Refrigeration is critical in transporting perishable goods such as foods and other products that may lose value during transportation, including flowers, medical products, and chemicals. Refrigeration helps to reduce losses by keeping commodities at the optimum temperatures while in transit in temperature-controlled containers. Despite its importance in the transportation industry, cargo refrigeration comes with challenges. Being aware of the challenges and potential solutions helps avoid unnecessary losses. Loading cargo that has the wrong temperatures is a problem that can affect the quality of goods on arrival at their intended destination. This happens when a cargo stays long at the loading dock and loses its initial temperature. For instance, products removed from refrigerated storage that stay long before loading into the trucks will change their temperature. The refrigerated vehicles are meant to maintain the loaded temperature and not alter any adjusted temperatures. Hence, loaders should ensure that cargo is loaded as soon as it is removed from its storage. Outside temperatures can fluctuate rapidly, affecting the refrigerated products as the trucks move from one point to another. For instance, after a truck leaves point A with cool temperatures, the temperatures may change at point B, affecting the interior temperatures. A real-time temperature monitoring system will also help monitor changes that may affect the cargo. The drivers should also be aware of how to operate the monitoring system to ensure the goods maintain proper temperature throughout the transportation. Data entry errors in paperwork may cause confusion, especially when done manually. To avoid such incidences, it is recommended to implement electronic monitoring systems. When things go wrong, the blame is placed on the transporters who find themselves in the need to prove the condition in which the cargo was transported. They are also required to have compliance, auditing, and other necessary documentation. This challenge can be reduced by implementing a technology that logs in all necessary information, such as the temperature at the receiving point and at different intervals. The system can then send reports to the shipper or receiver in real-time. Failure to create an efficient cold chain monitoring program could result in substantial fines and responsibility for businesses. Producers, carriers, and receiving customers must all work together under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) to guarantee that perishable food products are safe during each step of transportation. A failure with the refrigeration equipment will result in a costly loss. Some common problems include condenser issues, fluid leaks, sensor malfunction, and damaged door seals. This issue affects the temperature of the reefer unit, and the goods in transit could get damaged. Therefore, it is important to have a dependable temperature monitoring system.

1. Refrigeration in Cargo Shipping Challenges and
Solutions
Thomas Cutura

2. Introduction
Refrigeration is critical in transporting perishable goods such as foods and
other products that may lose value during transportation, including flowers,
medical products, and chemicals. Refrigeration helps to reduce losses by
keeping commodities at the optimum temperatures while in transit in
temperature-controlled containers.

3. Despite its importance in the transportation industry, cargo refrigeration comes
with challenges.
Being aware of the challenges and potential solutions helps avoid unnecessary
losses.

4. Loading cargo that has the wrong temperatures is a problem that can affect the
quality of goods on arrival at their intended destination. This happens when a cargo
stays long at the loading dock and loses its initial temperature. For instance,
products removed from refrigerated storage that stay long before loading into the
trucks will change their temperature. The refrigerated vehicles are meant to
maintain the loaded temperature and not alter any adjusted temperatures. Hence,
loaders should ensure that cargo is loaded as soon as it is removed from its storage.

5. Outside temperatures can fluctuate rapidly, affecting the refrigerated products as
the trucks move from one point to another. For instance, after a truck leaves point A
with cool temperatures, the temperatures may change at point B, affecting the
interior temperatures. A real-time temperature monitoring system will also help
monitor changes that may affect the cargo. The drivers should also be aware of how
to operate the monitoring system to ensure the goods maintain proper temperature
throughout the transportation.

6. Data entry errors in paperwork may cause confusion, especially when done
manually. To avoid such incidences, it is recommended to implement electronic
monitoring systems.

7. When things go wrong, the blame is placed on the transporters who find themselves
in the need to prove the condition in which the cargo was transported. They are also
required to have compliance, auditing, and other necessary documentation. This
challenge can be reduced by implementing a technology that logs in all necessary
information, such as the temperature at the receiving point and at different
intervals. The system can then send reports to the shipper or receiver in real-time.

8. Failure to create an efficient cold chain monitoring program could result in
substantial fines and responsibility for businesses. Producers, carriers, and receiving
customers must all work together under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
to guarantee that perishable food products are safe during each step of
transportation.

9. A failure with the refrigeration equipment will result in a costly loss. Some common
problems include condenser issues, fluid leaks, sensor malfunction, and damaged
door seals. This issue affects the temperature of the reefer unit, and the goods in
transit could get damaged. Therefore, it is important to have a dependable
temperature monitoring system. Better still, invest in a modern refrigeration unit
that is equipped with alarm and fault codes to give warnings in advance. However,
transporters should avoid overreliance on technology and ensure regular
maintenance checks to avoid failures in transit.

10. Finally, reefer shipping has changed the world by allowing people to experience
things they would not have had access to otherwise. It has also aided the growth and
advancement of other businesses and enabled transportation to geographically
different located areas.