The EU’s updated F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573 significantly strengthens the phase-down of HFC refrigerants, targeting a total phase-out by 2050 and tightening quotas from 2025 onward. For operators and shippers, that introduces long-term uncertainty around refrigerant availability, service costs, and retrofit timelines for older reefer units still dependent on HFCs like R134a.
Yes, next-gen reefer tech exists. For example, CO₂ (R744) systems are commercial in container refrigeration and avoid HFC taxes entirely — but fleet turnover takes time, and not every trade or cargo justifies active cooling.
What to do now
- Segment cargo by true thermal need. If your spec is “keep it under 30°C” (not +2°C), a passive liner may be enough — with fewer compliance touchpoints and lower total cost.
- Bake in ETS + FuelEU + F-gas to your TCO models. Active cooling imposes ongoing energy and refrigerant risks; passive solutions don’t.
- Pilot on one lane, one season. Validate quality KPIs (temp loggers, claims rate, sensory/assay results) before scaling.
Bubblepack can help run an A/B pilot (reefer vs. insulated dry) with temperature logging and a simple ESG/TCO read-out.
