Shipping products that must remain cold can be a little more challenging than standard freight, but refrigerated shipping options are commonly used every day. The distance you are shipping the goods and the temperature can be critical, but you can ship items that need to be cold worldwide when done right.

Truck Shipping 

Shipping items in a refrigerated truck is widespread, and much of the produce and frozen foods in the US are shipped this way. The trailer used for refrigerated shipping is insulated. It has a refrigeration unit built into the trailer that can be set to a specific temperature so that the interior stays cold from the time it is loaded until the product is removed from the trailer at the destination.

The trailer is fitted with a standalone fuel tank that the driver must monitor and fill as needed, and the refrigeration unit can run even if the trailer is not attached to a truck. This allows the refrigeration unit to remain on when the truck is parked in areas that do not allow the truck to site and idle. 

The truck driver pulling the refrigerated trailer will set the temperature and start the cooler before they arrive to get the load so that the trailer is already cold and there is no temperature loss for the freight being loaded on the trailer. Once the cargo is loaded, the trailer is sealed, and the driver will not open it until the time comes to unload the freight. This helps keep the cold air in the trailer and protects the cargo. 

Container Shipping

If you are shipping a product overseas and it needs to be refrigerated for the entire trip, you can use a refrigerated container to handle the refrigerated shipping. The container is similar to the trailer method, but the refrigeration unit must have external power to operate, so it is connected to the ship's generator when the cargo container is put on board. 

Some trucks can connect to these containers and power them, but they are typically only used to move the container from the loading area to the ship that the container will move on. A truck will then pick up the container on the other end and transport it to the receiving dock for unloading. 

The container needs to be monitored while it is on the ship, so the cost of refrigerated shipping overseas is expensive. However, it is done every day and will most likely continue because it is the best way to move frozen goods, produce, and sensitive medications that need to remain cold for the entire trip. 

To learn more, contact a refrigerated shipping company.

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