Reefer Container Pre-Trip Inspection (PTI): What Miami Shippers Need to Know in 2026

A reefer pre-trip inspection (PTI) is a functional test of a refrigerated container’s machinery — compressor, controller, sensors, and airflow — performed before the unit is released for an export booking. Ocean carriers require a passed PTI before you stuff temperature-controlled cargo, and it is your best protection against a reefer failing mid-voyage. Here is how PTIs work for Miami exporters in 2026.

What a PTI actually checks

Depending on the carrier and the unit’s history, a PTI ranges from a short automated self-test to a full manual inspection. A complete PTI typically verifies: controller software and setpoint accuracy, refrigeration cycle performance (pull-down to setpoint), defrost operation, fresh-air exchange settings, door gaskets and seals, and sensor calibration for supply and return air probes. Units that pass get a PTI sticker or an electronic record tied to the container number.

Who performs it and who pays

PTIs are performed at carrier depots or by authorized reefer technicians. For carrier-owned equipment, the ocean carrier normally arranges the PTI as part of the booking, and the cost is built into the rate or billed as a line item. For shipper-owned containers, the exporter arranges and pays. Ask your forwarder to confirm the PTI status before you dispatch a trucker — picking up an untested reefer wastes a drayage round trip and can trigger drayage accessorial charges.

PTI and the drayage timeline at PortMiami

Build the PTI into your booking timeline: if the depot has to repair or re-test a unit, release can slip a day. A typical export flow is: booking confirmed → PTI passed at depot → empty pickup by a refrigerated trucking or drayage carrier → live load at the warehouse with the genset running → ingate before the reefer cut-off, which is usually earlier than the dry cut-off. Our guides on reefer drayage in Miami and genset drayage cover the trucking leg in detail.

Setpoints, ventilation, and loading discipline

A passed PTI does not protect cargo that is loaded wrong. Precool the cargo, not the container (most carriers instruct shippers not to precool the box for live loads), respect the red load line, keep cartons off the door threshold, and set ventilation per commodity. Use our reefer temperature settings by commodity chart to confirm setpoints before the truck arrives.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a reefer PTI take?

An automated short PTI can run in under an hour; a full manual PTI with pull-down testing can take several hours. Allow at least a day in the booking timeline in case the first unit fails and must be swapped.

Is a PTI required for every reefer export?

Most ocean carriers require a PTI or a recent-pass record before releasing a reefer for an export booking. Requirements vary by carrier and by how recently the unit last passed.

What happens if a reefer fails after loading?

If the unit alarms or fails after stuffing, the carrier will usually order a hot swap into a healthy container. Acting fast matters — document temperatures, notify the carrier immediately, and involve your cargo insurer if product is at risk.

Booking a reefer out of PortMiami? Go Freight runs genset-equipped reefer drayage and cold-chain cross-docking from 3300 NW 110 St. Get a quote or call (786) 445-0150.