Today marks the 26th International Day for Biological Diversity, with the theme “Protecting Life, Benefiting All,” which aims to encourage all sectors of society to actively participate in biodiversity conservation. However, issues such as overfishing and high wastage in the seafood supply chain continue to threaten marine ecological balance and biodiversity.

As a global leader in diversified refrigeration solutions, Icesource(CBFI) enhances the value of every frozen food product through its refrigeration and quick freezing product lines and solutions, while integrating marine conservation into every ton of ice and every solution it delivers.

Using Ice as a Shield to Protect Marine Biodiversity

With the increasing frequency of marine heatwaves, fish spoil more quickly once they are brought ashore. Traditional crushed ice tends to clump together, melt quickly, and be supplied inconsistently. As a result, fishermen must increase their catch to offset these losses, which can lead to a decline in certain fish populations, damage marine ecosystems, and reduce biodiversity.

To address this challenge, Icesource(CBFI) has focused on the ice-making process, offering a range of flake ice and tube ice products and solutions to help ensure that deep-sea catches reach their destination fresh and quickly. Flake ice is thin and soft, with a temperature as low as -8°C. Its large surface area allows it to rapidly lower the surface temperature of the catch without damaging the fish, making it ideal for emergency pre-cooling during offshore operations. Meanwhile, tube ice is hard, resistant to melting, and easy to mix,making it suitable for dock storage and long-distance transport scenarios, thereby reducing spoilage and losses in the fresh produce supply chain.

In practical applications, Icesource(CBFI) has installed two 25-ton flake ice machines and a 50-ton ice storage facility at a fishing port in the Maldives, extending the shelf life of local fish catches and supporting sustainable fishing operations.In Fujian and Beihai, Guangxi, after the tube ice machine projects were put into operation, fish loss rates dropped from 25% to 8%, eliminating the need for fishermen to overfish to compensate for spoilage.Furthermore, at a large seafood processing plant in Thailand, the installation of two 50-ton tube ice systems and an automatic screw-type ice supply system has enabled end-to-end freshness preservation from unloading at the dock to the processing workshop.

Instant freshness preservation maximizes the value of every catch

Icesource(CBFI) offers highly efficient and reliable quick-freezing equipment solutions. Icesource(CBFI)’s double spiral quick freezer and freezing tunnel can lower temperatures to below -35°C in a very short time, allowing the catch to rapidly pass through the ice crystal formation stage. The resulting ice crystals are tiny and uniform, ensuring that cell structures remain intact. After thawing, the fish meat retains its original firmness and juiciness, minimizing loss of both texture and nutritional value. With the same catch volume, more products that meet market standards can be produced, thereby improving the effective utilization rate of the catch.

Now, Icesource(CBFI)’s quick freezing  solutions have been proven effective in numerous project cases. After adopting Icesource(CBFI)’s quick freezing solution, a fish processing plant in Thailand saw its export compliance rate rise from 72% to 98%. A fishermen’s cooperative in Indonesia used tunnel freezers to maintain consistently high-quality fish fillets, achieving a significant increase in revenue without increasing the number of fishing trips; A large state-owned agricultural group in Guangxi processes thousands of tons of seafood annually through its quick-frozen fish fillet project. By preserving product quality, the group has reduced resource waste and enhanced the value of its catch.

Green Refrigeration, Reducing the Environmental Impact at the Source

While maintaining the freshness of the catch is a priority, the energy consumption of refrigeration equipment is equally important. The long-term operation of energy-intensive equipment increases carbon emissions, which in turn accelerates global warming and indirectly impacts habitats in polar regions, high-altitude areas, and the oceans.

To address this issue, Icesource(CBFI) has implemented a number of targeted measures in both equipment R&D and production. In terms of equipment R&D, we are conducting in-depth research into the application of natural refrigerants (CO₂/NH₃) and utilizing low-GWP/zero-ODP refrigerants, thereby eliminating the risk of ozone depletion associated with CFCs. At the same time, it has reduced energy consumption through patented technologies such as waste heat recovery and high-efficiency heat exchange. During the production phase, considering the high salt fog environment typical of fishing ports, key components of the equipment are made of food-grade stainless steel with corrosion-resistant properties. This ensures excellent corrosion resistance, effectively extending the equipment’s service life and guaranteeing long-term, stable operation.
 Biodiversity is a precious treasure of our planet, and safeguarding the coexistence of all living things must be integrated into the day-to-day operations of corporate development. From protecting marine life to green, low-carbon refrigeration; from preserving the freshness of ingredients and reducing waste to eco-friendly production, Icesource(CBFI) integrates green refrigeration and clean ice-making throughout its entire supply chain.

Moving forward, Icesource(CBFI) will continue to focus on technological innovation, integrating energy efficiency and eco-friendly principles into every stage of product development, manufacturing, and service. We aim to be a smart manufacturing partner for the global ice-making and food quick-freezing industries, putting sustainable development into practice through our professional refrigeration expertise, and working together to build a new ecosystem for high-quality industry development.