Container Offload
Container Offload & Devanning, Straight into Cold
Reefer containers unloaded under temperature control, handled fast, and logged at every step - so frozen cargo moves from the container into cold storage without a gap in the chain.
- sq ft of cold storage
- 300,000
- pallet storage capacity
- 10,000
- lorries, nationwide
- 30+
- people on the team
- 80
Container offload - also called devanning - is the process of unloading a shipping container and moving the goods into storage or onward distribution. Arctic devans reefer containers directly into temperature-controlled cold storage, so frozen and chilled cargo is not left exposed on a hot loading yard.
Every container is handled quickly, counted, and logged - and the goods go straight into 300,000 sq ft of cold storage, ready for onward delivery on Arctic's own fleet.
What is container devanning?
Devanning is the unloading of a shipping container - inspecting, counting, and moving the goods inside into storage or distribution. For temperature-sensitive cargo, the danger is the gap: the minutes or hours between the container doors opening and the goods reaching cold storage. Handled badly, that gap breaks the cold chain before the goods are even on a shelf.
Who container offload is for
- Importers and exporters bringing frozen or chilled cargo through Malaysian ports
- Businesses whose reefer containers arrive faster than their own warehouse can handle
- Anyone who needs cargo offloaded into cold storage, not just dropped at a dock
The danger is the gap between the container and the cold room
Reefer containers do not always arrive when planned - sometimes they land early, and someone has to be ready. Every minute the doors are open on a warm yard, frozen cargo warms with them.
And if no one is counting and logging what comes off, accountability disappears the moment the goods leave the container. Offloading into cold, with a record, is what protects both the cargo and the paperwork behind it.
What Arctic handles
- Reefer container devanning
- Offload under temperature control, directly into Arctic cold storage
- Goods counted, logged, and accounted for at each step
- Immediate put-away into frozen or chilled space
- Onward movement on Arctic's own fleet of 30+ lorries when you need distribution
Tell us your customs and clearance needs and we will confirm what we can handle for your shipment.
Devan into cold vs. unload, then move later
| Unload, then move later | Arctic devan into cold | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature exposure | Cargo sits while transport is arranged | Goes straight into cold storage |
| Early or late container arrival | Your problem to absorb | We schedule the slot and offload on arrival |
| Record of what came off | Often informal | Counted and logged at devanning |
| Onward delivery | A separate arrangement | Cold storage + 30+ lorries on one plan |
How container offload works
- 01
Send container details
What is inside, the temperature it needs, and the ETA.
- 02
We schedule the slot
So a team and cold space are ready the moment the container lands.
- 03
Devan under control
Unload, count, and log - temperature-sensitive cargo moved straight into cold.
- 04
Put away and store
Goods into frozen or chilled storage, accounted for.
- 05
Distribute when ready
Onward delivery on Arctic's fleet across Malaysia.
What affects the cost
Container offload is quoted against the shape of the job: the volume inside, the temperature it needs, and how much storage and onward distribution you want included.
Because devanning, cold storage, and delivery can run on one plan with Arctic, you are quoting one connected service rather than stitching three vendors together.
Container offload questions, answered
What is container devanning?
Devanning is unloading a shipping container - counting and inspecting the goods inside and moving them into storage or distribution. For frozen and chilled cargo, the key is doing it under temperature control so the goods are not exposed between the container and the cold room.
Do you handle reefer (refrigerated) containers?
Yes - reefer devanning is exactly what this service is built for. Temperature-sensitive cargo is moved straight into frozen or chilled storage rather than left to warm on the yard.
What if my container arrives earlier than expected?
Early arrival is exactly the case this service protects against. We schedule the offload slot in advance so a team and cold space are ready, and the container can be devanned on arrival instead of sitting and warming.
Do you store the goods after offloading?
Yes. Goods go directly into Arctic's cold storage - 300,000 sq ft, with capacity for 10,000 pallets - and can then move onward on our own fleet of 30+ lorries across Malaysia.
Do you handle customs or bonded cargo?
Tell us your customs and clearance needs when you request a quote and we will confirm exactly what we can handle for your shipment, rather than promise a blanket answer that may not fit your cargo.