Deep Freeze air freight from Brazil to Kenya

Frozen Goods by Air Freight: Maintaining Quality Over Long Distances

At first glance, frozen products might not seem like a logical choice for air freight—after all, sea freight in refrigerated containers is much cheaper. But for certain frozen products, air freight is the better option due to quality, freshness, or urgency reasons.

When Ship Frozen Goods by Air?

• High-End Seafood: deep-frozen lobster, scallops, tuna, and other premium seafood for the restaurant industry—where quality deteriorates too much during long sea transport
• Pharmaceutical Frozen Products: vaccines, biologicals, and certain blood products that require -20°C or lower and cannot be shipped by sea
• Seasonal Urgency: when a specific frozen product must be available urgently—for example, for a major buyer or a retail chain that has missed stock
• Small, High-Value Batches: where the value per kilogram justifies the higher air freight rates

Aircargo.nl is fully equipped for frozen transport: from dry ice calculation to veterinary notifications and NVWA customs clearance.

Exporting to Brazil

Brazil is the largest economy in South America and a strategic export destination for Dutch companies in the agriculture, energy, machinery, and pharmaceutical sectors. The flight time from Schiphol is approximately 11 hours to São Paulo (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro (GIG) — with direct cargo flights available.

Brazilian Customs — the world's most complex

Brazil is internationally known as one of the most challenging customs environments. The Brazilian tax structure (including ICMS, IPI, PIS, and COFINS) is extremely complex, and the Siscomex system requires detailed electronic declarations. An incorrect HS code or missing document can cause delays of several weeks.

Points of Attention

• Importer must have a Brazilian CNPJ number
• Licença de Importação (LI) — import license — required for many product categories
• ANVISA registration for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
• Expect an additional 2–5 business days for clearance
• Always use an experienced Brazilian customs broker

Importing from Kenya

Kenya’s export strengths lie in flowers (world-leading), fresh vegetables, coffee, and tea. The Dutch flower auction purchases large volumes of Kenyan roses and other cut flowers daily — air freight is the only option for these goods due to their limited shelf life.

Flowers & Fresh Produce from Kenya

Kenyan flowers fly multiple times daily from Nairobi to Schiphol. Aircargo.nl has years of experience with cold chain transport from Nairobi — from picking in Kenya to delivery at the auction or your warehouse in the Netherlands. Phytosanitary certificates are standardly checked and processed.

Other Kenyan Export Products

• Fresh vegetables (French beans, sugar snaps, avocados)
• Coffee and tea (certified, specialty grade)
• Handmade goods and jewelry

Brazil via Schiphol: Latin America Gateway

São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) is the largest airfreight hub in South America. Goods destined for Argentina, Colombia, Peru, or Chile are frequently routed via GRU. Aircargo.nl has agent connections in São Paulo that efficiently handle crosstrade shipments, including the notoriously complex Brazilian customs procedures.

Key Considerations for Frozen Air Freight

Uninterrupted Cold Chain

Frozen products must be kept at a minimum of -18°C for the entire duration of transport. This requires dry ice (carbon dioxide, UN1845 — classified as DGR), certified freezer containers (unit load devices), or a combination of both. Aircargo.nl arranges the correct cooling based on flight time and product.

Dry Ice — DGR Considerations

Dry ice is classified as dangerous goods (UN1845, class 9) and must be documented on the AWB and Shipper’s Declaration. The amount of dry ice per shipment is limited by airline regulations. Aircargo.nl always calculates the required amount of dry ice based on flight time plus buffer hours and properly records this in the documentation.

Health Certificates

Frozen products of animal origin (meat, fish, shellfish) require a veterinary health certificate when imported into the EU and are inspected at designated border inspection posts (BIP). Aircargo.nl pre-notifies the shipment to the NVWA for smooth customs clearance.