How to Ship Cargo: Vegetables, Fruits, and Fresh Food Throughout Indonesia

Vegetables, fruits, plants, and flowers cannot last long in standard truck shipping for more than a few hours.

Temperature-sensitive goods require special handling during shipping, especially if the client chooses to send them via land transportation or truck.

Goods categorized as perishable are dairy products, meat, fruits and vegetables, poultry, seafood, and other items that require frozen storage. 

Coordinating frozen food shipping is not easy. The product must be ensured to stay fresh and goods must reach customers before the shelf life expires.

To help you, we have compiled a list of ways to ensure temperature-sensitive shipping can run as smoothly as possible.

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What Are Perishable Goods?

Perishable goods are items that are sensitive to time and/or temperature.

These goods require fast and safe shipping to maintain quality and effectiveness. Because of their short shelf life and very specific storage requirements, air transportation is the preferred means of shipping perishable goods.

Perishable goods have specific shipping requirements. Some items require low temperatures to slow respiration and reduce harmful effects on perishable cargo. Meat and seafood must be frozen to avoid harmful microorganisms that can contaminate the product.

Setting and following proper guidelines to maintain the quality of shipped cargo and minimize losses as much as possible during the shipping process.

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Types of Perishable Goods

The transportation of perishable goods by air such as fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, dairy products, and flowers continues to increase globally every year in line with growing consumer demand for healthy and fresh products.

Considering the product's shelf life, air cargo is the best mode of transportation.

Some perishable goods that are shipped by air are:

- Fruits

- Vegetables

- Spices and dried herbs (although most are shipped by sea)

- Flowers and potted plants

- Meat and meat products

- Seafood

- Shellfish

- Cheese and dairy products

- Eggs

- Baked goods

- Cosmetic products

- Pharmaceutical products

- Frozen food

Each item has its own packaging and storage requirements, and further information can be found in the Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR).

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Read: How to Safely Ship Food, Beverage, Frozen Food, and Other Perishable Cargo

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The Role of Perishable Cargo Shipping

When shipping perishable goods via air, there are regulations that must be applied to ensure goods are shipped safely and intact. These regulations apply to shippers and cargo services because both play a role in the shipping and handling of air transport perishable goods.

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Shipper Responsibilities

The shipper or their authorized agent, including importers or cargo shippers, must comply with the following guidelines:

• Include all shipping details
• Provide ordering details, special handling, or required conditions
• Marking, labeling, and documentation
• Provide contact information

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Carrier Responsibilities

Like the shipper, the carrier has a responsibility to handle perishable cargo shipping safely. The carrier must consider:

• Regulations or obstacles that may delay shipping
• Communicating matters that could impact the load, cabin crew safety, aircraft structure, or employee health
• Whether goods will arrive on time
• Whether sufficient space has been allocated on the flight
• Whether special storage requirements are available
• Whether special handling is required
• Whether it needs to be separated from other cargo
• Whether the shipper has provided all necessary information
• Alternative procedures if flight delays occur
• Required customs procedures have been met

There are other special conditions that must be met depending on the situation encountered.

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How to Package Perishable Goods

When packaging perishable goods for shipment by air, the packaging design must account for size changes, maintain internal temperature while adapting to external temperature. It must be sturdy enough to be stacked and withstand the rough handling during shipping and handling of perishable cargo on land and in air.

- Common perishable packaging used in air transportation includes:

- Fiberboard Packaging

- Expanded Polystyrene Packages (EPS)

- Rigid Plastic Packaging

- Flexible Plastic Packaging

- Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packages

- Wooden Packaging

- Metal Cans and Canisters

When shipping perishable goods, it is crucial to use appropriate labels including "THIS WAY UP," which should be affixed or printed on the side of the box.

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Conclusion

Shippers and carriers must understand how to ship perishable goods to ensure safe delivery. Various regulations must be complied with, and using reliable shipping partners who are familiar with perishable shipping is crucial.

ABC Express is a domestic and international cargo shipping company that operates regular services without interruption throughout Ramadan, worldwide.

Contact ABC Express Our team is ready and willing to answer any questions you have and help move your goods.

Learn more about ABC Express services!

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