Are You Ready For Summer Shipping?

So you shipped all throughout the winter months with nary a worry. Packages arrived safely and your customers were happy. But what happens now as the weather begins to get warmer? Do you have enough insulation and refrigerant to ensure your products remain uncompromised throughout transit? What exactly are the requirements for summer vs. winter shipping of perishable goods?

Winter Shipping

As a general rule winter shipping requires half the weight in ice of the goods being shipped. This means that 10 lbs. of seafood would require a minimum of 5 lbs. of ice packs. When shipping with dry ice expect to use about 5-10 lbs. for every  24 hours of transit depending upon the type of insulation being used. 

Summer Shipping

In general summer shipping uses a 1:1 ratio of ice to product weight. So that 10 lbs. of seafood would now require a minimum of 10 lbs. of gel packs or ice bricks. Dry ice would require an additional 5 lbs. for every 24 hours of transit depending upon the type of insulation being used. 

There are various options that can be used along with your insulation and refrigerant that will enhance insulation temperatures and transit times. One option is Therma Bags. These are designed to extend insulation times by 25-40% without adding bulk to your shipments. They fit neatly inside your package insulation and work well with dry ice, gel packs and ice bricks. A variety of stock sizes are available as well as custom sizing for bulk orders. 

Adding a high-performance ice pack along with your dry ice/refrigerants is a third option for protecting your products during transit. Green Glacier  ice packs are formulated at 0° making them ideal for shipments that must remain frozen or cold throughout transport.

Whatever options you choose it's always best to test before shipping to your customers. Temperature data recorders can be purchased for self-testing or else there are many third-party companies that perform chamber testing.