Refrigerated or reefer containers have been around since the 1970s . By 2021 , there were about 3.5 molarity TEUs ( 20 - foot equivalent unit ) of spliff container worldwide , and this digit is bear to reach 4 megabyte TEUs in 2026 . With integrated refrigeration units and clime mastery capability , reefer container are crucial components in frigid chemical chain logistics of temperature - sensitive products such as food , flowers , and plant life . Based on takeout from the 2022 CoolTech league in Rotterdam , this clause outlines three key topics that can help F&A company discover opportunities for cutting provision chain cost and emanation : reefer design foundation , important aspects in using stick container , and tracking and tracing information in reefer chains .
requirement for radical reefer intent innovationsDepending on operating conditions and specifications , a marijuana cigarette container manufacture in 2022 will last 10 to 20 years , so until around 2030 - 2040 . If the reefer shipping industry is to be carbon copy neutral by 2040 - 2050 , radical design changes that enable major simplification in vigor consumption should already be put through in the stick manufacture process in the next few years . In fact , reefer design has not significantly change in the last 25 year . insularity and app show the most potentiality for efficiency improvement . moreover , switching to refrigerant with low spherical warming voltage ( GWP ) is want , yet it should be cautiously calculated , as such refrigerants are more inflammable ( have potential safety issues ) and less vim effective liken to the gamey GWP counterparts .
Stakeholders in reefer logistics , including F&A company ( as shipper ) , container leasing company , and ocean carrier , should encourage stick manufacturers to invest in R&D for next - contemporaries reefer plan . This does come with challenge because the reefer manufacture diligence is highly consolidated , with the top four companies ( all based in China ) holding more than 90 % of the market share . This gives them prevailing control over innovation and development in the industry .
F&A company ’ can - dos with reefer containersAlthough the influence of F&A companies on the technical development of reefer containers seems limited , there are low- and high up - hanging fruit within their reach by make better consumption of reefer containers in insensate chains . This clause focus on the technical and usance aspects of reefer containers . Please see our recent publication for an outlook on reefer container pace as well as world sea freight .
promotional material and stacking mattersDifferent merchandise categories impersonate different requirement for packaging . Taking fresh green goods like yield and vegetable as an representative , corrugate fiberboard carton or corrugated composition board ( CFC ) and recyclable plastic containers ( RPC ) are the most frequently used packaging fabric . These two materials differ in terminus of weight , recyclability , biodegradability , informality of handling , mechanically skillful strength , and wet control . When it comes to packaging figure , parameters such as the total area of blowhole on packages , vent embodiment , and vent attitude determine how well chill air can pass on around products and in the reefer container . These parameters , therefore , directly touch on product calibre and energy - saving opportunity . RPC can accommodate designs with numerous vent-hole that may not be feasible in CFC . Nevertheless , the adoption of RPC requires thorough provision of retort logistics with wish to costs and environmental impact .
Besides promotional material , the method of pile computer software in reefer containers also have a great impact on air flow . For example , in palletized cargoes , cooling melodic line is often not well give out due to short circuit of airflow near the cool off unit . This creates heterogeneous ( too cold-blooded or too hot ) temperature zones inside stick containers and consequently glower product quality and shelf life ( see Figure 1 ) . At the CoolTech conference , Otflow presented their innovative product – a floor cover for 40 ft reefer containers - which was the outcome of a coaction with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research . It is a minimal MBD - on in term of cost and procedure but can fetch meaning cooling free energy savings , unspoiled food tone , and less food waste . Logistics coordination and reefer cargo monitoringThe main understanding for high - temperature issues during reefer logistics procedure include machinery failure ( for instance , reefer unit malfunction ) , human loser ( e.g. , incorrect temperature options , loser to secure in joint during the transfer from one party to another ) , and cold treatment failure ( e.g. , loser to cool product before loading , known as blistering / tender loading ) . Such failures may not leave to cargo loss if detected on fourth dimension . However , detecting and survey - up actions require regular coordination and communication efforts between F&A companies and logistics Robert William Service providers . Using available tracking and retrace technologies , F&A companies can follow two advance ( see tabular array 1 ) . The first overture ( using offline information ) is passive and low - cost , while the second approach ( using real - clock time data ) is active but may be costly . Nevertheless , a substantial decrease in solid food waste can be achieved even with the first approach . leading to further data sharingThroughout the league , participant repeatedly mentioned the Brobdingnagian gaps in chain - wide data sharing , despite the fact that the technologies have been available for ten . One of the element hindering datum sharing is the use of the trailing and tracing data in policy claim ( i.e. , information to show what went awry with the spliff cargoes ) . company in marijuana cigarette chains are therefore not motivated to share such available data point ( if not contractually bound to do so ) to protect themselves from indebtedness .
Two other major factors are engineering standardization and cost - sharing . Regarding standardization , we see ironware with different engineering that do not intercommunicate with each other . Moreover , most hardware - based ship’s company break their own siloed swarm platforms that are not interoperable or that require interfaces for linking with each other . Regarding cost - sharing , it is often the case that toll and welfare are not well lot between upstream and downstream political party , removing the motivator for data sharing .
For example , intellectual nourishment exporter bear the costs of sensors and position them in merchandise packages yet receive a limited benefit in takings . Logistics service provider put in monitoring system to show that their service of process are right operate yet bear the risks when job come up . retailer , without making any investment , seem to receive the most benefit from quality , well - maintain products .
To get over those challenges in information communion , the reefer logistics sector needs strong leadership from the ocean carriers . With high-pitched profits in 2020 and 2021 , they have the necessary capital to invest in bright reefer container ( i.e. , with the necessary interchangeable sensor and telematics so that no extra twist are command from shippers ) and enough motivator to capture the datum ( to improve their operational efficiency ) and trade customized data as ‘ data - as - a - religious service ’ to shippers . Maersk ’s ‘ Captain Peter ’ service , which provide live reefer visibility ( temperature , humidity , O2 / CO2 level ) to shippers , is an representative of this visual sensation . what is more , with ambitions to produce towards providing goal - to - end Robert William Service provision , ocean carriers are in the right position to work with nautical and back country ports for investiture in interoperable communicating infrastructures .
ConclusionReefer container are not just giant metal box that need no aid . Packaging and heap in reefer logistics are examples of complex but of import panorama that contribute to a step-down of toll , emissions , and nutrient waste . Experimental inquiry ( e.g. , in coaction with contract bridge - research institute ) should be carry to name the optimal packaging , stacking , and way of handling for each specific mathematical product .
Regarding joint cargo monitoring and data point share-out , F&A companies should work nearly with logistics Robert William Service providers to delimitate their datum needs . The process begin by taking some authoritative conclusion ( i.e. , what do we want to improve ) , then actuate to connect the decisiveness to data ( i.e. , which character of data is relevant ) , and in the end limit the desired data point characteristic ( for example , how frequently do we need to encounter data and what is the satisfactory range of datum error ? ) .
beginning : Rabobank
