A week ago, dramatic footage that could have been taken from any Hollywood action movie, made the rounds on global news media and LinkedIn. Unfortunately, it was not computer-generated imagery, but actual video material of a shipping container exploding on board of a Taiwanese cargo ship docked at China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, just south of Shanghai – one of the world’s largest cargo ports. Class 5 goods overheated in an unplugged refrigerated container during an early afternoon where outside temperatures were a hot 36°C. With rising world temperatures come rising cargo challenges.
Remarkably (or allegedly), according to local media outlets, no one was injured or killed, though the damage affected containers in the vicinity, sent metal parts flying, and resulted in a huge black cloud of smoke. Reuters later reported that the container’s contents had included lithium batteries and tert-Butyl peroxybenzoate which is an organic compound that is flammable and explosive and should not be stored in an environment over 30°C. The responsible shipping company, Yang Ming, issued a statement in Chinese wherein it revealed that the owner of the goods had declared them as requiring dry, cold storage, without the need for plugged-in electricity, CNBC reported. Obviously, some serious mistakes in cargo declaration, acceptance and handling which led to the appalling incident, and these will all need looking into. Yet one of the culprits in this story is heat.
Foaming at the gates
A more light-hearted image of another likely costly incident that may also have been the result of consistently high temperatures of 37°C (CFG assumption), is that of around 400 gallons of high-expansion foam spilling out of two gates at the United States Coast Guard’s Aviation Training Center hangar in Mobile, Alabama, last Sunday. This high-expansion foam activates when the fire alarm goes off or a button on the wall is pressed, according to the U.S. Coast Guards, yet no fire or emergency had been declared, and the reasoning was a ‘fault in the system’. Had that fault been triggered by ongoing daily temperatures of 37°C, dropping only to 25°C in the night? Who knows?
Fact is – temperatures are rising and over at Villa Gledhill in Austria, which is seeing its hottest year since temperature recording began, even a tiny, solar-powered mobile power bank was recently unable to take the heat. It fell off the balcony table, began smoking and then expanded before bursting apart. A call to the Fire Brigade ensured that the small device was properly disposed of. First-hand experience of what could have been part of the large-scale problem that triggered the Shanghai container explosion.
Extreme heat is a challenge
Honing in on air cargo: it’s a fact that extreme heat poses significant challenges to air cargo operations. High temperatures affect everything from aircraft performance to the integrity of shipped goods. And with global temperatures on the rise, companies need to prepare for these challenges. (On a side note: interesting that the world’s mega-airports are being planned in regions that are already hotter parts of the world – the architects have their work cut out for them to ensure sustainable cooling systems. But that’s by the by.)
As we have already seen: heat impacts cargo integrity. In the worst case, volatile dangerous goods and highly sensitive items such as electronics or chemicals. Perishable goods are also at risk – food, pharmaceuticals and biological materials. Even when transported in temperature-controlled containers, prolonged exposure on the tarmac during loading/unloading or delays can lead to spoilage or reduced shelf-life. Yet, all other cargo is also at risk, since extreme heat can negatively affect packaging materials. These can degrade, adhesives can weaken, plastics warp and seals can fail – thus diminishing their ability to protect goods.
Aircraft performance and increased costs
Extreme heat basically translates into less economical – and therefore less ecological – performance. Given that high temperatures reduce air density and thus decrease lift, aircraft require longer runways for takeoff. Airlines may need to impose weight restrictions and reduce cargo loads during heat waves, to ensure safe departures. These capacity constraints can cause delays, backlogs, and ultimately result in increased operational costs – not to mention less environmentally-friendly operations.
Engine efficiency is also negatively impacted during extreme heat – this leads higher fuel consumption (higher fuel costs) and more carbon emissions. All of which can affect the profitability of air cargo services. Less efficient engines can potentially limit the range or payload capacity of the aircraft, which also increases costs and may limit the number of routes available for air cargo.
Operational costs are again increased if sensitive cargo is transported during extreme heat, as it is expensive to maintain the required temperatures both in flight and during ground handling. Refrigerated containers require power, additional fuel is needed to run auxiliary power units (APUs), and cooling systems require more frequent maintenance.
A threat to health and safety
Last, but certainly not least, since where would the air cargo industry be without its workers? Worker safety is a crucial issue: exposure to high temperatures poses health risks to ground handling staff. These include heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heatstroke, and can lead to slower operations, increased errors, and potentially hazardous conditions if workers are not adequately protected.
To ensure safety, ground operations may be slowed or halted during peak heat, which can result in delays in cargo handling, loading, and unloading, and may disrupt tight schedules and affect delivery timelines.
How is your company preparing?
At the end of the day, extreme heat significantly impacts air cargo operations by reducing aircraft performance, compromising cargo integrity, and increasing operational costs. In 2023, the global mean annual temperature change on land was 1.8 °C compared to the 1951–1980 baseline, and was the highest on record. The last nine years since 2015 were the nine warmest years on record. 2024 is looking to set another record. The earth is getting hotter, and the aviation industry larger. How is your company preparing to ensure safe operations in the air and on the ground, as well as product integrity in the years to come?
If you would like to write an Opinion Piece on this topic, please contact CargoForwarder Global on info@cgofor.eu
