Mitigating risk for high-value, temperature-sensitive marine cargo

Sponsored Content: As a professional involved with marine shipments, there is a high likelihood of regularly needing to send temperature-sensitive items. You have an obligation to learn specifics like who offers the best supplies for shipping perishable food and which protective measures to take to safeguard these items in transit. Such proactiveness boosts customer satisfaction by making items arrive in sellable condition, despite their potentially long journeys.

1. Partner With External Suppliers

Because you cannot know the specific challenges associated with every marine cargo trip, the best approach is to package perishable items to minimize the most common risks. One of the best ways to do this is to rely on an external service provider that specializes in products for transporting items that must remain within specific temperature ranges.

Pelton Shepherd Industries is a third-generation family business established in 1950. It specializes in sustainable ice and gel packs that reliably keep goods cold during transit. The many innovative solutions include compostable versions or contents that recipients can safely pour down drains for easy disposal. The company also has eight manufacturing sites in the United States and a partner network of over 50 cold storage partners, increasing its overall accessibility.

2. Perform Extensive Tests Before Shipping

Besides becoming familiar with who offers the best supplies for shipping perishable food, it’s important to check that the packaging will withstand the rigors of transit. The effectiveness of your protective solutions depends on numerous factors, including transit time, the temperature of items before packaging and the insulating properties of the selected packaging. These variables necessitate thorough tests that simulate the conditions perishable items will likely encounter during transit.

Working with a third-party provider that specializes in preshipment testing is a practical strategy because these entities usually have laboratories with equipment to simulate jostling, drops and other risks beyond temperature-related dangers. You can then simultaneously assess your chosen packaging according to how well it meets thermal requirements and other needs.

3. Purchase Connected Sensors

Preparedness strengthens risk mitigation, but a lot can happen once perishable merchandise leaves your company. That reality explains why connected sensors have become increasingly popular in logistics and other industries, providing professionals with greater visibility and enabling them to react to problems before spoilage occurs.

Capabilities vary depending on the chosen model, but many of the leading options provide real-time alerts of incidents like products kept outside of specified temperature ranges, handled harshly or opened. The associated data also streamlines insurance claims by helping covered parties validate their claims more efficiently. Shipping professionals can also use it to track trends, such as confirming that a specific logistics partner consistently falls short of the required standards or that a new package material is not suitable for long-distance trips.

4. Offer Real-Time Tracking for Customers

Numerous obligations may prevent someone from being home all the time to accept parcels. Even so, many people can adjust their schedules if they know high-value, perishable goods will arrive on a particular day or within the span of a few hours. Providing tracking details that show the locations of incoming orders encourages recipients to do their best to be available when those products arrive.

That information also reduces customer service department burdens by giving consumers the specifics they need without requiring them to make phone calls or write emails. Messages with tracking details should ideally include ways for recipients to provide feedback about products that arrive in unexpected conditions due to transit-related mishaps. Shipping specialists can then review the data to find trends and target areas for improvement that will increase satisfaction while protecting the bottom line.

Responsiveness Reduces Risks

Although risks are inevitable when sending perishable goods through marine shipment methods, you can significantly reduce them with proven tips. Tracking metrics to see how processes improve is also an excellent way to keep everyone motivated and accountable.