Refrigerated Transport — Reefer Trucks, Trailers & Containers
Refrigerated road and container transport is the moving link of the cold chain. Choice between diesel, cryogenic, electric or hybrid reefer units, and between owned, leased or 3PL fleets, drives cost, emissions and delivery reliability.
What it is & where it's used
Insulated cargo boxes with refrigeration units (transport refrigeration units, TRUs) capable of maintaining chilled or frozen setpoints during transit. Diesel-driven units are dominant; electric and cryogenic (LN₂ / LCO₂) options are growing in urban and zero-emission zones.
- • Food distribution and retail
- • Pharmaceutical GDP transport
- • Fish and shrimp export
- • Meal-kit and last-mile delivery
- • Multi-drop distribution
- • Long-haul frozen line-haul
- • Intermodal reefer container shipping
- • GDP-compliant vaccine and biologics transport
- • Extends cold chain from plant to point of sale
- • Multi-temperature bodies serve chilled + frozen in one trip
- • Modern TRUs integrate telematics for real-time SLA proof
- • Diesel TRUs contribute 15–25% of transport emissions
- • Reefer downtime causes 100% cargo loss
- • Fuel and refrigerant cost volatility
Typical project sizes: 3.5 t urban trucks up to 40-ft trailers and 20/40-ft ISO reefer containers.
Diesel TRU vs Electric / Cryogenic TRU
| Criterion | Diesel TRU | Electric / Cryogenic TRU |
|---|---|---|
| CAPEX per unit | USD 18K – 35K | USD 30K – 60K |
| Runtime autonomy | 20–40 h on tank | 6–14 h battery / 8–24 h cryogenic tank |
| Emissions | High NOx, PM, CO₂ | Near zero at point of use |
| Noise | 70–80 dB(A) | 50–60 dB(A) — night delivery capable |
| Maintenance | Standard diesel service | Fewer moving parts (electric); cryogenic needs LN₂ supply chain |
| Best for | Long-haul, rural, no charging infrastructure | Urban zero-emission zones, night delivery, pharma |
| Fuel / energy cost | USD 0.30–0.60/km | USD 0.15–0.40/km depending on tariff / LN₂ price |
How to evaluate
- 01Match TRU capacity to worst-case pull-down (not steady-state) and door-open profile.
- 02Insist on multi-temperature capability if you carry chilled and frozen on the same trip.
- 03Verify K-value of the insulated body (K ≤ 0.4 W/m²K for frozen ATP/FRC).
- 04Confirm ATP certification for cross-border food transport (Europe / Middle East / N. Africa).
- 05Integrate telematics and temperature loggers — mandatory for GDP pharma and most retail SLAs.
- 06For pharmaceutical: choose GDP-qualified TRU and IQ/OQ documentation.
- 07Include preventive maintenance contract with rapid-response window (<4 h in urban areas).
- 08Model total cost of ownership over 5–7 years, not sticker price.
Spec checklist
- Vehicle type (rigid truck / trailer / container)
- Body length, height and payload
- Insulation K-value and temperature classification (ATP / FRC / FNA)
- Number of temperature compartments
- TRU capacity (W at 0 °C and –20 °C)
- TRU type (diesel / electric / hybrid / cryogenic)
- Refrigerant and GWP
- Battery capacity and charging strategy (if electric)
- Telematics, temperature logging and alarm system
- Standby power (electric shore supply) required
- Door type and cycle count
- ATP / GDP / pharma compliance level
Investment & operating cost
- Small refrigerated van (3.5–7.5 t)USD 55K – 110K
- Rigid reefer truck (12–18 t)USD 110K – 210K
- Reefer trailer + tractor unitUSD 160K – 280K
- 20/40-ft reefer ISO containerUSD 20K – 40K (container only)
Indicative ranges. Actual quotations vary by country, scope, spec, freight and site conditions.
- • Body length and insulation quality
- • TRU technology (diesel / electric / cryogenic)
- • Multi-temp capability
- • Telematics and pharma certification
- • Chassis quality
- • Standby shore power kit
- • Cargo dividers (moving bulkheads)
- • GPS + IoT sensors
- • Solar auxiliary panels
- • Depot with charging / LN₂ refuelling for electric or cryogenic
- • Wash bay for daily cleaning
- • Workshop for TRU service
- • Diesel USD 0.30–0.60/km TRU only
- • Electric USD 0.15–0.35/km
- • Refrigerant top-up 5–10% per year
- • Tyres and standard vehicle wear
- • TRU service every 1,500–2,500 running hours
- • Annual ATP re-certification
- • Door seals every 12–24 months
- • Telematics subscription
Before you request quotations
- Define production goals and daily throughput (kg/day)
- Confirm utilities: power (kVA), water, drainage, compressed air
- Define project scope (turnkey vs supply-only vs hybrid)
- Prepare site layout, floor plan and clear height
- Confirm local regulations (F-Gas, ATEX, HACCP, seismic code)
- Determine financing route (own cash, lease, bank loan, ECA)
- Create technical specification with U-values and setpoints
- Prepare RFQ and shortlist qualified international suppliers
Interactive evaluation matrix
Score each shortlisted supplier on the criteria below. All calculations run locally — nothing is sent to our servers.
| Criterion | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Price / Investment Turnkey CAPEX including installation, controls and commissioning. | |||
Warranty (years) Comprehensive, on major components (compressors, PLC, panels). | |||
Lead time (weeks) Ex-works or delivered to site including customs. | |||
Energy efficiency (SEC / COP) Lower SEC or higher COP is better. | |||
Local service & spare parts Response time, service partner in country, stocked spares. | |||
References / installed base Comparable capacity, region and application. | |||
Maintenance program Preventive maintenance plan, remote monitoring. | |||
Operator training On-site training days, documentation, language. | |||
Expandability Add capacity, modules or additional rooms later. | |||
Lifecycle cost (10y) CAPEX + energy + maintenance + refrigerant cost of ownership. | |||
| Total score | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 | 0 / 50 |
Common questions
Diesel or electric reefer today?
Diesel remains dominant for long-haul and rural. Electric TRUs are viable and rapidly growing for urban distribution, night delivery in low-emission zones, and pharma where noise and emissions matter. Cryogenic (LN₂ / LCO₂) suits multi-drop urban routes where refuelling logistics are workable.
What is ATP certification and do I need it?
The ATP Agreement classifies insulated (IN/IR) and refrigerated (FR/FN) transport equipment for cross-border food shipment in signatory countries (most of Europe, Russia, N. Africa, Middle East). ATP FRC (frozen, mechanically refrigerated) is the standard for international frozen loads.
How do I compare owned vs leased fleet?
Owned: full control, best for stable long-term routes, financing options via lease or bank facility. Leased / rental: flexible, better cash flow, useful for peaks and market entry. 3PL: no CAPEX, service-level based, best for early stage or geographies without existing depot.
Continue your planning
Receive structured, comparable quotations from qualified international suppliers — vendor-neutral. Add financing pre-qualification if the project requires equipment leasing, project loan or ECA-backed facility.
FAQ · Multilingual
Reefer transport procurement: diesel vs eutectic vs cryogenic, telematics, temperature mapping and GDP compliance.
- Diesel, eutectic or cryogenic?Diesel remains the default. Eutectic works for zero-emission urban night runs. Cryogenic (N₂/CO₂) fits pharma and short high-volume urban routes.
- What's temperature mapping?A validation exercise mapping temperature at multiple points inside the reefer body under worst-case load — mandatory for pharma GDP compliance.