Definitions #
A ship designed to carry temperature-controlled cargo such as fruits, meat, and pharmaceuticals, with onboard cooling systems to maintain a set temperature throughout the voyage.
Technical A cargo vessel equipped with insulated holds and refrigeration machinery capable of maintaining a constant temperature range, used for perishable and temperature-sensitive freight under an agreed cold chain regime.
Example The reefer vessel was 2 days late, and the cargo temperature stayed at -25°C as per the B/L requirement.
Etymology #
Reefer is a shortened, informal form of refrigerated or refrigerator; the suffix -er denotes a machine or vessel with that function.
Collocations #
- reefer container (vessel) 冷藏集装箱船或自带制冷单元的集装箱，与整船reefer vessel 不同
- reefer cargo 冷藏货，指需要温控运输的货物
- temperature-controlled reefer 温控冷藏船或冷藏舱，常指定恒温运输能力
- reefer plug 冷藏箱插座，用于集装箱船的电力连接
Real Business Examples #
- The reefer vessel departed Ningbo with 200 reefers of frozen shrimp.
- Our sole charter must confirm that the reefer vessel can maintain 0-4°C during the entire voyage.
- The medical device shipment requires a dedicated reefer vessel or a reefer container with a backup generator.
- The reefer vessel was older, but its insulation held the temperature within ±1°C.
Register & Variants #
- Register: formal
- BrE/AmE: 全球通用，多见于海运贸易与船务合同
Synonyms & Antonyms #
- Synonyms: refrigerated cargo ship, reefer ship
- Antonyms: dry cargo vessel, general cargo ship
Common Errors #
- 把 reefer vessel 误认为就是冷藏集装箱船 Reefer vessel 指整艘船具备冷藏舱或携带冷藏集装箱；而 reefer container 是单个集装箱，需明确区分。
- 认为所有 reefer vessel 都能保持任意低温 不同船型或舱型有温度范围限制，例如常为 -25°C 至 +15°C，订舱前必须核对温度范围。
Confusable Terms #
- Reefer container vs Reefer vessel
- 一个自带制冷单元的标准集装箱，不涉及整船；reefer vessel 是整艘船或船舶本身具备冷藏能力。
Frequently Asked Questions
Reefer vessel 和普通船带几个冷藏箱有什么区别？?
Reefer vessel 是整船设计用于冷藏运输，通常有大量冷藏插口和更稳定的温控；普通船可能只有少数插口，不能保证持续温度。
使用 reefer vessel 时，谁负责设置和监控温度？?
一般由货主或租船人提供温度要求，承运人（船公司）负责维护与记录，但具体责任以运输合同或 B/L 条款为准。