Refrigerated Freight: Keeping the Cold Chain Intact From Origin to Destination
Food, pharmaceuticals and other temperature-sensitive goods need an unbroken cold chain. How reefer transport works and where things usually go wrong.
A single break in the cold chain can ruin a whole shipment. Refrigerated — or reefer — freight keeps goods at a set temperature throughout the journey, by sea, road or air.
What needs refrigerated transport?
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Frozen meat and fish
- Dairy products
- Pharmaceuticals and some chemicals
- Flowers and plants
How reefer transport works
Reefer containers and trucks have their own refrigeration units, powered from the vessel, the terminal or a generator set. The required temperature — chilled or frozen — is set before loading and monitored during transit.
Where the cold chain breaks
- Goods loaded at the wrong temperature (reefers maintain temperature; they are not designed to cool warm cargo quickly).
- Long waits without power at terminals or borders.
- Poor stowage that blocks air circulation.
- Delays at customs for inspection.
Best practice
- Pre-cool cargo to the carrying temperature.
- State the exact set point and ventilation settings in the booking.
- Use temperature loggers for high-value cargo.
- Prepare customs documents in advance to avoid waiting time.
Viking Group moves freight at different temperatures as refrigerated freight, and supplies frozen provisions to vessels with the cold chain maintained to the ship’s side. Talk to us at logistics@vikinggroup.az.