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Perishable Products Export Control Act, 1983 (Act No. 9 of 1983)

Regulations

Regulations relating to the Export of Perishable Products, 1983

Chapter II : Loading and Carrying Instructions

Part V : Container Ships with Centralised Refrigeration System

Section IV : After Completion of Loading and During Transit

 

Temperature Tolerance Time

57.

(1) Perishable products shall be loaded, transported and placed under refrigeration in the ship within the TTT specified in Annexure II.

 

(2) Under no circumstances shall any refrigerated container on board a vessel remain uncoupled to temperature holding equipment for periods exceeding three hours: Provided that, if the said time limit is exceeded, each container already loaded shall be caused to be coupled individually, i.e. before the whole row has been completed.

 

Maintenance of Temperature and Temperature Logging

 

 

Temperature Setting

 

58.

(1) The temperature controller of each row shall, in the case of chilled products, be set at 0,5 °C below the commodity temperature prescribed in the Carrying Temperature Instructions Letter issued to the master by die Board and, in the case of frozen products, at 1,0 °C below the commodity temperature for frozen products so prescribed.

 

Minimum air delivery temperature

 

(2) When the air thermometer indicates that the product temperature is considerably higher than that specified, the delivery air temperature may be reduced to the minimum allowed in order for the carrying temperature to be rapidly regained.

 

(3) The minimum air delivery temperatures in holds or containers shall not be maintained for periods of more than five hours during any 12-hour period: Provided that when air is being delivered at minimum temperature and the temperature difference between delivery and return has fallen to approximately 2°C, the product may be assumed to have regained its carrying temperature and air delivery may be set (the temperature difference should then settle at approximately 1°C).

 

Persistent High Temperature Difference Between Air Delivery and Return Air

59.

(1) If, after air circulation has commenced, no reduction in the air return temperature from a container is noted and the temperature difference remains high, the status both of such container and of coupling air closure valves shall be checked by the ship's engineer: Provided that the said comparison of temperatures shall be carried out as soon as possible after loading.

 

(2) Defective air circulation shall be restored promptly to ensure that the TTT of the cargo is not exceeded.

 

Temperature logging

 

(3) During the loading period temperatures shall be logged every two hours.

 

(4) Once the ship has left port, the logging shall be every four hours until conditions have settled and every eight hours thereafter.

 

Additional logging

 

(5) In addition to the temperature logging referred to above, a record shall be kept of all operations, including –
(a) the time at which refrigeration is applied to each row;
(b) the time at which refrigeration is terminated for each row;
(c) CO2 measurements taken;
(d) operation of fans;
(e) particulars of fresh air make-up;
(f) reports of any breakdowns or stoppages;
(g) the periods during which equipment was out of service;
(h) reports of any circumstances which made it impossible to carry refrigerated cargo under the prescribed conditions.

 

Log of loading period

 

(6) Before the vessel leaves the last port of loading, one copy of the temperature log for the loading period at each port shall be submitted to the Board for checking.

 

Operation of Fans

 

60. The fans for air circulation within each container shall be at full speed at all times, but shall be reduced to half speed under the following circumstances:
(a) for reefer cargo at carrying temperature;
(b) for fruit cargo, excluding fruit cargo with high respiration such as plums, apricots, avocados and pineapples, providing that the difference between air delivery and return temperatures can be maintained at 1°C;
(c) for unwrapped grapes, unless the air return temperature exceeds the air delivery temperature by more than 2,0°C.