The railway does not handle the refrigerated, heat-preserved, heated, or ventilated transport of less-than-carload (LCL) live and fresh goods. Due to the wide variety of such goods, the diverse transport methods required, and the different types of vehicles selected, consolidating LCL live and fresh goods is very difficult, leading to long cargo accumulation times which is not conducive to speeding up delivery. Moreover, LCL cars have no escort, making it difficult to maintain cargo quality.
However, for short-distance transport using ordinary freight cars, each Railway Sub-administration (Headquarters) may, based on its specific circumstances, introduce LCL transport for certain live and fresh goods within its jurisdiction. For transport across Railway Sub-administrations (Headquarters) or across Bureaus, this is only possible if the goods can be loaded as a single-car direct LCL shipment to the destination station, or as a two-station LCL shipment unloaded at the first destination station. Whether a station is equipped to organize LCL transport for live and fresh goods, or to organize single-car or two-station LCL shipments, must be determined by the consignor after making specific inquiries. Generally, this is difficult to arrange.
It must be pointed out that live and fresh goods handled under LCL transport involve downgrading transport under special conditions to general conditions, which is merely an expedient measure. The consignor must guarantee that the LCL live and fresh goods will not rot, spoil, or die within the proposed permissible transport period.
Key Points for LCL Transport of Live and Fresh Goods
For LCL transport of live and fresh goods (vegetables, fruits, aquatic products, meat, eggs, milk, etc.), note: Use dedicated insulated vehicles for transport. Control the transport temperature. Shorten transport time to reduce loss. Ensure proper packaging protection. Handle quarantine procedures promptly. Some live and fresh goods may be prioritized for transport to reduce transshipment waiting time.
Precautions for LCL Consignment of Live and Fresh Goods
When consigning live and fresh goods (such as fruits and vegetables, live aquatic products, flowers, etc.) via railway LCL, note:
- Transport Timeliness—Live and fresh goods have extremely high requirements for transport timeliness; faster freight trains or passenger luggage trains should be selected for transport.
- Temperature-Controlled Packaging—Choose appropriate insulation packaging based on the characteristics of the goods; ice or refrigerated containers should be used in summer, and freeze protection is needed in winter.
- Ventilation Requirements—Live and fresh goods require adequate ventilation during transport; packaging boxes should have ventilation holes.
- Escort Personnel—For certain high-value or special live and fresh goods, an escort can be arranged to accompany the shipment.
- Priority Transport—Live and fresh goods usually enjoy priority loading rights; railway authorities should prioritize capacity.
With the development of cold chain logistics, transport methods for live and fresh goods are continuously diversifying. Refrigerated container sea freight and refrigerated truck road transport are also common choices; shippers can choose flexibly based on destination and timeliness requirements.
Bofeng Logistics specializes in providing one-stop logistics services including domestic container sea freight, international sea freight (FCL/LCL), Hong Kong and Macao logistics routes, as well as trailer trucking, customs declaration, and warehousing. Contact: 130-7567-8958 (Manager Huang), call now for a custom quote!
Suggestions for Choosing Live and Fresh Goods Transport
Selection of transport methods for live and fresh goods: Choose road express for short distances (within 300 km), and railway or air transport for medium to long distances. Goods requiring full cold chain must use refrigerated vehicles or refrigerated containers. It is recommended to prioritize logistics service providers with experience in live and fresh goods transport.
Bofeng Logistics provides professional live and fresh goods transport services. Contact: 130-7567-8958.
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