Refrigerated shipment is essential for the efficient running of the supply chain; If they stop functioning, we may witness a shortage of supplies in grocery stores and pharmaceuticals, subjecting our society to the detriment.
Sensitive freight demands a temperature-controlled environment during transportation; Refrigerated transportation can be complex as necessary as they are. It includes its limitations and concerns; please visit us for more information about American Freight Inc on refrigerated shipment and its functions.
What is Refrigerated(reefer) Shipment?
Refrigerated shipment employs temperature monitoring trailers when transporting perishables from one point to another; due to a short life span of a perishable good, they should be kept under specific temperatures.
The logistic industry has termed this method of transportation service as ‘reefer’ shipping, and various supply chains leverage it across the globe. That’s because industries can successfully ship a wide range of essential items with the aid of refrigerated freight shipping. Commonly shipped products are seafood, meat products, vegetables, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and fresh foods.
Types of Reefers in the Market
The market today has a wide range of refrigerated shipping containers. To select the right one, you should check for efficiency and consider the type of cargo you are transporting. Here are typical types of reefer.
Closed Reefer
Closed Reefer refrigeration units are conventional as they consist of an automatic heating and cooling unit, an integral front wall, and one piece. They also serve ISO sea transportation courses.
Modified Reefers (Controlled Atmosphere)
Modified reefers are insulated containers. They have an air exchange system that facilitates the displacement of used oxygen, providing a stable atmospheric temperature providing an ideal temperature parallel to the commodity deterioration rate.
Automatic Reefers(AFAM)
The technology in AFAM is advanced with an automated system that regulates air combinations by scaling up fresh air exchange. The mechanism AFAM uses resembles that of modified atmospheric reefers as they regulate the composition of carbon and oxygen. Also, AFAM has controls and is adjustable to fit suitable conditions depending on cargo requirements.
Challenges that Refrigerated Trucking Face
The process of refrigerated trucking is pretty complicated, imposing different challenges. For example, one must adjust the right temperature to guarantee the safety and life of perishables. Similarly, the proper standards ensure consumer safety, but this often doesn’t happen.
For the transportation to be rightly executed, the driver in charge must have adverse knowledge of how refrigerated containers work. Here are typical challenges refrigerated trucking faces today.
Temperature Loss
Temperature loss amounts when cargo is left outside the loading dock for a significant duration due to a poor loading approach. In addition, the driver may use the wrong temperature in the reefer system even though they maintain temperature rather than eliminating heat and cooling the container.
Industry analysts say 32% of refrigeration transportation is often set at the wrong temperature during loading. Consequently, food quality is compromised if the temperature misdiagnosis exceeds the food tolerance levels. Meaning the receiver is likely to reject the delivery, thus affecting the company’s reputation—bottom line.
Negligence of Driver
Given the complexity of reefer trucking (like setting the right temperature), drivers involved should undergo proper training. Common problems include using run-continuous settings mode rather than start-stop and vice-versa. In addition, the driver may misinterpret the triggered alarm or fail to take precautions. On other occasions, the driver may skip visual inspection of the cargo, complicating issues they could have avoided. Drivers can avoid this by learning how refrigerated transportation works.
Equipment Malfunctions
Reefer units can fail to execute their function as essential as they are. The root causes are faulty calibration, bulkhead damage, door deals damage, sensor malfunction, fluid leaks, and condenser issues. When not addressed early, these issues can impact the temperature in the reefer unit, compromising commodity quality.
This issue is minimized considerably with fault codes and alarms; most have more than 200 alarm systems. In addition, regular maintenance is done as a remedy to equipment failure.
Problems with Compliance
During transportation, food handlers and drivers should comply adequately with food safety and sanitary requirements. Following a recent salmonella and listeria outbreak, the FDA developed the Food Safety and Modernization rule. But the rule fails to clarify the exact implications of ‘adequately sanitized.’ That leaves drives in the dark, leaving their discretion to save the day. Maybe, this ambiguity may attract significant errors and increase cases of food contamination.
But on their part, fleets must get ahead of the game and discern proper compliance practices. For instance, they may keep useful procedures and attend food safety training.
