A BONDED-BLOCK LOADING PATTERN FOR REFRIGERATED VAN CONTAINER SHIPMENTS OF RADISHES

A new bonded-block pattern was developed for loading packaged radishes in 40-foot refrigerated van containers for overseas shipments. The new pattern incorporates connected vertical and longitudinal channels between boxes to permit circulating air to reach each box in the load. Two variations of this pattern were developed, one with open spaces between the boxes in the top layer and one without openings. The pattern is easy for loaders to follow and can be adapted to trailers of different sizes. The channels are formed by arranging containers alternately two boxes crosswise and two boxes lengthwise for the length of the van container or trailer. This arrangement also ties the boxes together in a stable load to prevent container and product damage caused by shifting and disarrangement of the load. More than $18 per 2,600-box load can be saved in material, direct labor, and machine costs using the new pattern. Stationary cooling tests with fully loaded 40-foot-long refrigerated van containers showed that the radishes were cooled better in both bonded-block patterns than in the conventional lengthwise pattern. One experiment, in which the new pattern was used in a van container shipped from Florida to London, England, showed good load stability, no container or product damage, and good cooling rates. Shippers of radishes from Florida have adopted the bonded-block loading pattern for all their shipments in van containers to overseas markets.

• Corporate Authors:

  Agricultural Research Service

  Transportation and Facilities Research Division
  Beltsville, MD  United States 
• Authors:
  • Biales, A
  • Moffitt, T
• Publication Date: 1970-8

Media Info

• Features: Appendices;
• Pagination: 11 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Chilled cargo; Containers; Cost control; Refrigerated cargo; Refrigeration (Structures); Refrigeration systems; Stowage; Vegetables
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost reduction
• Old TRIS Terms: Cargo stowage; Cargo ventilation
• Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00051878
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: ARS 52-50
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 25 1974 12:00AM