Shipping Process Mold

Is your Shipping Process at Risk for Mold?

Your shipping process might not be safe from mold.

Every customer has unique environments within their shipping process that can cause mold growth. In this post, we'll give particular focus to a little something called container rain and the associated risks for mold when shipping pallets in containers.

Wooden pallet with mold

Detecting mold on wood pallets is not always obvious due to varying colors and textures of mold.

Unique Environments Invite Mold

First, the good news. Not all pallets damaged by mold are ruined. But, if your company's shipping protocols do not address the four issues listed below, then you're giving mold the opportunity to be a problem.

Four factors contribute to mold growth on wood pallets:

  1. Food source
  2. Oxygen
  3. Moisture
  4. Temperature

Pallet Mold Found in Sea Containers

When green pallets are closed up in a sea container for weeks, mold can grow rapidly. There is even a phenomenon called "container rain". Container rain occurs when water drips from the ceiling of the sea container.

The excess water is caused by moisture that gets trapped inside the container as temperatures in the container rise. Condensation forms and water drips down on the product and the pallet. To combat this problem, many companies use desiccants (substances known to sustain dryness) inside containers to limit excess moisture and mold growth.

While there will almost always be loss associated with mold, there's still hope. With proper treatment, saving moldy wood pallets is possible.

Wondering which area of your shipping process is most vulnerable to mold? Let's connect. We can help you understand the risks for your product and packaging.

Updated: 05/23/2025 | Published: 08/08/2013
by Rich Reiher on Pallet Mold