Fast-moving consumer goods include goods that easily lose their quality and have a short shelf life, such as frozen foods and foods that spoil easily. For their transport, refrigerated transport is used.
Agreement for International Carriage of Perishable Goods
The transport of such goods is carried out in accordance with the Agreement for the International Carriage of Perishable Goods (in English UNECE).
The Working Group on the Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs is called WP.11. It organises meetings once a year in Geneva, in the autumn, in October or November. At these meetings the text of the agreement is updated so that the transports can be carried out in accordance with current regulations, rules, administrative procedures and the documentation requirements.
Requirements of the Agreement
In order to preserve the quality of goods that spoil easily during transport, the requirements of the agreement specify what the following factors should be:
- Equipment used in the transports
- Temperature in the transport vehicles, which is a key factor in preventing spoilage
- Distinctive signs of the equipment
- Storage environment for the goods
- When it is necessary to install additional refrigeration systems
- The personnel who accompany the goods during transport
Equipment: thermographs
When transporting perishable goods it is necessary to use devices for measuring temperature – thermographs, or also called loggers.
A Logistics Ltd. uses thermographs that are installed in the refrigerated van or in the cab of the vehicle. They record the temperature values either on paper, or in their own memory.
Range of temperatures that thermographs can measure
The range for more complex models is from -50°C to +80°C, and for simpler ones from -30°C to +80°C. Both types of thermographs are suitable for measuring the temperature of perishable goods, as the lower temperature limit does not fall below -20°C.
Powering the thermographs
- From the vehicle’s battery
- Through their own batteries
Temperature for transporting perishable goods
The temperature maintained inside A Logistics’ refrigerated transport vehicles is typically below -18°C. If necessary, this temperature can be raised slightly for limited periods of time, by no more than 3°C.
Storage medium for frozen perishable goods
The cryogenic medium that comes into direct contact with frozen perishable goods is atmospheric air, nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
When it is necessary to install additional refrigeration systems
For cargoes with special requirements, more sensitive to temperature changes, as well as for dangerous goods, it is necessary to install an additional refrigeration system. Thus, there is another refrigeration system that can take over the work of the main system in the event of a malfunction.
The personnel who perform the transport of perishable goods
The personnel carrying out the transport must use the appropriate equipment to maintain the optimal temperature for the given type of goods.
To control the temperature in the transport vehicles, the personnel must use suitable measuring devices that record the temperature values.
A Logistics Ltd. carries out transport of perishable goods in accordance with all the requirements of the Agreement. The personnel are trained and have extensive experience in transporting such goods.