RESUME REFRIGERATED CARGO

Any cargo that has to be loaded, maintained and/or carried at a certain

temperature in order for it to reach its destination without deterioration is
classed as refrigerated cargoes. This includes meat, fish, poultry products,
dairy products, drugs and experimental samples. Refrigerated cargoes are
perishable to a greater or lesser degree, and their safe carriage depends on
maintaining suitable storage conditions during transportation.

I. Types of Refrigerated Cargoes

1. Goods carried in frozen state i.e. meats, fish and butter
2. Goods carried in chilled state i.e. beef, vegetables, cheese and eggs
3. Goods carried in air cooled condition i.e. fruits
Note: Drugs and experimental samples may be frozen or chilled.

II. Properties of Refrigerated Cargoes

1. Rapid deterioration if proper temperatures are not maintained during
loading, voyage and discharging.
2. Susceptible to tainting and moisture contact damage.
3. Effected by presence of CO2.

III. General Requirements for Safe Transport

The responsibility for specifying carriage instructions is that of the
shipper/owner of the goods. Only the shipper knows the full nature of the
goods, their prior history and their requirements. Frequently this responsibility
is passed to the carrier, but in this case the shipper should agree the
acceptability of the specified conditions prior to shipment. In either case, the
exact nature of the cargo needs to be known – in the case of fruit, for example,
carriage requirements may vary dependent on type, variety, maturity, origin
and growing season conditions.

IV. Some of the general carriage requirements

a. Segregation of cargo - If mixed loads of differing commodities are to be
carried in a single cargo space, it is necessary to consider compatibility
of temperature, atmosphere (especially ethylene levels) and liability to
taint. This will usually require specialist cargo care advice.
b. It may be necessary to ensure that carriage conditions are specified to
all carriers in the transport chain, as on occasions an international
journey may use different carriers at the start and end of the journey.
c. Items such as relative humidity and maximum time without
refrigeration should not be over specified but should meet the
necessary requirements of the goods.
 d. Efficient refrigeration machinery and good insulation of the
compartment.
e. Careful preparation of the compartment including cleaning, dunnaging
and pre-cooling.
f. Effective system for monitoring and maintaining specified temperature
during loading, transportation and discharging.
g. Monitoring and control of CO2 concentration in the compartment, and
good ventilation.

V. Specific requirements for reefer ships

The parameters that may be included in carriage instructions for
refrigerated cargo are listed below:

 Pre-loading sanitation.
 Pre-cooling of cargo space.
 Cooling during part-loaded conditions.
 Prohibition of loading cargo at mixed temperatures.
 Stowage requirements.
 Ventilation (or lack of) during cooling.
 Ventilation thereafter.
 Carriage temperature.
 Air circulation rate.
 Relative humidity limits or targets.
 Carbon dioxide limits or targets.
 Ethylene limits.
 Measurement and reporting requirements.
 Special conditions for cold weather.
 Need to pass instructions to subsequent carrier.
 Need to notify if limits exceeded.

 For controlled atmosphere shipments, additionally:

 Levels (ranges) for O2, and CO2, humidity, ethylene.
 Permitted time to reach specified levels.
 Procedure in event of CA system failure.

VI. Preparation of Compartment

 Pre-loading sanitation
The proper cleanliness and lack of odour in compartments to be used for
ambient temperature before cleaning begins. The odours of residue from
previous cargo are then more readily detectable and are not masked by the
residue remaining in frozen state. In the above case detection of refrigerated
goods should be a matter of normal good practice, but any special or particular
needs should be identified. It is desirable that holds are allowed to warm to
 the putrefaction was delayed by the gradual rise in the temperature from hard
frozen to chilled.

 Pre-cooling of cargo space

 To allow for temp fluctuations during loading
 To ensure carriage temp achieved ASAP
 Begins once holds are clean & dry
 Dunnage cooled at the same time
 May take 24 - 48 hours

VII. Certification for cleanliness and pre-cooling required from

cargo super or terminal.
Approximate pre-cooling temperatures: -
 Frozen compartments 10oF
 Chilled compartments 22oF
 Apples, pears, peaches and grapes 28oF
 Oranges, lemon, grape fruit 36oF
 Cheese 40oF
The pre-cooled compartment should be inspected by the appointed
surveyor and certified ‘fit to load’ before loading can commence.

VIII. Ventilation (or lack of) during cooling

For most refrigerated cargoes, the cargo should be loaded at the required
carriage temperature. For some cargoes, notably bananas and the less sensitive
citrus varieties, cooling in transit is normal. In these cases a period of 48 hours
should be specified, during which fresh air ventilation is stopped to allow
maximum refrigeration.

IX. Ventilation thereafter

After cooling, or throughout in the absence of cooling, the rate of fresh
air ventilation for fresh produce should be specified. This may be as an
absolute figure in cubic metres per hour, or as a rate in air changes per hour of
the empty volume of cargo space. Alternatively it may be linked to measured
values of humidity, ethylene or carbon dioxide. Care is necessary to
avoid requirements that conflict.

X. Other measures
 Sweep and clean thoroughly with particular attention to brine pipes,
insulation, bins, gratings, air ducts in order to remove all traces, stains
and odour of previous cargo. After cleaning these should be wiped down
with a disinfectant fluid to prevent formation of mould there on.
 Bilges should be made dry, cleaned and ventilated in order to remove
foreign matter and odour. Brine traps are provided to seal the drain pipe
 from tween decks to bilges in order to allow only one drain passage from
tween deck to bilges and stop any back flow of gases/ foul odours from
bilges to cargo space. These should be checked and topped up to
prevent cold air from entering the bilges and freezing them or odour from
reaching the refrigerated compartment.
 Strum boxes should be cleared and bilge suction tested.
 Clean dunnage, likely to be used, meat hooks, bars chains or any other
equipment or appliances to be used for loading or stowage of cargo
should be placed in the compartment after they have been cleaned and
sterilised.
 Thermometers should be tested and kept ready and thermometer pipes,
if removed, should be fitted, or extended to enable recording of
temperatures at the top, middle and lower levels of the compartments.
 Portable trunks in holds of battery compartments must be assembled in
place.

XI. Loading, Discharging, Handling Refrigerated Cargoes

1. Cargo tendered for shipment should be inspected thoroughly: -

a. Frozen cargo should be hard frozen and free of spots or mould. There
should be no blood stains on the wrappings.
b. Fruit should not be in advanced stated of ripeness, skin should not be
discoloured and should not be brown on the inside. Random samples
should be taken and cut open.
2. Cooling in compartment opened for loading should be stopped to prevent
frosting of grid pipes which will not only reduce cooling efficiency but on
melting will result in water accumulation in the compartment and
possible damage to cargo there in. Any snow formation on pipes should
be carefully swept off.
3. Compartments not being worked should be kept closed. If necessary to
keep them open to permit loading in adjoining hold or space escape of
cold air should be prevented by rigging tarpaulin screens or some similar
device. Air screens may be fitted on some ships.
4. Monitor temperature in the compartment during loading and should it
rise above the specified level, close the compartment and re-cool it.
5. No walling should be permitted on cases of fruit, eggs or cheese as they
are fragile Over other frozen cargo, shoes should be covered with clean
gunny sacking or similar material.
6. Cargo should not be dragged, pushed or thrown. Slings should be made
in the hatch square.
7. Proper cargo gear should be used e.g. canvas nets for meat and trays for
crates/cases of cheese, butter, eggs and fruit.
8. Heavy meat should not be stowed over light meat.
 9. Taintable cargo should not be stowed with fruit nor loaded in a
compartment which has carried fruit unless it has been de-odourised.
10. Thick paper should be pasted over joints to prevent air leak.
11. Dunnaging is carried out in hold to prevent cargo movement and to
prevent "short-cycling". (Short Cycling is the airflow choosing the path of
least resistance, ie; around rather than through the cargo.)

 Dunnaging should be so arranged so as to

a. provide adequate support to the cargo,

b. ensure sufficient clearance from deck and sides to prevent contact
between cargo and the cooling pipes, air ducts, baffle plates and any
water likely to condense in the compartment.
c. In the event of different temperatures being maintained in adjoining
compartments liberal use should be made of saw dust on
deck dunnage on the sides and drip trays under deck head to prevent
water contamination in the warmer compartment,
d. to prevent damage to bottom tiers by over stowed cargo,
e. to permit unobstructed circulation of cooled air below, around and
through the cargo including dunnaging at intermediate tiers for cargo
of tight block stow type so that uniform temperature can be
maintained throughout the compartment.
XII. Principal refrigerated cargoes and respective carriage
temperatures
 Meats:
Frozen beef About - 10°C (1°F).
Frozen lamb/or mutton From about - 8°C to - 10°C (15° to 18°F).
Frozen pork About - 10°C (15°F).
 Poultry
Packed in cases and carried at - 10°C to - 12°C (10-15°F).
 Dairy products
Butter Liable to taint and should not be stowed alongside other strong
smelling cargoes in the same compartment, e.g. fruit. Generally packed in
cartons. Carriage temperature about - 10°C (15°F).
Cheese Carriage temperature varies but generally carried at 5–7°C
average. Usually stowed on double dunnage
 Fish
Shipped in boxes or crates and should be stowed on 50-mm dunnage.
Fish has a tendency to rapid deterioration, and should be carried at a low a
temperature as possible, which should not exceed - 12°C (10°F).
 Fruits & Vegetables
 Apples Carriage temperature will vary with the variety of apple but is
usually in the range of - 1–2°C.
 Pears Should not be stowed in the same compartment as apples.
Carriage temperature -1°C to 0°C (30–32°F).
 Grapes, peaches, plums Carriage temperature - 1oC to 2oC (31–35oF).
 Oranges must have adequate ventilation as they are very strong
smelling and the compartment must be deodorized after carriage.
Carrying temperature 2–5oC (36–41oF)
 Lemons Similar to oranges. Carrying temperature 5–7oC (41–45oF).
 Grapefruits Similar stow to oranges. Carriage at about 6oC (44oF).
 Banana trade is specialized and special ships are built for the
purpose. Many of which use containers. The carriage temperature is
critical as too low a temperature can permanently arrest the ripening
process. Daily inspection of a compartment would be carried out
and any fruit found to be ripe is removed. One ripe banana in a
compartment can cause an acceleration of the ripening process
throughout the compartment. Carriage temperature usually about
12°C (52–54°F).