteriorates before it can reach local consumers or export markets. Before this project, the client relied on fragmented, small-scale cold facilities that could not hold the required temperature during the hot, humid season and could not scale with growing landing volumes.
Spoilage losses were estimated at around 25%, directly eroding the margins of fishing cooperatives and downstream traders. The client therefore approached Kendall Refrigeration with a clear and demanding brief: build a facility that would protect product quality, stabilize supply, and support the longer-term ambition of exporting higher-value seafood.
The core requirements were defined as follows:
• Low-temperature storage: maintain -18°C to -25°C for the long-term preservation of fish and seafood.
• Continuous operation: stable 24/7 performance even under local power-supply instability.
• System redundancy: independent refrigeration circuits to avoid single points of failure.
• Compliance and safety: fire-rated insulation, emergency power and ventilation, and remote monitoring.
• On-schedule delivery: completed and commissioned without disrupting the client's existing operations.
Beyond the hardware itself, the client emphasized total lifecycle cost and serviceability, requesting a solution that local technicians could operate and maintain with remote support from the supplier rather than depending on frequent overseas site visits.
Targeted Solutions
Kendall Refrigeration responded with a fully engineered, single-source cold storage solution. Rather than assembling off-the-shelf components, the system was designed as an integrated package covering envelope, refrigeration, control and safety — optimized for a coastal tropical climate where heat, humidity and salinity accelerate equipment wear and shorten the life of conventional installations.
The cold-room envelope uses 150 mm B1 fire-rated polyurethane sandwich panels faced with double-sided galvanized steel. Polyurethane provides a low thermal conductivity that minimizes heat ingress, while the B1 fire rating satisfies building-safety requirements for occupied industrial sites. The galvanized steel facing resists corrosion from the salt-laden coastal air, a critical detail for long-term durability in Pointe-Noire.
Cooling is delivered by a 34 HP Bitzer piston compressor condensing unit paired with DJ-210 low-temperature air coolers. Piston compressors are widely used in industrial refrigeration for their robustness and ease of service, and the DJ-210 air coolers distribute cold air evenly through finned coils and low-noise fans, keeping temperature fluctuation within a narrow band across the entire 396 m² floor area.
To eliminate single points of failure, the design separates the refrigeration load into four independent circuits, each with its own power supply and control and physically isolated from the others. If one circuit requires maintenance or is affected by a power event, the remaining circuits continue to hold the set temperature, protecting the stored product without interruption.
An intelligent central controller modulates the active units according to real-time thermal load, while automatic temperature control, remote monitoring and alarm functions give operators off-site visibility. Safety provisions include an emergency ventilation system and a standby generator, allowing the facility to ride through local power interruptions without compromising the cold chain.
The 150 mm insulated sliding door is fitted with an electric heating wire to prevent frost buildup at the seal — an important detail in sub-zero rooms — and Kendall engineers travelled to Pointe-Noire to supervise installation and commissioning, ensuring the build matched the original design intent.
Quantified Results
The facility was completed and commissioned in 2023 and has since operated at full capacity. The most tangible outcome is the sharp reduction in product loss, but the project's value extends well beyond a single metric to supply-chain stability and local food security.
• Product spoilage reduced from approximately 25% to below 8%, significantly improving yield for fishing cooperatives.
• Temperature held steadily within -18°C to -25°C throughout the entire storage volume.
• Continuous operation with redundancy protection, minimizing the risk of downtime and product loss.
• A more stable local seafood supply, supporting prices and reducing avoidable waste.
• Improved food security for Pointe-Noire and the surrounding coastal communities.
• A replicable cold-chain model suitable for other Central African coastal markets.
By cutting avoidable loss, the cold room effectively increases the usable value of every catch and extends the window in which seafood can be sold or exported. For a coastal economy where margins are thin, this improvement in preservation translates directly into higher realized value per tonne landed, turning a previously wasted resource into saleable product.
Project Execution, Installation & After-Sales Service
The project was delivered as a turnkey engagement. Kendall Refrigeration took responsibility from the initial design and equipment selection through construction, installation and final commissioning. During the execution phase, Kendall engineers were present on site in Pointe-Noire to guide the local installation crews, verify workmanship against the design, and lead the commissioning tests that confirmed the room reached and reliably held its target temperature. On completion, the team provided operation training so local staff could run the system with confidence.
The engagement also includes ongoing after-sales operation and maintenance support. With remote monitoring in place, the supplier can assist with diagnostics and preventive care without delay, and spare parts and technical guidance are available for the life of the facility. This full-chain approach reduces the client's dependence on scarce local refrigeration expertise and helps sustain the facility's performance over the years ahead — an important consideration for infrastructure in markets where specialized service capacity is still developing.
