The main objective of the project Improved cooling container for fresh fish, which was funded by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund R093-11, was to improve cooling containers and procedures for transporting fresh seafood through redesign and testing. Partners in the project were Matís, the University of Iceland, Eimskip Ísland and Samherji.
The aim is for design improvements to deliver refrigerated containers that reach a more even temperature throughout the transport process. Efforts were made to achieve satisfactory improvements to traditional refrigerated containers with simple and inexpensive measures. The benefits of improved temperature control in processing and transportation processes are increased quality, stability and safety, which at the same time increase the value of the product. Improvements in refrigeration and increased shelf life have also led producers to increasingly use sea transport to transport fresh fish.
In the final report of the project, Improved reefer container for fresh fish (Matís Report 01-13) describes the main results and products of the project. The results of the project showed that improvements are needed in maritime transport chains and it was shown that improvements can be achieved with simple and low-cost measures. Temperature control for sea transport can be improved by choosing the right target temperature and cooling containers that are best suited for transporting fresh fish products. Mapping of the heat distribution of refrigerated containers showed variability both in the transport process and in terms of location within the container, but design improvements aimed at forcing air flow within the container resulted in a more even heat distribution. The importance of procedures for loading refrigerated containers and their handling from manufacturer to buyer was also demonstrated.
Measurements of refrigerated containers showed that the difference in the target temperature of refrigerated containers can be 1 to 1.5 ° C from the actual temperature and there can also be a 1-2 ° C temperature difference depending on the location within the containers. Tests with different loading shapes and linings on the bottom of the containers, with plates or cloth, to force the coldest air further back, resulted in a more even cooling distribution in the containers. Work on the project lasted for two and a half years and resulted in the main conclusion that the cooling can be improved without changing the basic design of the containers.
For further information Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Head of Resources and Products.