With passive thermal insulation solutions, thermal blankets, fresh fish, and live seafood, perishable goods require rapid deliveries under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity.

Packaging for transporting live seafood and fresh fish

Packaging plays a hugely important part in the transport of live seafood and fresh fish. On the one hand, it must maintain the cold chain (between 0 and 5 °C) while on the other hand, it must preserve suitable humidity conditions.

For air transport, only watertight containers are accepted, as spillage of liquids may cause damage to the aircraft’s structure and systems. Flexible cold packs are a better option than ice as they always stay dry and maintain the ideal temperature.

In general, the following guidelines should be observed when packing live seafood and fresh fish:

1. Goods that may spill liquids must be placed in a plastic bag, which should remain open in the case of seafood and closed in the case of fish.
2. This bag must go inside an insulated box made of polyurethane or expanded polystyrene, about 20 mm thick, if the weight of the box does not exceed 30 kg.
3. Put the flexible cold pack inside the insulated box and place a foam sheet on top of the pack. Then, place the product inside the box, either wrapped in plastic wrap or paper made especially for seafood dampened with sea water.
4. Next, cover the product with another foam sheet, followed by a second flexible cold pack. This way, the product is kept cool during transport without coming into direct contact with any cold packs. Bivalves must be placed in a special net to ensure maximum preservation.
5. Seal the insulated box and put it inside another plastic bag to prevent any possible spillage.
6. Put everything inside a cardboard box lined with plastic film. Double wall corrugated cardboard boxes must be used where weight reaches 20 kg or above.
7. All packages must be labelled as foodstuffs and perishable goods. Labels indicating correct positioning must also be used. The recipient’s name and address, as well as the sender’s telephone number, must appear clearly on each package.

Embacover, the solution for additional insulation during the transport of seafood and fish

While insulated boxes and flexible cold packs are useful for maintaining the ideal temperature, they may still be affected by outside temperature changes during transport.

For example, during air transport, products are transported under refrigerated conditions, as the temperature on runways at airports is much hotter.

In cases like these, Embacover, our thermal insulator for palletised products, helps to maintain the low temperature of flexible cold packs and prevent heat transfer when outside of the hold.

Embacover for palletised cargo offers similar advantages to insulated box liners:

Optimal temperature control for your shipments.
Single-use cover which prevents the spread of odours and avoids the need to wash containers afterwards.
Easy to put on.
Inexpensive / Reduces costs.

If you would like more information about packaging for the transport of live seafood and fresh fish, please contact our experts for advice on the best solution.