Frozen products
Products such as meat, fish, ready meals and frozen vegetables are the group working with the narrowest tolerance. Once the temperature has risen and dropped again, quality may have been lost even if the product looks the same.
Cold Chain Logistics
A guide to how frozen, chilled and temperature-sensitive cargo is carried by refrigerated truck, reefer container and air cargo with temperature tracking throughout. Konsol Logistics plans the options with partners.
In short
Cold chain logistics means keeping frozen, chilled and temperature-sensitive products within the required temperature range from the point of departure to delivery. This page is for exporters and importers who ship food, medicines and other perishable cargo. Konsol Logistics plans refrigerated truck, reefer container and air cargo options through its partners, and stays with you on temperature tracking, paperwork and updates.
What is the cold chain and which products need it?
A chain takes its name from its weakest link. Cargo may have been chilled perfectly in the warehouse, yet a pallet left waiting on the ramp or a vehicle with its door left open wastes all that effort. That is why the cold chain is not a single vehicle, but loading, transport, transfer, storage and delivery managed as one whole.
Chilled and fresh products
Cargo such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products and flowers is not frozen, only kept at a certain coolness. Here, ventilation and humidity matter alongside temperature; a wrong setting can damage the product through over-cooling as well.
Medicines, vaccines and healthcare products
For medicine and vaccine shipments, the conditions are set by the product's licence holder and the relevant authorities. Record keeping, deviation reporting and authorised receipt take on extra importance here. Remember that rules vary by country and product.
Other temperature-controlled cargo
Some chemicals, cosmetics, chocolate and sensitive electronic materials also need a certain temperature range. The temperature requirement on the manufacturer's label or data sheet is the first reference for choosing the right mode.
Cold chain options by mode
Which mode to choose depends on the value of the cargo, its shelf life and the destination. The table below offers a general comparison.
| Mode | Cargo it suits | Point to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerated truck by road | Fresh and frozen food and medicines to Europe and neighbouring markets | Fuel and running status of the refrigeration unit during border waits |
| Reefer container by sea | Large-volume frozen and chilled products to distant markets | Power connection at the port and the time spent at transfer points |
| Cold chain by air | Perishable, high-value, urgent cargo; medicines and vaccines | Choice of active or passive packaging; special rules if dry ice is used |
How does a refrigerated (reefer) container work?
There is a point at first glance on which everyone is wrong: a reefer container does not chill the cargo, it maintains the cold. The product must enter the container already at the target temperature. If a warm pallet is loaded, the unit cannot restore the balance however hard it runs.
Before loading, the container is pre-checked; cleanliness, the door seal and a test run of the unit are the items looked at in this stage. The cargo is stacked so as to leave room for air circulation along the floor and does not exceed the height line; otherwise cold air cannot pass through the load.
On the market, besides 20-foot and 40-foot refrigerated containers, there are also 40-foot high-cube models that add volume. Which one suits is decided by the height of the pallet and the stacking properties of the product. In sea freight, the unit needs a power connection on the ship and at the port; the continuity of that connection is the lifeblood of the shipment.
Expert note: On loading day, measure and record the core temperature of the product. The reference is not the air temperature but the product itself; in a dispute that might arise later between shipper and consignee, this first record is the strongest evidence.
How is a cold chain shipment planned, step by step?
- Clarify the temperature range. Share in writing the range set by the manufacturer, the tolerance limit and the type of cargo.
- Choose the mode and the equipment. A refrigerated truck, reefer container or air cargo solution is determined by the shelf life of the product and the destination.
- Pre-cool the cargo. The product and the equipment are brought to the target temperature before loading; time on the ramp is kept as short as possible.
- Place the tracking device. The temperature data logger is put at a representative point in the load and its operation is confirmed.
- Monitor throughout transport. Transfer, border and customs points are moments of risk; the flow of information is stepped up at those moments.
- Check at delivery. The consignee examines the temperature and the record together as the door opens; if there is a deviation, it is noted with a report on receipt.
Temperature tracking, storage and deviation management
The purpose of tracking is not only to see the problem but to act before it grows. A temperature deviation report rests on an agreement made in advance on who will monitor the record, in which time interval and with which threshold. Without that agreement, the time at the moment of deviation goes on arguing about who will decide.
The storage link demands the same care. Cold stores and cross-docking points belong to separate partners; the temperature at which the cargo will sit at these points and for how long should be part of the plan.
- Has the temperature range been confirmed in writing according to the manufacturer's label
- Has the pre-check of the equipment and vehicle been done
- Has the data logger been verified as working before loading
- Have power and cooling continuity been planned at transfer and waiting points
- Have a responsible person and a communication channel been set for deviation reports
- Will the consignee be given the record report at delivery
Common mistakes
- Placing warm cargo in the container or vehicle and expecting the unit to correct it
- Stacking pallets and cartons in a way that blocks air circulation
- Shipping without a data logger; when a problem arises there is no evidence left
- Leaving transfer and port waiting out of the plan
- Using dry ice without telling the carrier; dry ice may be subject to special rules
- Signing the paperwork at delivery without measuring the temperature
Get a quote for your cold chain shipment
Konsol Logistics assesses your refrigerated cargo requests together with partners and agents, and offers suitable mode options according to the temperature range, volume and destination of your product. Paperwork preparation, cargo tracking and regular updates are part of the process. Sending the product type and the temperature requirement through the Quick Quote form is enough for correct routing.
Frequently asked questions
It is the transport, storage and monitoring process that keeps temperature-sensitive products within the specified temperature range from production to delivery. It is applied with different equipment by road, sea and air. The record at every link of the chain matters.
No, a reefer container is designed not to chill the cargo but to maintain it at the target temperature. The product has to enter the container already at the required temperature. Otherwise the unit cannot close the gap.
Tracking is recommended or mandatory for most food, medicines, vaccines, flowers and sensitive chemicals. The requirement varies with the nature of the product, the country and the consignee's terms. Confirm the current rule on this with the relevant authority.
Dry ice is widely used as a coolant, but in air freight it can be treated under dangerous goods rules. Quantity, packaging and marking conditions differ by carrier. Clarify with the airline or carrier before dispatch.
When a deviation is noticed, the carrier and the consignee are told at once, the record report is kept and the usability of the product is assessed with the manufacturer or the competent authority. Setting the deviation procedure before the shipment speeds up the process.
Other questions asked on this topic
In food and pharmaceutical shipments, the temperature range the product requires is first settled in writing; then temperature records, product-specific health or conformity documents and the acceptance conditions on the consignee's side are planned. Requirements vary by product, country and the authority concerned.
- Food: a health certificate may be requested for meat, dairy and seafood, and a phytosanitary certificate for plant products; the validity period of the document must not expire at customs.
- Pharmaceuticals and vaccines: the conditions are set by the product's licence holder and the relevant authorities; record keeping, deviation reporting and authorized receipt carry extra weight.
- Tell the consignee the delivery window and receiving hours in advance; a product waiting at the gate or in the warehouse is among the common causes of temperature excursions.
- If dry ice is used, tell the carrier; in air freight it may be assessed under the dangerous goods rules.
Verify the current list of documents and permits with the relevant authority or your customs broker.
Related services
This topic is planned under the services below. See the service page for details.
- Road Freight TransportRoad freight from Turkey to Europe, the Turkic Republics, the Middle East and the Gulf, with full-truck (FTL) and part-load (LTL) options, plus planning and paperwork support on the Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain routes.
- Sea Freight TransportSea freight with FCL and LCL options, port to port or door to door, for your imports and exports. A partner network spanning 93 countries, paperwork support and regular cargo tracking with Konsol Logistics.
- Air Freight TransportAir freight for time-critical shipments, airport to airport or door to door. Booking, AWB and paperwork preparation, customs support and cargo tracking handled in one place by Konsol Logistics.
Topics covered by this solution
This page covers the following 40 topics together.
Show 40 topics
- Sea Freight Cold Chain Transport
- Sea Freight Temperature-Controlled Transport
- 20ft Reefer Container
- 40ft Reefer Container
- 40ft High Cube Reefer Container
- Cold Chain Container
- Temperature-Controlled Container
- Reefer Container Transport
- Container Temperature Monitoring
- Air Freight Cold Chain Transport
- Air Freight Perishable Goods Transport
- Road Freight Cold Chain Transport
- Frozen Food Transport
- Chilled Food Transport
- Cold Chain Logistics
- Cold Chain Storage
- Cold Chain Distribution
- Cold Chain Monitoring
- Cold Chain Delivery Check
- Temperature-Controlled Transport
- Temperature-Controlled Storage
- Refrigerated Vehicle Transport
- Refrigerated Container Shipping
- Frozen Product Logistics
- Perishable Goods Logistics
- Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Logistics
- Vaccine Cold Chain Logistics
- Temperature Measurement Record
- Temperature Data Logging
- In-Transit Temperature Monitoring
- Temperature Excursion Notification
- Refrigeration Equipment Check
- Temperature Log Reporting
- Dry Ice Transport Organisation
- Cargo Temperature Requirement
- Cold Room Storage
- Chilled Goods Storage
- Frozen Goods Storage
- Warehouse Temperature Monitoring
- Cold Chain Consultancy