Why the World Relies on Reefers
Refrigerated containers are the central element of the cold chain. They enable the safe transport of temperature-sensitive goods such as fresh produce, seafood, pharmaceuticals, and frozen foods. They also maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels so the goods arrive fresh and intact at the customer's premises.
Globalisation and, with it, the increasing demand for products that must be stored and transported at controlled temperatures mean that more ports are required to provide more infrastructure and qualified workers trained to handle refrigerated containers.
When Demand Soars for Reefers
Seasonal peaks in demand are a recurring challenge for the cold chain. Events such as harvest times and holidays when a lot of eating takes place, and luxury food is gifted really boost the demand for reefers.
During these periods, container terminals must cope with a variety of challenges, including more reefer arrivals, limited plug-in capacity, and increased demand for energy and human resources. It requires comprehensive forecasting and careful planning to align infrastructure and workforce to handle the additional workload.
Even the regular operation of reefers poses several challenges for container terminals:
Temperature Management
Managing temperatures and other parameters such as humidity or CO2 is a critical aspect, as maintaining precise conditions is essential to preserving the integrity of temperature-sensitive goods. Even small fluctuations can lead to spoilage of highly sensitive cargo.
Energy Consumption
Reefers consume a lot of electricity to be able to maintain the optimal conditions inside them. This leads to high operating costs at the port on the one hand and also raises the question of sustainability on the other, as terminals are placing increasing emphasis on their energy efficiency and also their environmental responsibility.
Infrastructure Load
More reefers require more reefer racks and more power outlets or gensets. It is vital to keep up with market developments and invest in new infrastructure in a timely manner.
Workforce and Expertise
Qualified specialists are essential when handling reefer containers. Shortages in available staff and gaps in training often affect efficiency.
Maintenance and Repairs
Reefers must be regularly maintained and repaired to prevent malfunctions. Outdated equipment makes this even more difficult, as older units are less efficient and more prone to failure.
Monitoring
The success of reefer transport depends on its monitoring. Problems and deviations must be identified and resolved immediately. Yet, some ports still rely on outdated or disconnected technologies or entirely on manual processes (see also: reefer container temperature monitoring).
Compliance and Regulations
These require close compliance and attention, as different regions and countries have different standards for handling perishable goods.
Supply Chain Disruptions
Geopolitical events, new hotspots for pirates, and the consequences of climate change are massively impacting global supply chains. In some cases, routes must be relocated, which means that reefer volumes are shrinking at some ports and growing enormously at others.
During peak seasons, the challenges just mentioned become even more acute:
Temperature Management
Rushed operations under pressure increase the likelihood of mishandling or equipment failure.
Energy Consumption
Increased activity brings with it the risk of energy overload. The higher power demand puts a real strain on the energy infrastructure, which can lead to outages.
Infrastructure Load
High demand can exceed equipment availability. Competition for plug-in slots and storage space becomes fierce, leading to further bottlenecks.
Workforce and Expertise
A labour shortage that is felt almost worldwide hurts even more in peak season. Terminals often do not have enough staff to handle the increase in reefer container handling tasks. Overworked staff are also more prone to errors, and the risk of accidents or injuries increases.
Maintenance and Repairs
Broken reefers do not take limited capacity into account. More reefers also mean more repairs, and skilled workers are particularly needed here in addition to the necessary equipment. The inability to schedule timely maintenance work increases the risk of equipment failure, leading to delays and potential loss of cargo.
Monitoring
Without automated real-time monitoring, things get complicated. Checking all available slots at the required frequency to identify thresholds that have been exceeded or not met on time requires a corresponding team, which often also has other tasks to complete that also cannot wait.
Compliance and Regulations
Even in times of stress, compliance with the required standards must not suffer if you want to protect yourself from fines, compensation payments, and a bad reputation. Whether the defined processes keep their promises becomes very clear in peak seasons.
Supply Chain Disruptions
Disruptions in the supply chain are also becoming more prominent. Delays in other ports, often caused by congestion, affect the entire journey schedule. This is particularly problematic for time-critical goods, as delays can have a cascading effect on the rest of the supply chain.
Communication and Coordination
Effective contact with shipping lines, logistics providers and cargo owners is now essential: aligning schedules and expectations is becoming increasingly complex. Miscommunication can lead to inefficiencies that put further strain on the system.
Sustainability
Sustainability remains a pressing concern that must not be forgotten, even in exceptional circumstances. Balancing the need for fast operations with the need to reduce environmental impact is no easy task. Terminals must face the challenge of minimising emissions and energy consumption whilst meeting the demands of peak season logistics.
During peak season, container terminals are exposed to increased operating pressure, especially when handling temperature-sensitive reefer containers. What innovative technologies line up to meet these demands by improving capacity, efficiency and sustainability?
AI-Powered Demand Forecasting Tools
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing many things in our lives, including at container terminals. Based on the analysis of historical data, market trends, and external factors such as weather patterns, increasingly accurate demand forecasts are possible.
The more accurate the forecast, the more efficiently the use of resources can be planned: the correct assessment of equipment availability, personnel requirements, and storage capacity ensures that the terminal is prepared to handle the increased workload efficiently.
Remote Reefer Monitoring Platforms
Automated reefer monitoring solutions consolidate data from all reefers on the terminal into a central system, allowing operators to monitor and control them in real-time. Their ability to immediately detect problems such as temperature fluctuations, power outages or equipment malfunctions and communicate them to the operator proves to be a valuable tool in times of increased reefer traffic (read further: Reefer management: 6 reasons why to automate).
The power supply is another central factor that can be monitored using an automated system. If it fails, the temperature will rise, so immediate action is essential. Innovative systems can also remotely adjust or change the reefers' setpoints (such as temperature, humidity, or O2 and CO2).
Predictive Maintenance Tools
Predictive maintenance technology analyses data the reefer collects, increasingly using AI to gauge performance and predict potential equipment failures. This is particularly valuable during peak periods when load increases the likelihood of wear and tear.
This allows problems to be identified before they escalate and maintenance to be scheduled proactively, reducing unexpected downtime and ensuring equipment remains operational when demand is highest.
Digital Yard Management Systems
Digital systems for yard management, often based on artificial intelligence, collect and analyse data to optimise the allocation of yard space, reefer connection points and transport resources. During peak season, they help to efficiently manage the additional influx of reefer containers, reduce congestion and minimise delays. In combination with other systems, they can also predict when containers need to be moved for inspections or for maintenance, for example.
Real-Time Traffic Management for Reefer Trucks
AI-driven traffic management systems optimise routes at the terminal to avoid delays and traffic jams. They use GPS and predictive algorithms to ensure a smooth flow of traffic. This is a valuable tool to avoid long waiting times and congestion, especially when the influx of containers and external trucks increases.
Dynamic Load Management Systems
Load management optimises the distribution of electrical energy to reefer plugs based on real-time demand and energy availability. This helps avoid overloads and outages when energy demand is high.
Energy-Efficient Reefer Units
Modern reefers are equipped with advanced insulation and energy-efficient cooling systems that reduce their overall power consumption. Especially when power demand increases, each of these units helps to avoid placing an excessive burden on the energy infrastructure. In addition, operating costs are reduced, and the ports' sustainability goals are supported.
Renewable Energy Integration
Many ports prioritize the use of renewable energy in their sustainability efforts. Where possible, they rely on their own generation using solar panels and wind turbines on the port premises.
Together with the port's energy storage systems, generating your own energy helps to ensure an uninterrupted power supply and reduce costs, especially in times of high demand.
Big Data Analytics for Reefer Operations
Big data platforms aggregate and analyse massive amounts of operational data, identify patterns, and predict future challenges.
The insights allow terminals to optimise their operations, proactively address inefficiencies, and make informed decisions about resource allocation during periods of high demand.
Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
Blockchain technology improves transparency and collaboration across the supply chain by providing secure, immutable records of the status and movement of cargo.
As the number of reefers increases, so does the number of disputes and delays. This is where blockchain comes in: it ensures that everyone involved has access to the same accurate and verified data. This can reduce conflicts and speed up problem resolution, increasing trust between partners.
Advanced Reefer Materials and Designs
Innovative reefer materials, such as lightweight composite panels with superior insulation properties, are becoming increasingly common. These advanced designs improve temperature control, reduce energy consumption and increase cargo capacity by reducing container weight - aspects that are even more important than ever during peak periods.
Automated Reefer Plug-In Systems
Automated plug-in systems use robots to connect and disconnect reefer containers to power sources. This technology is still in its early stages but could be a key way to handle the sheer volume of reefers during peak seasons while increasing worker safety.
Cutting-edge reefer technologies give container terminals the tools they need to thrive during peak season. From AI-powered forecasting to renewable energy integration to blockchain transparency, each innovation addresses a specific challenge posed by increasing reefer traffic.
Together, they increase operational efficiency, ensure cargo integrity, and improve sustainability metrics. Terminals that embrace these reefer trends can not only effectively handle peak season demand but also position themselves as frontrunners in the evolving cold chain logistics landscape.
What are the KPIs for Monitoring Reefer Operations During Peak Seasons?
During peak cold chain season, monitoring the right key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential. By focusing on critical metrics – from operational throughput to sustainability and safety – terminals can gain actionable insights, identify bottlenecks and evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies.
Reefer Turnaround Time
Delays in processing reefer containers can escalate into increasingly severe congestion.
Reefer Dwell Time
Longer dwell times indicate inefficiencies in cargo movement.
Equipment Downtime
This helps identify recurring problems for preventative action.
Temperature Stability
If problems are increasing, a more thorough review can reveal patterns that can be used to overcome these problems.
Labor Productivity
If this falls, solutions must be found to use resources more effectively without overburdening personnel.
Incident Rate
If incidents are increasing, safety protocols and compliance must be reviewed. This can also identify areas where additional precautions are needed.
Customer Complaints
An increase in complaints can indicate underlying problems with reefer container handling or communication.
Reefer containers play a central role in the cold chain and ensure that perishable goods such as fresh produce, seafood, and pharmaceuticals retain their quality during transport. However, peak periods caused by events such as harvests or holidays strain terminal operations through increased arrivals, increased energy requirements, and personnel pressure.
The essential reefer trends help container terminals overcome these logistical challenges by enabling better demand forecasting and resource allocation. Predictive maintenance, automated real-time monitoring, digital yard management, and traffic systems enable proactive and immediate problem detection and resolution.
This means that peak seasons can be managed more efficiently without compromising the quality of reefer handling, sustainability and operational stability.
Delve deeper into one of our core topics: Reefer monitoring
Sources:
(1) www.cargohandbook.com