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Aren't some containers refrigerated for meats and other perishables? I would think if that were the case any increase in journey time might be offset by the increased fuel required to cool anything that needed to be climate controlled. As it stands the electricity to cool a container ship is mostly free due to the giant motor you're already running to turn the prop.

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Reefer is not free, all loads on the motor burn fuel.

I think the parent to your reply understood that. Restated:

If there is a slower transport method that emits less carbon, wouldn't that carbon emission reduction be overtaken by the increased load required to run temperature controlled containers?

Thanks for rephrasing. I wasn't fully awake when I commented.

We could vastly decrease the refrigeration required before spoilage if we embraced food irradiation.

But we choose not to.

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