Advancements in Climate-Controlled Shipping Containers

As the world experiences even hotter hots and colder colds, the shipping industry is facing potentially major disruptions. When considering the impact of climate change on shipping, we often think about more aggressive storms and rising sea levels. These are important concerns, as storms may knock ships off course or render ports inoperable or at least temporarily inaccessible, and rising sea levels can similarly affect ports and even make certain bridges obsolete, needing to be heightened to allow ships to pass underneath. On a more basic and daily level, the effects of climate change can be felt directly on the decks of ships around the world, with the sun beating down on crewmembers and the containers they safeguard, and the cold rain upon the ocean whipping up a particularly icy chill. For products that do not require a climate-controlled environment, this isn’t overly concerning, although severe shifts in temperatures may necessitate that more products are placed in climate-controlled containers as average temperatures become anything but average. For companies that already ship their products in climate-controlled containers, the weather extremes that have become commonplace across the globe are a pressing concern, and new technological advancements are arriving to help address these issues.

Many of the key components of modern climate-controlled containers aren’t particularly new, as refrigerated containers have already been in use for decades. The fundamentals of the predecessors to today’s containers remain important, however. Proper insulation is key, and dependent upon the use of quality materials, often polyurethane foam or fiberglass panels. Functioning HVAC systems are also necessary, allowing for the heating and cooling of the interior of the container as needed. Monitoring systems, checking the temperature and humidity inside the container, have also been necessary, from basic thermostats to more advanced systems in use today. A power supply, often a diesel generator, is used to keep everything running smoothly, and reliable weatherproofing products including sealants and coatings make sure outside conditions stay out, such as water, bugs, and dust.

IoT

The advancements in climate-controlled containers are predicated upon improving these existing features. Sometimes referred to as “smart containers” these days, the implementation of new technologies is making climate-controlled containers more finely tuned and reliable than ever before. IoT technology is especially important in the endeavor of improvement, particularly in updating monitoring systems. IoT allows for up to the moment monitoring, weaving together a network of sensors to be able to detect even the slightest of deviations from ideal conditions within the containers and immediately alert crewmembers to take action. IoT can also help anticipate potential issues during a container’s journey across the seas, analyzing trends to suggest predictive maintenance and collecting weather data to anticipate necessary changes as the ship carrying the container moves through different climes. IoT and AI technologies integrated in smart containers can also perform automated maintenance, executing more routine adjustments that allow the crew on deck to focus on other matters. This not only keeps the products stored aboard safe, but can improve the efficiency of operations across a carrier vessel.

IoT also takes advantage of advancements in sensor technology. While humidity has long been a concern for shippers, especially those who carry products across substantially different climates, sensors monitoring other factors have recently come into use. Humidity sensors are now more precise and timely than they’ve ever been, and are now accompanied by carbon dioxide and oxygen sensors, which are proving particularly important in the maintenance of perishable goods such as food during long journeys. IoT technologies monitor all sensors installed in smart containers to ensure the products inside remain in top shape.

Sustainability

Other advancements are promising in regard to sustainability efforts, and attempts to curtail the forces making climate-controlled containers all the more necessary. As mentioned earlier, the cooling systems of climate-controlled containers are traditionally powered by diesel generators, which not only emit substantial emissions into the environment but also make life aboard container vessels more toxic and damaging to crewmembers’ health. New climate-controlled containers are utilizing solar panels to keep things running, producing fewer emissions and also having the potential to save carriers money by reducing fuel costs. More sustainable and efficient insulation materials are also being developed and implemented to reduce the carbon footprint of smart containers in both the manufacturing stage and throughout the product’s lifespan, while improving the container’s efficacy. The multiplicity of benefits in producing more sustainable versions of climate-controlled containers will not be lost on manufacturers and customers as further developments are made.

Necessity

The importance of developing more efficient and effective smart containers becomes even more clear when considering the products shipped inside them. Key industries rely on climate-controlled containers to get their goods from point A to point B. Perhaps none are more crucial than the pharmaceutical industry, as pharmaceutical products ranging from drugs to vaccines to research materials demand carefully managed temperature and humidity settings in order to be properly maintained. The pandemic made the need to transport large quantities of vaccines around the world apparent, and this lesson speaks to the necessity of climate-controlled containers both now and in the future. As previously discussed, food and other perishable goods also require climate-controlled shipping. This issue is key for many economies, especially export-focused countries in the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, which count on agricultural exports as vital factors in their trade relations. Many electronic devices, including the semiconductors that the whole world relies upon, are also susceptible to variations in temperature, and are best stored in the cool, well-maintained confines of climate-controlled containers. Much of modern life is defined by access to medicine, food, and ever-advancing electronics, and climate-controlled shipping containers will only become more critical in keeping the flow of these essential goods moving.

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