Perishable Cargo

Perishable Cargo refers to goods that require specific temperature, humidity, ventilation, or time control during transportation and storage to maintain their freshness, viability, or quality. It is commonly seen in fresh foods (such as fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood), live plants and animals, fresh flowers, vaccines, and certain chemicals. Use cases include air freight, refrigerated containers in ocean shipping, and cold chain logistics. Precautions: book space in advance and confirm the carrier accepts perishable cargo; quarantine and sanitary certificates must be provided; packaging must have preservation, ventilation, or temperature-control functions; transit time should be as short as possible to avoid delays during transshipment; insurance should cover the risk of spoilage and deterioration. Unlike ordinary dry cargo, perishable cargo is sensitive to time and conditions, has higher freight costs, and is often subject to import restrictions in the destination country. The difference from 'refrigerated cargo' is that perishable cargo emphasizes living activity or high perishability, while refrigerated cargo only requires low temperature. The difference from 'dangerous goods' is that the main risk of perishable cargo is deterioration rather than combustion or explosion. Foreign trade practitioners should be familiar with the point of risk transfer under INCOTERMS and clarify the division of responsibilities.