Are your goods in danger?

Did you know that container rain can cause damage to your cargo? Discover our solutions for dealing with condensation in sea containers.

How does condensation affect the quality of your products shipped in sea containers?

As you may already know, all containers contain moisture when they are loaded, and no one is spared. Moisture moves in and out of the container during the journey, which can cause damage to your goods. Added to this are a number of uncontrollable phenomena, such as the weather, which can damage your cargo during sea transport.

But this damage can be avoided if you take the necessary precautions to protect your products from “the rain from container “. And do you know what? We have several solutions for you 😉

Before that, let’s take a look together what the “ rain from container “ is and the different factors that can cause damage to your goodsduring an international seatransport.

WHAT IS CONTAINER RAIN?

Container rain is moisture that condenses and forms on the interior surfaces of the container. The water accumulates and concentrates into increasingly large drops, which then fall due to their weight. The result is container rain, which then falls directly onto the cargoAs you will have realised, container rain is difficult to avoid, and that’s why.

HERE ARE 3 MAIN FACTORS THAT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR GOODS DURING INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING:

Click HERE to find out how to avoid condensation damage.

1. LOADING AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

If you are loading your goods near a river or sea port, then there is already a high level of humidity in your container.

What’s more, when a container is stuffed in the rain or even in the pouring rain, the water deposited on the goods evaporates. This happens once the container warms up, but condenses again when it cools down during the journey. This is due to the difference in temperature between day and night.

Unfortunately, you have no control… You won’t change your address and you won’t control the weather on the day of loading.

2. PACKAGING MATERIALS, NATURAL MOISTURE CONTENT AND MOISTURE ABSORPTION RATE

Some packaging materials, such as wood, paper and cardboard, have hygroscopic properties, i.e. they absorb moisture from the ambient air or release it. This contributes to the moisture content inside your container, which increases the risk of condensation problems. Once again, you have little room for manoeuvre – you can’t always do without cardboard packaging or wooden pallets!

3. MOISTURE IN YOUR PRODUCT AND LACK OF VENTILATION

Did you know that food products, such as coffee or cereals, give off a lot of moisture in the air? Depending on the nature of the product, its moisture content and its capacity to release it differ… And as you can imagine, a container is, by its very nature, a virtually enclosed space. As a result, the lack of ventilation prevents air circulation, which also leads to this build-up of moisture.

NOW THAT WE’VE LOOKED AT THE VARIOUS FACTORS, HERE ARE 3 SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT DAMAGE CAUSED BY DAMP.

1. VENTILATION, MECHANICAL DEHUMIDIFIERS ORANTI-CONDENSATION SPRAYS

Release the excess humidity in your container! Don’t hesitate to install a ventilation system to increase the air flow inside your container: the more air circulates in a container, the less contrast there is between the inside and outside temperatures, thereby reducing the risk of condensation.

Dehumidifiers inside the container to remove moisture from the air also work. Some of these devices include an automatic on/off switch that reacts to the amount of moisture in the air and saves energy.

There are also anti-condensation coatings to be applied to the ceiling and the six inner sides of the container. This also helps to limit the effects of condensation.

2. MOISTURE-ABSORBING BAGS OR BOXES OR MECHANICAL CONTAINER THERMAL LINING ORANTI-CONDENSATION SPRAYS

Have you ever heard of moisture-absorbing bags or boxes? These are non-mechanical devices that are inserted into the corrugated side wall of the container. The salts inside absorb moisture from the air and release it into a gel that forms a reservoir. However, care must be taken to ensure that these accessories are not placed on top of or in contact with the products.

You can also use thermal container liners, which can help to regulate the temperature inside the container.

3. HYDROPHOBIC PALLETISING INSERTS

Finally, we’ve saved the best for last! The de palletisation hydrophobicspacers. Used alone, at the foot of the pallet between layers of products or in conjunction with other anti-moisture devices, they prevent major water damage.

Did you know that a wooden pallet can absorb up to 15 litres of water? To avoid damaging your brand image, you should use our non-slip, water-resistant spacers.

WITH SPACER

WITHOUT THEDIVIDER

We have a complete range of hydrophobic spacers:

Spacers in paper :

• AQUASTOP® Hydrophobic paper
• STABULONOCEAN® Anti-slip and hydrophobic paper

Spacers in plastic :

• STABUFILM® Anti-slip PE film
• STABUFOOD® Anti-slip PE film for use in the food industry

Using these products will ensure that your pallets are stable and damage-free, and will help you avoid costly and complex non-conformities when your goods are transported internationally by sea container.

– Placed at the foot of the pallet, they protect the products against roughness and soiling of the pallets and damage caused by rising damp.

– Water-resistant and water-barrier, they protect products againsthumidity or accidents between layers.

– Anti-slip, they both prevent accidents linked to palletised loads sliding off the pallet.

Ideal for securing and stabilising products in damp or wet environments.

Here’s our advice: contact our experts!

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