Uninsurable moisture damage in container shipments could quickly soak up your profits and damage your brand reputation

A quick search of the risks to container shipments rapidly reveals the alarming fact that 10% of container cargo has to be discarded due to moisture damage. But what you might not realize, and is still more alarming, is the fact that a significant proportion of that damage is completely uninsurable. That’s because it is due to condensation, known in the trade as container rain or cargo sweat.

When transported along international supply routes, shipping containers experience radical changes in temperature. Those variations can be as much as 50°c, as cargos travel between tropical locations such as Hong Kong or Singapore and northern latitudes such as Alaska or Scandinavia. Unless a container is vacuum-sealed, it will trap some moisture inside and that moisture risk is even higher where most containers are packed and loaded, in damp maritime environments.

During transportation, as the atmosphere in the container warms, the trapped moisture evaporates to form warm, humid air. Condensation takes place on the coldest available surface, and when the warmer air hits a colder surface, such as the ceiling of a container, beads of water form like the dew you see on a can of Coke on a hot day. In extreme heating and cooling cycles, the moisture released can be so significant that drops fall from the ceiling like rain. This process can happen repeatedly every 24 hours unless the relative humidity (RH) is reduced.

As any insurer will tell you, condensation is a “foreseeable risk” and is, therefore, not covered under any of their policies. Despite this, they receive regular claims from disappointed clients who have not realized that this is one of the most obvious and pressing risks for anyone shipping cargo between hot and cold climates.

Cordstrap focus on ensuring our customers’ cargo is protected. That is why, as well as developing globally compliant solutions to protect your cargo from moving during transit we have recently launched a market leading Moisture Control solution. It has the highest absorbency rate available today of 320% of its own weight. Plus, the high performing Tyvek© technology in the outer bags guarantees they are tear resistant and leak proof.

Our international network of expert advisers and trainers will ensure that your workforce knows exactly how to control the moisture levels inside your shipments and mitigate your risk of moisture damage from condensation. To safeguard your cargo and your bottom line, talk to the world’s leading cargo protection specialists, talk to your local Cargo protection Engineer today.