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Case Study: 15 Refrigerated Vans for Bangladesh Seafood Export
Bangladesh’s frozen-seafood export industry is centred on Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, with products shipped globally. In 2025, a seafood-exporter cooperative needed 15 reefer vans for cold-chain transport from processing plants to Chittagong port and onward sea freight.
Note: 15-unit reefer orders are common for seafood exporter co-operatives with multi-farm supply-chain integration.
1. Buyer Profile
- Region: Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar seafood belt
- Operation: cold-chain seafood transport (shrimp, white fish) from processing plants to port
2. Tender Specification
- Payload: 25 ton cargo at -20°C
- Body: insulated sandwich panel, 80 mm wall, 100 mm floor
- Refrigeration unit: Carrier or Thermo King diesel-driven (Chinese-built reefer units also acceptable for fleet cost reasons)
- Axles: 3 × BPW 12-ton
- Tires: 11R22.5
- Kingpin: 90#
- Multi-temp: not required; single-temperature
3. Cost (per unit)
| Line | USD |
|---|---|
| 3-axle reefer van FOB China (Thermo King unit) | ~38,000 |
| Sea freight China → Chittagong | ~3,800 |
| Inland + commissioning | ~1,200 |
| Landed cost | ~43,000 |
4. After-Sales Performance
- Mean uptime: 94.5%
- Cold-chain integrity audit: 99.2% of trips maintained spec temperature
- Warranty claims: 3 refrigeration unit compressor replacements (climate stress)
- Insulation integrity: no condensation failures after 12 months
5. What Worked
- Thermo King units (vs Chinese reefer units) had ~5× lower warranty claims despite higher upfront cost
- 80 mm wall / 100 mm floor insulation was right for tropical subcontinent runs
- Single-temperature spec simplified fleet operations
6. Lessons
- For tropical climates, 100 mm wall is preferred over 80 mm — the marginal cost is recovered in fuel economy
- Spec refrigeration unit backup battery kit — coastal power instability is real
- For cross-border seafood exports, ensure ATP/FRC-class insulation certification
FAQ
What is a refrigerated semi-trailer?
A refrigerated semi-trailer (reefer) is an insulated van trailer with a refrigeration unit for cold-chain transport. Common in food, pharmaceutical, and seafood logistics.
What is the typical insulation thickness?
80-100 mm wall, 100-120 mm floor for temperate climates. 100 mm wall, 130 mm floor for tropical climates (40°C+ ambient).
Reefer unit brand options?
Carrier Transicold and Thermo King dominate the premium segment. Chinese-built units (Huatai, Kaifan) cost 30-40% less but have higher warranty rates in hot climates.
For project enquiries, fleet quotes, and tender support, contact sales@fotonintl.com. This case study is published by a manufacturer exporting 30,000+ semi-trailer units annually to 40+ countries.
