Most arrival problems that get blamed on fruit quality start on the pallet. A carton that is crushed, a stack that has leaned in transit, or a pallet that customs will not release because the heat treatment mark is missing, all cost the importer the same way. Pallet specification is one of the cheapest parts of a shipment to get right and one of the most expensive to get wrong, so it belongs in the purchase order rather than being left to the packhouse.

Pallet types and which one to specify

Two footprints dominate Egyptian produce exports. The Euro pallet at 800 by 1200 mm suits European receivers, fits standard European racking, and gives 25 pallet positions in a 40ft high cube reefer when loaded in the standard pattern. The industrial or ISO pallet at 1000 by 1200 mm gives 20 positions in the same box but carries more cartons per position, so total carton count is often similar and sometimes higher. Gulf and Asian receivers accept both, and many prefer the 1000 by 1200 format because it matches local handling equipment.

Decide on the footprint before the cartons are designed, not after. Carton base dimensions should divide cleanly into the pallet footprint. A 400 by 300 mm carton gives eight per layer on a Euro pallet with no overhang. A carton that leaves a 40 mm gap on each layer will let the stack shift, and by the time the doors open the top three layers will have moved.

ISPM 15 and heat treatment

Any solid wood packaging leaving Egypt, including pallets, dunnage and bracing timber, must be treated and marked under ISPM 15. The stamp carries the IPPC symbol, the country code EG, the registered treatment facility number and the treatment code, normally HT for heat treatment. Buyers should ask for the mark to be photographed at loading, because a missing or illegible stamp is a common reason for a container being held at destination while the goods sit in a reefer plug queue.

Plastic pallets and pressed wood pallets fall outside ISPM 15 entirely and are worth considering on routes where inspection is strict or where the receiver returns pallets. They cost more per unit and are usually only economic on a returnable or long term basis.

Stacking, strapping and stability

Column stacking, where each carton sits directly on the one below, carries far more vertical load than interlocked stacking and is the correct choice for ventilated produce cartons that rely on their corner posts for strength. Interlocking looks more stable but transfers load onto carton panels rather than corners and tends to crush the lower layers on long transits.

Stacks should be secured with corner boards on all four edges and either vertical strapping or a ventilated net wrap. Solid shrink wrap around the full pallet is a mistake on chilled produce because it blocks the airflow the reefer depends on. Where wrap is used, it should be perforated or applied only to the top and bottom layers to hold the load without sealing it.

Pallet heights and loading

Working pallet height for a 40ft high cube reefer is normally 2.15 to 2.25 metres including the pallet, which keeps the top of the load below the return air path. Loading above the red line on the container wall starves the back of the container of cold air and is the single most common cause of uneven arrival temperatures. Where the product allows, leave 100 to 150 mm of clearance under the ceiling and keep the T-floor free of any packaging debris so air can travel the full length of the box.

Which port the container leaves from also affects handling time and the number of times a pallet is moved. Our note on choosing between Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said and Sokhna covers those trade-offs, and the reefer set point guide covers the temperature and ventilation side.

What to put in the purchase order

A complete pallet clause names the footprint, the pallet standard and treatment, the carton dimensions and count per layer, the number of layers, the maximum gross weight per pallet, the securing method, and whether pallets are one way or returnable. It should also state who supplies and pays for the pallets under the agreed Incoterms 2020 term, which is a detail that gets missed on FOB business more often than it should.

For pallet configuration drawings, carton specifications or a quotation on a specific product and destination, contact the PEI Trade export team on WhatsApp at +20 10 9911 1918.