Airfreight plays a crucial role in the global flower industry, ensuring that delicate blooms reach their destinations fresh and undamaged. Despite the significant logistics challenges involved in transporting flowers, there are no dedicated Unit Load Devices (ULDs) designed explicitly for this cargo type, unlike the specialised temperature-controlled containers used for pharmaceutical products. But why is this the case, and how does the industry ensure the safe and efficient transport of flowers without customised ULD solutions? Pharmaceuticals, particularly vaccines and biologics, require strict temperature control and specialised handling.
This necessity has led to the development of advanced cool ULDs equipped with active refrigeration, humidity control, and advanced monitoring systems. In contrast, flowers, while also perishable, generally require ambient temperatures rather than precise cooling, making the use of high-tech ULDs costly and impractical for this cargo segment.
Shailendra Kothari, Managing Director of Jettainer Americas, explains that flowers can be transported in standard ULDs such as PMC and LD3 containers without significant modifications. Some delicate flower varieties may benefit from temperature-controlled ULDs, but these are expensive and not widely available, requiring prior arrangements. The cost of these high-tech containers often outweighs the benefits when transporting flowers, making airlines and logistics providers opt for optimised handling techniques rather than investing in specialised ULDs.
One of the biggest challenges in flower transportation is volume efficiency rather than temperature control. Flowers are light but bulky, meaning that optimising the weight-to-volume ratio is critical for cost-effective airfreight. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which are typically compact and high-value, flowers take up considerable space in cargo holds. Maximising available space on flights while ensuring careful loading to prevent bruising or crushing is a logistical challenge that specialised ULDs wouldn’t necessarily solve.
“Flowers require careful and appropriate loading techniques to ensure they remain undamaged in transit,” says Kothari. “The logistics also involve tight timelines since flowers have a limited shelf life, demanding efficient coordination to ensure timely delivery.”
The real ULD challenge A key issue in flower transportation is seasonal demand fluctuations. Peak periods, such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and year-end holidays, require logistics providers to rapidly allocate and reposition ULDs worldwide. This means that any investment in specialised flower ULDs would be underutilised for much of the year, making it economically unfeasible.
According to Kothari, Jettainer addresses these peaks efficiently by ensuring that serviceable ULDs are available in the right place at the right time. However, this demand surge often means providers must quickly source and reposition additional ULDs on short notice, making flexibility more important than specialisation.
ULD manufacturers and logistics providers are working on more lightweight and durable containers to reduce fuel burn and improve sustainability. While pharma transportation has led to innovation in temperature-controlled logistics, there is still room for improvement in flower transport.
“Sustainability is a growing focus in logistics,” says Kothari. “Manufacturers are developing lighter and more robust ULDs to reduce fuel consumption and environmental impact. In the future, we may also see eco-friendly, reusable packaging that maintains humidity and extends flower shelf life.”
While dedicated ULDs for flowers might seem like an attractive idea, the economic and operational realities make them impractical. Instead, logistics providers focus on efficient handling, strategic ULD positioning, and sustainable innovation to meet the industry’s needs. Future developments in reusable, eco-friendly packaging and optimised ULD design could further enhance flower transportation efficiency, but for now, standard ULDs remain the best solution.
“Innovations like eco-friendly or reusable packaging, which can help maintain temperature and humidity, extending the shelf life of flowers are possible innovations that should be evaluated.
