Refrigerated truck body or trailer
Insulated vehicle body or semi-trailer with transport refrigeration unit for road distribution of chilled and frozen goods.
- Mobile / transport
- Chilled storage
- Frozen storage
ISO reefer container
- System type
- Mobile / transport
- Temperature duty
- Chilled storage, Frozen storage, Ripening / controlled atmosphere
- Typical applications
- Logistics / 3PL, Fish & seafood, Meat & poultry, Fruit & vegetables, Pharmaceuticals, Food & beverage
Free for buyers. Your request goes to the ColdMatch team, who review it and contact suitable suppliers on your behalf. Suppliers do not receive your details before that review.
ColdMatch facilitates sourcing and RFQs; it does not manufacture, sell, import or export the listed products and is not a regulatory authority. Suppliers are responsible for their products meeting the requirements of the origin and destination countries; buyers for import permissions, local rules and due diligence. Requirements vary by product and country, and the team checks requests before any supplier contact. Regulation and restricted items
Is this the right system for you?
Best fit when
- Product moves by sea or intermodal transport.
- Temporary or relocatable on-site cold storage is needed quickly.
Evaluate carefully when
- A reefer is planned as permanent storage — compare with a fixed cold room for capacity, access and running costs.
- Used units are offered — ask for condition and pre-trip inspection records.
Operating context and compatibility
Confirm size and quantity, temperature range, new or used, power supply on site, and whether the unit will be shipped or stay static.
Maintenance, risks and compliance questions
Maintenance to plan for
- Pre-trip inspections of the refrigeration unit before each use.
- Door seal, floor and drain checks.
Risks to manage
- Power loss on route or on site.
- Poor stowage blocking air flow around cargo.
Compliance questions to raise
- Transport rules for perishable food on your route.
- Temperature records customers or authorities expect for each journey.
ColdMatch does not certify equipment or guarantee compliance; requirements depend on your country and project, and your advisers and authorities decide what applies.
Components often specified with it
- Temperature monitoring and alarm system
Sensors, data loggers and software that record temperatures across rooms, vehicles or sites and raise alarms when limits are exceeded.
Sizing and specification questions
Answer these in your request so supplier offers are comparable.
- Container size and quantity
- Temperature range and products
- New or used, and condition requirements
- Use for shipping or static on-site storage
- Power source at site
Unknown items can be left open — the ColdMatch team will ask before approaching suppliers.
Procurement decisions for reefer transport
- Products moved, the temperature range and the journey length.
- Container, trailer or truck body, and new versus used equipment.
- Power supply on route and at sites (gensets, shore power, vehicle drive).
- Telematics or data-logging needs for your customers or regulators.
Estimate it before you request quotes
Free planning calculators that answer the sizing, load or cost questions above. Results are estimates, not quotes; add them to your request so suppliers can check them.
How it compares
Reefer container vs fixed cold room for storage
Is a container a temporary answer or the right long-term storage?
| Aspect | ISO reefer container | Modular cold room |
|---|---|---|
| Speed and mobility | Can be delivered and moved as one unit. | Assembled on site; can be relocated with more work. |
| Access and layout | Fixed narrow footprint, loading from one end. | Sized and laid out for your shelving, pallets and doors. |
| Power and site | Needs a suitable power connection or genset on site. | Needs a level floor, power and condensing-unit location. |
| Main trade-off | Quick and relocatable; limited space and access. | Better fit for permanent daily use; more planning up front. |
Rule of thumb: Containers work well for temporary, seasonal or remote needs. For permanent daily use, compare with a cold room sized to your operation.
Start your request for this system
Optional: answer two questions now and they are pre-filled in the request form, together with “ISO reefer container”.
Continue to the request form
Free for buyers. ColdMatch arranges projects from about USD 250,000; smaller requests are still received and pointed to free planning tools. The ColdMatch team reviews every request before contacting suppliers.
Supplier-confirmed listings
No supplier-confirmed listings are published here yet. ColdMatch only publishes details that a supplier has confirmed in writing and our team has reviewed — we do not show estimated stock, prices or specifications.
You can still request quotes now: send your requirement and the ColdMatch team will review it and contact suitable suppliers on your behalf.
Details shown once a supplier confirms them
- Capacity range (kW or pallet positions)
- Temperature range
- Refrigerant
- Energy data supplied by the manufacturer
- Country of manufacture
- Countries the supplier can deliver to
- Project scale handled
- Availability confirmed by the supplier, with date
- Documents available on request
Buyer resources
Guides for this decision
Buying reefer transport by country
Import, delivery and service context for your market.
Need design or a whole facility?
This page is about sourcing equipment. Project planning — sizing a complete facility, layout, scope and contractor structure — is a separate service.
Project planning servicesSources and further reading
Links checked on . They explain rules and practice; they do not confirm that any specific offer complies. Requirements differ by country — check with your own advisers.
- Transport of Perishable Foodstuffs (ATP Agreement) — United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
International agreement on the special equipment used to carry perishable foodstuffs between contracting parties.
- FSMA Final Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food — US Food and Drug Administration
US requirements for vehicles, equipment and temperature control when food is transported.