Cargo which has not been cooled to its carriage temperature prior stuffing is deemed to be hot cargo- and if the same is consequently stuffed in the container, the container is deemed to be hotstuffed.
The reefer container is designed to maintain the set temperature for carriage and not to bring down the temperature of the commodity.
Hotstuffed cargo will give rise to the following:
Poor circulation of air inside the container leading to some of the cargo not being cooled adequately.
Frequent defrosting cycle due ice formation on the evaporator during which time the cooling apparatus shuts down.
Cargo damage due condensate re-freezing on the cargo/packing leading to claims at the destination port.
Maersk Line strongly advise against hotstuffing of cargo in our reefer containers but if the shipper insists and is willing to take full responsibility for cargo damage and possible claims, then the Bill of Lading will be claused as such.