Frozen shipping

Which frozen shipping solution is right for your needs?

The selection of the right cooling method in frozen shipping depends on several key factors. In addition to the required target temperature, shipping duration, product volume, insulation and external conditions play a crucial role.

In practice, different solutions have been established for typical use cases to ensure reliable maintenance of the frozen cold chain.

Standard frozen shipping (24–48 hours)

For typical parcel delivery times in e-commerce, the use of high-performance frozen ice packs combined with high-quality insulated packaging is recommended.

• ✔ Temperature range: approx. -18 °C to -21 °C
• ✔ Shipping duration: up to 24–48 hours
• ✔ Application: frozen food, standard shipping
• ✔ Advantage: controlled, consistent cooling without extreme temperature fluctuations

This solution is particularly suitable for companies that regularly ship frozen products and rely on reproducible processes.

Extended frozen shipping (over 48 hours)

With longer transit times or uncertain delivery conditions, thermal stress increases significantly. In such cases, the cooling capacity of standard frozen ice packs is often no longer sufficient.

• ✔ Combination of frozen ice packs with additional cooling reserves
• ✔ Enhanced insulation required
• ✔ Planning with safety margins (36–72 hours)

A conservative design of the cooling system is recommended to reliably compensate for possible delays.

Maximum cooling performance with dry ice

For highly temperature-sensitive products or very long transport times, dry ice is used as a cooling medium. With temperatures of up to -78 °C, it provides significantly higher cooling performance than conventional solutions.

• ✔ Temperature range: up to -78 °C
• ✔ Application: pharmaceuticals, laboratory samples, specialized uses
• ✔ Very high cooling capacity for long transit times

Please note that dry ice requires specific handling, packaging and shipping conditions.

Hybrid systems for maximum reliability

For demanding applications, hybrid systems are often used. These combine frozen ice packs with dry ice to ensure both stable baseline cooling and additional cooling reserves.

This approach offers maximum process reliability, especially for critical products or unpredictable transport conditions.

Practical guide: How much cooling capacity is required?

The required cooling capacity always depends on the overall system. The following factors are decisive for proper dimensioning:

• ✔ Shipping duration (24h, 48h or longer)
• ✔ Ambient temperature (summer / winter)
• ✔ Quality of insulated packaging
• ✔ Product volume and initial temperature

As a rule of thumb: the longer the transport time and the higher the ambient temperature, the greater the required cooling capacity. Additional safety margins are essential in frozen shipping.

When are frozen ice packs the right choice?

Frozen ice packs are the standard solution for temperature-controlled shipping down to approx. -21 °C. They provide a controlled, safe and cost-efficient way to maintain the frozen cold chain in e-commerce and food logistics.

Compared to extreme cooling methods such as dry ice, they offer stable temperature control without strong fluctuations, making them ideal for many everyday shipping applications.