Comprehensive Service of Refrigerated Containers in Intermodal Transport Chains

Abstract

Nowadays, growing demand for perishable food products delivery is observed. These products may require specific transport conditions and on longer distances could be carried out in refrigerated containers. In intermodal transport chains, a comprehensive refrigerated containers service needs to be provided to maintain the quality of the products transported and to ensure customer satisfaction with the service, which can be a challenge for forwarders or logistics operators. The purpose of the article is to analyse the services that constitute the comprehensive service of refrigerated containers within intermodal transport chains and to identify the criteria used to group these services. The grouping of these services according to selected criteria has been proposed. It was stated that refrigerated containers comprehensive service offer is influenced by market environment and customers’ needs, as well as possibilities to perform the services by provider. The research results may be of interest to transport, forwarding and logistics companies involved in planning and implementing supply of perishable food products within intermodal transport chains.