Reefer Container and its Importance in Fruit and Vegetable Exports - Citrus Freight
Fruit and vegetable transportation presents various obstacles to shippers. When shipping perishable items, you must guarantee that the product arrives in pristine shape. Because these commodities are perishable, variables such as temperature control, humidity levels, and ventilation must be carefully considered throughout shipping. Shippers should preserve the product’s freshness and quality to reduce spoilage and maximise market value.
Ocean freight services are critical for the export of perishable products. As a result, reefer containers will be required, which are specialised containers that offer the essential controlled atmosphere to preserve fruits and vegetables.
What is a reefer container?
A reefer container is a refrigerator-style shipping container that is used to carry perishable products that require temperature control. It may be used for many forms of transportation without sacrificing the quality of the material. It normally keeps temperatures between -65°C and 40°C. When stationed on land, it requires an external power source through diesel generators during transit.
Why choose a reefer container for fruit and vegetable exports?
Following, You will learn more about the features and benefits of reefer containers.
Temperature control:
Reefer containers excel in temperature regulation, allowing temperature-sensitive commodities to be transported securely. The refrigeration unit, which is powered by a dual-fuel genset, provides precise temperature control. This lets you keep your fruits and veggies cold or chilled by preventing rotting, bacterial development, and degradation of sensitive items such as fruits and vegetables, medications, and electronics in reefer containers.
Humidity control:
Reefer Container regulates the relative humidity levels for various temperature-sensitive cargo products using humidity control devices. Dry air can cause perishable foods to lose too much moisture, whereas high humidity can induce mold, bacteria development, and spoilage. We can safeguard the cargo’s quality, texture, and shelf life for items like medications, electronics, and consumables that are prone to moisture damage by managing the humidity within the refrigerated container.
Ventilation:
Ventilation is a crucial element that increases the adaptability of reefer containers by ensuring constant temperature distribution and avoiding hot or cold areas from forming. This function is very useful for managing humidity levels and reducing condensation and moisture problems when carrying a variety of items. Ventilation helps to divide the reefer container inside into compartments with independent temperature and humidity settings, enabling the transportation of a varied variety of items in a single container.
How do reefer containers work?
Reefer containers operate by circulating temperature-controlled air within the cargo compartment. Different types of cargo have different airflow requirements, such as chilled cargo, which requires ventilation to remove heat and gases. In contrast, frozen cargo needs the passage of air through and around the product in order to remove gases such as carbon dioxide and ethylene.
Reefer containers are powered by generators that are connected to the container and provide energy to the cooling unit, as well as a backup generator for extra dependability.
Different types of reefer containers
There are various types of reefer containers available:
Closed Reefer:
The closed reefer is the most frequent kind. It has a completely electric, automated cooling and heating unit with an integrated front wall. It provides consistent temperature control for a variety of perishable items.
Modified/Controlled Atmosphere (MA/CA) Reefer:
To maintain a consistent environment, these containers incorporate insulation and air exchange mechanisms. MA/CA reefers can lower the pace of degradation and lengthen the shelf life of their products by managing the quantities of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ethylene.
Automatic Fresh Air Management (AFAM) Containers:
AFAM containers are sophisticated devices that automatically modify the fresh air supply rate to manage the composition of gases within, allowing precise control over the environment and providing ideal conditions for the carried items while extending their freshness.
Cryogenic Cooling Reefer:
Cryogenic cooling reefers employ cryogenically frozen gases such as Dry Ice or Liquid Nitrogen to retain perishable items at the proper temperature, which is especially useful for commodities that require extremely low temperatures.
Redundant Refrigeration Reefer:
This type of reefer is intended for the transportation of very expensive or temperature-sensitive cargo. Redundant refrigeration reefers have both primary and secondary refrigeration units, adding an extra layer of dependability and ensuring that the shipment is properly protected even if the first unit fails.
Refrigerated or Cool Tank Containers:
These specialised refrigerated containers are mostly used for delivering medications, milk, and other general-purpose liquids that need to be cooled. The tanks are cooled by circulating brine or synthetic oil through exterior coils, which keeps the contents at the proper temperature.
Know your Cargo
Shippers use reefer containers to convey a variety of commodities, each of which requires specialised conditions to assure freshness upon arrival. As a result, you need study about your cargo in order to select the appropriate sort of reefer container.
Reefer cargo can be categorised into three main groups:
Chilled Goods
Chilled goods include a wide range of perishable items such as fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, and dairy products that require very precise and low temperatures to prevent freezing, maintain quality, ensure optimal freshness, and extend shelf life while maintaining commercial value. Products with high respiration rates, such as asparagus and broccoli, require certain temperature and humidity settings to maintain quality and extend shelf life.
Frozen Goods
Frozen commodities, such as frozen meat, ice cream, and concentrates, must be stored and transported at -20°C or below. It is essential for avoiding spoilage and maintaining taste, fragrance, texture, and overall quality. The freezing process limits the growth of pathogenic germs and microorganisms, decreases enzyme activity and oxidation, and assures that the goods remain solidly frozen. To minimise product deterioration, such as the mushy texture produced by frequent freezing and thawing, it is critical to maintain consistent freezing temperatures with no changes.
Special/Miscellaneous Cargo
Special and miscellaneous cargo refers to non-food products that also require specific temperature and humidity control during transportation. This category includes pharmaceuticals, drugs, tobacco, batteries, chemicals, and photographic film, among others. These goods often have unique handling requirements for packaging, stowage, temperature control, and humidity levels to maintain their integrity and effectiveness.
The Right Way to Handle Reefer Cargo
You must manage your goods correctly at all stages of transportation, from packing to stowage to processing. Negligence might have a negative influence on the cargo’s shelf life, quality, and attractiveness.
Here are some tips for handling cargo in the right manner, including:
Pre-shipment Handling:
Provide freight forwarders with the correct product data, packaging, and temperature needs. Make sure you choose the right vessel and container. The goods forwarder is normally in charge of the remainder, such as choosing the appropriate vessel and container, scheduling shipping dates, verifying cargo size and weight are within legal limitations, and guaranteeing proper conditions.
Pre-cooling:
Before inserting the products inside the container, chill or freeze them. Pre-cool the container to match the temperature of the cargo and avoid freezer burn.
Packaging and Stowing:
To protect against hard handling and weather, use strong packaging. Proper stowage for ventilation and airflow is dependent on cargo type There should be enough ventilation and airflow when storing goods. Various cargo categories, however, necessitate various stowage practises. Refrigerated fruits and vegetables require adequate air supply through the packaging, whereas frozen commodities must be piled in solid blocks with no holes.
Different dimensions of reefer containers
In general, perishable items are exported using 20ft reefer containers and 40ft reefer containers.
The 20ft Reefer container is a refrigerated container with a unique design. The Reefer container may be used to cool as well as freeze objects. Our Reefer shipping containers are self-contained and powered by the vessel.
A 40ft reefer high-cube container can hold 28,350 kg. The reefer container is useful for carrying perishable and frozen materials because it can maintain a constant temperature.
Conclusion
Reefer containers have transformed international trade by enabling the safe and efficient shipping of perishable commodities throughout the world while preserving quality and satisfying demand all year. Citrus Freight specialises in handling and delivering perishable commodities and provides customised solutions to meet the specific needs of citrus produce.