Climate conditions and transportation: A hidden connection in cold chain management

ABSTRACT PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER: This paper presents an overview of the extant recent literature on the design and management of transport systems for perishable goods, in order to question and discuss the hidden interdependencies between the distribution of temperature-sensitive products (e.g., food, pharmaceutical) and the weather conditions or environmental stresses experienced during this phase. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We overviewed the state-of-art of the literature dealing with the planning and scheduling of transport activities for temperature-sensitive products in order to highlight the hidden constraints and impacts resulting by the weather and environmental conditions experienced during the shipment. We also provide a support-decision abacus that classifies a shipment according to a set of existing constraints and drivers (e.g., based on the geographic area, the extant network infrastructures, the characteristics of the products), and identifies potential criticalities, risks as well as optimization opportunities. FINDINGS: We stated the lack of supporting models and quantitative methodologies that involve the weather conditions in the planning and scheduling of loading and distribution operations for perishable and temperature-sensitive products. VALUE: We study and introduce an original not yet handled problem in the planning of transport operations and design a conceptual framework to aid its modelisation. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: We provide a support-decision abacus that allows the analysis of the potential risks associated to a shipment and suggests how to prevent them.