A reefer container that’s set to the wrong temperature, or loaded wrong even at the right temperature, can spoil an entire shipment. These checks run before product ever touches the container.
Pre-cool the cargo, not just the container
A common and expensive mistake: pre-cooling the reefer unit but loading product that’s still at ambient temperature. Reefer units are designed to maintain temperature, not pull a large load down from room temperature fast enough to prevent spoilage during transit. Product needs to already be at or near the set point before it goes in.
Airflow is the whole mechanism
Reefer containers cool by circulating air, not by direct contact cooling like a refrigerator. Blocking the air chute at the top or stacking cargo against the walls without gaps breaks that circulation, and the parts of the load that don’t get airflow won’t cool properly even if the unit itself is working fine.
Power gaps are where shipments fail
Reefers need continuous power, from the truck, to the yard, to the vessel, to the next truck. Any gap, especially during transshipment or port storage, where the unit isn’t plugged into a genset or shore power, is where temperature excursions happen. Confirm power continuity is arranged for the entire route, not just the ocean leg.