Glossary

Block stowing
Stowing cargo in a container as a solid block.

Bottom-air delivery
A type of air circulation in a marine container. In bottom-air delivery units, air is pulled by a fan from the top of the container, passed through the evaporator coil for cooling, and then forced through the space under the load and up through the cargo. This type of airflow provides the most even temperatures for both chilled and frozen cargo.

Carrying temperature
A narrow, prescribed range of temperatures in a container during transit that maintains the ideal temperature in the product and protects the product from harm.

Chilling injury
Physiological damage to fruits and vegetables, chiefly of tropical or subtropical origin, that are exposed to temperatures above their freezing point but below 41°F to 59°F (5°C - 15°C), depending on the commodity. Symptoms of chilling injury include surface and internal discoloration, pitting, uneven ripening or failure to ripen, and surface mold and decay.

Clip-on generator
A portable generator that is mounted on the front of a refrigerated container. Very versatile; can be used on stack trains, conventional trains and trucks.

Container freight station (CFS)
A consolidation depot where cargo is grouped and loaded into container.

Container yard or depot
A facility where containers are picked up, dropped off, maintained and housed.

Controlled atmosphere
Sophisticated, computer-controlled systems that control the mixture of gases within a container throughout an intermodal journey.

Cubic feet per minute
Unit of measurement for the movement of a volume of gas (cfm) or liquid per unit of time

Cubic meters per hour
Unit of measurement for the movement of a volume of gas (cmh) or liquid per unit of time.

Ethylene
A colorless gas with a sweet ether-like odor that is produced by many fruits and vegetables. It is a hormone that accelerates the ripening and aging process.

Freezing injury
Freezing injury results when commodities are held below their freezing temperatures, thus damaging the product and rendering it unfit for consumption.

Fresh air exchange
The introduction of fresh air into a container through porthole or vents. The fresh air removes excess carbon dioxide and ethylene that can harm a load.

Humidity
The ratio of the air's total water vapor content to its total capacity at a given temperature.

Intermodal transport
Moving containerized freight by multiple transportation modes.

Modified atmosphere
A blend of gases tailored to a specific load of cargo that replaces the normal atmosphere within a container.

Pre-cooling
Pre-cooling is a separate operation, prior to storage or transportation that requires special equipment or cooling facilities.

Reefer
A refrigerated container.

Set point temperature
The point, or points, at which the microprocessor controller in a refrigerated container is set that will maintain the ideal pulp temperature in the product.

Under-slung generator
A portable generator for a container that is mounted beneath a chassis; used for containers moving on a truck or conventional rail.