What the European cold chain covers and why it matters Europe’s cold chain spans temperature-controlled production sites, cross-docking, long-haul and urban transport, and specialized warehouses. It is governed by a blend of international and EU rules: the ATP Agreement defines performance classes for insulated and refrigerated road equipment; EU food hygiene law requires HACCP-based controls; […]

Refrigerated transport in Europe presents unique challenges in maintaining temperature control. The main difficulties include the short run times of refrigeration systems between stops and challenges with load distribution which can affect temperature management.   Temperature Control Challenges with Frequent Stops Consistent temperature control can be a challenge over short distances due to frequent stops […]

Transporting oversized cargo presents a diverse set of challenges that require comprehensive planning. These challenges encompass damage risk during transit, regulatory and compliance issues, pricing complications, and the need for customized logistics solutions.   Damage during Transit The irregular size and weight of oversized cargo make it susceptible to damage during loading, unloading, and transit. […]

There are some types of cargo that can present potential safety hazards and should be subject to risk assessment before shipping. Such items may contain mercury, gases under pressure, or hazardous chemicals that bear health and safety risks if they spill, break, drop, or come in contact with another substance.   What Items Are Considered […]

The oversized cargo includes items that are non-standard and extra-large and cannot be transported in standard containers. It covers different types of cargo that vary in technical characteristics, weight, and dimensions, including construction and special equipment, agricultural machinery, and watercraft and aircraft.   Agricultural Machinery Depending on the destination and type of machinery, agricultural equipment […]

The main types of cargo include livestock, foodstuff, liquid and dry bulk cargo, machinery and equipment, vehicles, and crude oil. Depending on type, a different mode of transportation and vessel is used. When choosing how to ship commodities, carriers take different risks and hazards into account, including fungal and bacterial growth, spoilage of foodstuff, fire, […]

Oversized loads cover a wide range of freight that differs in terms of dimensions, weight, and technical characteristics. Shipping of heavyweight items is more challenging than transporting standard-sized cargo due to their dimensions and the fact they are subject to special regulations. There are many things to account for, from freight specifics and optimal delivery […]

There are different ways of transporting live fish but where it is shipped is an important consideration. You should not only check whether there are fees and customs charges but also if you can legally ship fish to the place of destination and across borders. You may have to apply for an import permit, and […]

The cold chain is key to preserving food and reducing the risk of foodborne illness. Stakeholders around the world, including researchers, standard-setting agencies, regulators, and industry leaders agree on the importance of ensuring food safety during transit. Food laws aim to incorporate safety best practices in line with changes in distribution, technical innovation, and knowledge. […]

Refrigerated containers or reefers are used to ship perishable goods such as flowers, dairy products, meat, seafood, and fruits and vegetables. Carriers also use temperature-controlled containers to transport frozen and chilled goods, photographic film, and pharmaceuticals. If not shipped at appropriate humidity and temperature, such cargo might spoil quickly during transit.   Reefer Design Reefers […]

The EU recently threatened to impose export controls on Covid-19 vaccines manufactured in Europe. This move came after AstraZeneca announced a significant reduction in the number of dozes it could deliver by March. As a result, a political crisis followed, with debates to block the export of vaccines to the North. In case the bloc […]

With vaccines being developed and approved for use in the hope to protect billions around the world, countries are facing a formidable challenge – distributing hundreds of millions of doses requiring ultra-cold shipping. The near-simultaneous delivery of millions of jabs not only requires significant production capabilities but also puts pressure on logistics businesses engaged in […]

Billions of vaccine doses have to be shipped to inoculate the world in 2021 – 2022 but for forwarders, shots are just a small percentage of cargo to be carried over the next couple of months. In fact, logistics companies say they are prepared to handle shipments despite challenges like transporting shots in special boxes […]

Fertilizers are cargo that has major importance for agricultural produce around the world. In fact, research shows that about 60 percent of the increase in production during the last decades has been due to the use of fertilizers. With population growth, need is constantly increasing, and they are exported and imported by various countries across […]

Directive 2008/68/EC on the inland transport of dangerous goods governs the shipping of cargo by inland waterways, rail, and road. European logistics companies must comply with the directive’s provisions to meet the safety criteria for international and domestic shipments.  Scope The directive includes provisions regarding labelling, requirements for tank-containers, restrictions on grounds of safety, and […]

EU guidelines specify the maximum dimensions and weights when shipping abnormal loads. Cargo that exceeds the specified limits requires special permits which are issued by national or regional authorities. The procedures and regulations regarding the issuance of permits vary by country, including details such as authorized speeds, time frames, and vehicle escorts. Nevertheless, the guidelines […]

The World Health Organization has developed a mechanism for transporting clinical samples from suspected coronavirus patients residing in countries that lack specialized Covid-19 laboratories and testing capacity. Local shipping agents working with WHO-approved couriers provide assistance to laboratories in completing export documentation, arranging sample collection, and providing all forms, labelling, and packaging under international transport […]

The main types of air freight in Europe are general and special cargo, the latter being shipped in accordance with the IATA Live Animals Regulations and IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. General Cargo This category includes electronics, hardware and machinery, consumer and retail goods, and textiles. In general, all items that are not liquid fall in […]

Shipping medical supplies and equipment safely and quickly has become key to preventing the further spread of Covid-19 and compensating shortages in many countries. The proper packing of medical equipment is important, especially for non-standard and fragile items and when specialized transportation is required. Types of Medical Equipment and Supplies Medical supplies that are shipped […]

Many ask freight forwarders if they can safely ship pets internationally as this can be a stressful experience for cats, dogs, and ferrets. Depending on final destination, some countries allow pets after a quarantine period while others may not allow them at all. EU Member States also have special requirements when it comes to required […]

Freight forwarders often transport fish products across Europe, including dried, salted, live, and fresh fish. Factors they need to account for include type of product, distance, and transportation costs. Products and Shipping Requirements Fresh Fish Different factors play a role when transporting preserved and fresh fish. Fresh fish must be shipped to a distribution or […]

While healthcare has treatment and prevention as its main focus, hospitals, clinics, and other facilities need medications, syringes, gauzes, and other supplies to treat patients. Hospitals also need files, paper, computers, and other items for administrative purposes and keeping record of patients and treatment outcomes. How Hospitals Secure Supplies The two main ways in which […]

Shipping liquids and food products safely can be tricky because of the risk of leaks and spills. Many logistics services providers ship liquids and food across Europe and overseas except for items that are considered unsafe or dangerous. IFA members strictly follow all relevant shipping regulations to ensure safety while in transit and at delivery. […]

The handling and shipping of oversized cargo carry certain risks, including political, social, economic, and technical risks. Assessing potential risks helps logistics services providers to develop appropriate strategies such as disaster planning, protection against political risk, assessment of providers’ financial stability, and others. Types of Risks When offering international freight services and shipping of goods […]

Logistics services providers ship cargo on different types of vessels based on the kinds of goods to be transported. Ships come in different sizes and include reefer vessels, livestock vessels, container carriers, tanker vessels, multi-purpose vessels, and others. Size Ultra large crude carriers weigh between 320,000 and 550,000 DWT and are used to ship hazardous […]

The International Forwarding Association has been steadily working on implementing various visibility tools in order to comply with international food safety regulations. Since there have been worrying signals for food getting recalled by the manufacturers and retailers, and for cases when certain foodstuffs have been found to cause sickness and other health problems, the companies […]

The need of forwarding of live animals by air Live animals, including various types of livestock, pets, birds, reptiles or insects require special conditions when being transported. Most importantly, the forwarding needs to be as short and quick as possible in order to reduce the risk stress and physical harm to the live animals. This […]

The forwarding of agricultural products takes up a large share of the types of cargo being transported by the forwarders throughout Europe. Large and small producers sell and deliver raw materials for the food industry as well as products for a large number of stores and retailers. Many of these products require special conditions for […]

The total volume of the cargo being shipped within Europe is enormous. The reasons behind this include the ease of transporting the cargo, the simplified customs and trade formalities within the European Union, as well as the globalization of the world economy, which allows for easy communication and development of the commerce as well as […]

The forwarding of machines is an important part of the service provided by the European network for logistics. Machines are essential for all modern industries and as such are subject of intensive trade.  IFA meets the growingly increasing demand for the transport of machines with its growing network as well as its individual solutions for […]

The main type of pharmaceutical cargo being forwarded in Europe consists of medicines and other pharmaceutical products. Along with the various drugs, other pharmaceutical products which are at high demand in the European pharmacies, such as sanitary products are also being forwarded on a regular basis. The European network for transportation ensures that all countries […]

The textile industry provides products which are under demand throughout Europe, and the European network for transportation carries clothes – both casual and formal, which reach the warehouses of the distributors and shops in excellent condition, thanks to the experience which the freight forwarders Europe have in transporting textiles and clothing via its groupage services […]

The forwarding of chemicals used in different industries, such as: chemical, pharmaceutical and other industries are a main part of the groupage services provided. Chemicals can be aggressive and often are toxic. This is why certain requirements for the safety of the personnel and the environment need to be followed during their packaging and forwarding. […]

The products of the textile industry, including: textiles, samples and finished garments reach each and every point of Europe thanks to the logistics provided by the forwarders throughout Europe and the specialised services and vehicles for these types of products.   Logistics of ready garments, underwear, bed linen – a basic part of the services […]

Special vehicles are needed for the transport of frozen or chilled goods and cargo. They need to be able to maintain a temperature necessary to preserve the quality of the frozen or chilled goods. You can count on the freight forwarders network for refrigeration transport to every part of Europe.   The specialised refrigeration trucks […]

The forwarding of oversized cargo to different European countries is an important part of the logistics services by the freight forwarders network. The forwarding of cargo which has a size and weight exceeding the maximum permissible ones happens all of the time.  This is why the international freight forwarders have vehicles which have a bigger […]

The European logistics network unites European freight forwarding companies which offer the forwarding of various goods.  There is a growing need for the transportation of dangerous goods. These include: certain raw materials, basic materials, fuels, medical waste and many others.  The dangerous goods are classified in accordance to their danger class, as follows:   Class […]