Reference
Refrigerated
Cooled holds for perishables. What it carries, how it is built and the limits that define the class.
- Cargo gear
- Usually geared, with side doors on some designs
- Capacity measured in
- Hold volume in cubic feet or cubic metres
- Typical size
- Commonly 100,000–650,000 cubic feet
- Cargo type
- Perishable cargo
About refrigerated ships
Ships whose holds are insulated and refrigerated as a whole — 'reefer ships' — as opposed to container vessels carrying individually powered reefer boxes.
Multiple decks divide the cargo space into modest compartments, each with its own temperature control, so different commodities can travel on one voyage. Cooled air is circulated through the stow rather than around it.
Once the dominant way to move fruit, meat and fish, the trade has largely shifted to reefer containers, which need no specialised terminal and can continue inland. Dedicated reefer ships remain on high-volume seasonal routes, particularly the banana and citrus trades.
What it carries
How it is built
- Climate control is automated: the system holds the selected temperature regime and monitors it for the whole voyage.
- A hull and equipment fit built around one cargo type rather than general trade.
- Purpose-built handling gear — heavy-lift derricks, stern and side ramps, ventilation systems or refrigeration plant, depending on the trade.
- Structure reinforced where that specific cargo demands it, whether for point loads, vehicle decks or multiple tween decks.
Why it is used
- Handles cargo that no general-purpose ship can take safely or economically.
- Purpose-built handling equipment keeps port time short in trades where shore facilities are limited.
- Often the only practical option for the trade it serves.
What to check before fixing
- A narrow trade means limited availability and less competitive pricing than open-market tonnage.
- Ballast legs are common, because the specialised fit often has no return cargo.
- Many of these trades carry their own regulatory regime on top of normal cargo rules.
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