An in-depth guide for those seeking to use refrigerated containers in non-operating mode to carry commodities not requiring temperature control has been published by the Container Owners Association and the Cargo Incident Notification System, supported by the TT Club.
The use of non-operating reefers is common practice in the industry and has a significant impact in reducing empty re-positioning costs for container operators.
The document entitled “Guidelines for the Carriage of Cargoes in Non-Operating Reefer Containers” outlines in detail the caution that must be employed in using the containers considering the difference in design between a reefer container and a regular general purpose unit, noting specifically the internal dimensions, vulnerable insulation, weight distribution and expensive refrigeration machinery.
