Reefer growth tests terminal power, monitoring and space

Identec Solutions estimates that the global refrigerated container market was worth about US$10.8 billion in 2024 and will reach US$16.2 billion by 2030, a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7%.

Identec also cites analysts who put the refrigerated container market's value at roughly US$13.8 billion in 2024 and more than US$26.5 billion in 2032.

What is driving reefer investment?

Rising demand for temperature-controlled goods, higher reefer volumes, advanced technology and stricter emissions targets are driving terminals to expand electrical infrastructure and power capacity while competing for space. Real-time monitoring, reliable power, data management and maintenance are now essential operating requirements. For shippers, carriers and forwarders, these innovations support lower spoilage exposure and fewer manual exceptions.

US-headquartered Copeland launched the GO Real-Time GL and GO Real-Time GL XL trackers for temperature- and humidity-sensitive food and pharmaceutical shipments. Their global LTE design uses widely available 4G networks to improve transmission reliability, continuous visibility and device management as telecommunications operators retire legacy 2G infrastructure.

The shift to 4G can leave older devices with connectivity gaps, a risk the LTE trackers address. GO Real-Time GL is optimized for shipments up to 20 days and uses an alkaline battery; GL XL uses lithium, offers up to 90 days of in-use life and monitors deep-freeze conditions.

Both devices transmit to Copeland's cloud-based Oversight360 platform, which converts data into actionable intelligence. The platform helps customers identify risk earlier, benchmark carrier and lane performance and increase shipment visibility.

Identec Solutions, based in Austria, recently installed its universal plug-and-play Reefer Runner at Rijeka Gateway, a Croatian terminal built as a joint venture between APM Terminals and ENNA Group, also identified as Enna Logic. The system connects 170 reefers directly to the Navis N4 Terminal Operating System, embedding live monitoring, automated work orders and team coordination in the digital workflow.

Jean-Louis Sebapo, Senior Technology Project Lead at Rijeka Gateway, said: “The integration with our Navis N4 TOS allows us to monitor refrigerated containers in real time, automate work orders, and ensure the integrity of temperature-sensitive cargo around the clock.”

Identec's energy module continuously measures voltage, current and total kilowatt-hours. Elmar Hartmann, co-owner of Identec Solutions, said the integration gives terminal operators the visibility to manage energy consumption, reduce emissions and make sustainable decisions in real time.

Paris Terminal, an inland port operator, has joined Identec Solutions to implement Reefer Runner 5G at Gennevilliers on the Seine. The 5G system provides real-time visibility and automated monitoring without preinstalled infrastructure, supporting the terminal's sustainable multimodal-transport goals.

ORBCOMM launched CrewView, an onboard solution that gives vessel crews real-time visibility and management of smart reefers. The system closes a visibility gap at sea and detects temperature deviations and power failures early, helping crews act faster to protect cargo and maintain operational continuity.

Sameer Agrawal, ORBCOMM CEO, said CrewView automates monitoring, detects issues earlier and enables data-driven decisions that improve crew efficiency, reduce cargo spoilage, enhance safety and give customers visibility onboard and onshore.

ORBCOMM-enabled containers send instant SMS alarms to crews' mobile devices without satellite connectivity, while vessel-to-shore transmission supports onshore monitoring. Loading and stowage information also appears automatically as interactive bay, row and tier maps in the ORBCOMM Maritime platform.

US-headquartered RTE calls volatility the biggest issue in reefer logistics as demand for perishables rises and agricultural yields, climate disruptions and geopolitical shifts produce sharper, less predictable peaks. Walter Vinson, RTE's vice president of sales and marketing, said manual inspections and paper-based workflows cannot keep pace, making real-time monitoring and remote control baseline infrastructure for competitive ports.

GRASP uses Bluetooth BLE5 wireless monitoring through WRAD II devices and the latest BEACON visual-alert system, developed after user feedback to show operators when a reefer needs plugging in or unplugging. GRASP converts terminal-operating-system lists into digital yard work orders, then triggers LED devices installed in each slot to signal the required action.

Where is physical reefer capacity expanding?

Netherlands-based Severfield supplied and installed 30 reefer racks and 38 safety tunnels at a container terminal operated by logistics provider Lineage. The company handled structural design, production and full installation; the racks organize storage and keep containers accessible, while the tunnels protect routes used to inspect, monitor and service reefers.

Severfield says the terminal can connect 1,020 refrigerated containers to power simultaneously. The company also provides complete steel solutions for major ports and terminal operators worldwide, combining engineering, fabrication and sustainable construction for long-term performance and reliability.

US-headquartered Thermo King, refrigerated intermodal-equipment lessor SeaCube and CMA CGM are field-testing the E-COOLPAC battery-powered reefer genset for electrified last-mile transport. The unit offers battery modules and extension packs from 35kWh to 105kWh and can be fitted or retrofitted to marine container chassis that currently accept diesel gensets.

The e-genset produces zero carbon dioxide and particulate emissions during operation. It supports renewable-energy charging and Thermo King's CFF and Magnum Plus marine refrigeration units, as well as other ISO1496-2 reefer units.

Claudio Zanframundo, Thermo King's president for EMEA truck, trailer, bus, global marine, rail and air, said E-COOLPAC offers reefers an alternative when they lack grid or vessel power. He said the system can lower emissions and support compliance with local regulations on port-to-distribution and daily refrigerated container transport.

Dublin Port has invested €3.4 million to expand refrigerated-container infrastructure and signed an eight-year licence with Doyle Shipping Group to operate new reefer gantries. Wills Bros built the installations on four purpose-built steel frames at DSG's container terminal, where 140 built-in power outlets maintain temperature control.

The gantries allow safe stacking up to five containers high, reducing land use per unit and improving terminal efficiency. A new substation under construction alongside the facility will power the expanded capacity.

Glen O'Connor, DSG's CEO, said: “Direct EU services into Dublin have increased significantly post-Brexit, shifting traffic patterns and raising demand for temperature-controlled capacity.” The installation adds 140 outlets while limiting the additional terminal land required per reefer.

Forecasts through 2030 and 2032 point to sustained demand, while stricter emissions rules and volatile reefer peaks make power expansion, real-time oversight and lower-emission equipment central to terminal investment.