How to Pack and Ship Seafood and Shellfish Using Styrofoam Coolers (2025 Update)

Safely Shipping Frozen or Cold Crab, Shrimp, Fish, Lobster Across the United States!

Shipping seafood — especially fresh or frozen shellfish — demands strict cold chain control and quality packaging. Whether you’re mailing crab claws, shrimp, oysters, or lobster, your success depends on temperature control, moisture containment, and regulatory compliance.

At LoBoy, we’ve helped thousands of customers safely ship seafood across the country using industry-trusted styrofoam coolers, gel ice packs, and insulated shipping kits. Here’s how to do it right:

🧊 Step 1: Pre-Chill Everything

Start by pre-chilling the LoBoy cooler, gel packs, and seafood before packing. Packing warm seafood with warm refrigerants in a room-temperature box is one of the most common mistakes — and it leads to rapid spoilage.

• Refrigerate gel packs and seafood for several hours

• Place cooler in a cold environment before loading

• Avoid exposing the open cooler to warm air while packing

🐟 Step 2: Vacuum-Seal or Wrap Securely

Whenever possible, vacuum-seal seafood portions to preserve freshness and minimize odor, leaks, or exposure to air. If vacuum sealing isn’t available:

• Wrap seafood tightly in plastic film

• Use additional layers of butcher paper or wax paper

• Double-bag to guard against leaks

🧼 Step 3: Add Absorbent Material and Waterproof Liner

Even well-sealed seafood can leak condensation or meltwater. Use:

• Absorbent pads, newspaper, or paper towels

• A waterproof poly liner to contain internal moisture

• Secondary bagging to protect your outer box

❄️ Step 4: Choose the Right Coolant

• Use Gel Ice Packs for chilled seafood (34–50°F)

• Use Dry Ice only for fully frozen seafood (< 0°F)

⚠️ Never use dry ice with live seafood or shellfish. It’s too cold and can suffocate or freeze the product.

Pro Tips:

• Use 1 lb of gel ice per cubic foot per 24 hours

• Always vent packages with dry ice (sublimation = pressure)

• Follow dry ice labeling rules: “UN1845,” Class 9 hazardous label, and net weight

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📦 Step 5: Outer Packaging and Sealing

Place your packed foam cooler into a sturdy corrugated box with at least 1″ clearance on all sides. Use foam peanuts or crumpled paper to fill gaps.

Seal using the H-taping method:

• Tape all seams (top/bottom and edges)

• Add “PERISHABLE” and “KEEP REFRIGERATED” labels

• If using dry ice, add required hazmat labels

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🚚 Step 6: Choose the Right Shipping Window

• Ship Monday through Wednesday to avoid weekend delays

• Use Overnight or 2-Day Express for fresh seafood

• Notify the recipient in advance

• Include tracking and delivery instructions

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Bonus Tips from the Cold Chain Experts

• ✅ Pre-chill refrigerants and coolers before use

• ✅ Vacuum-seal seafood when possible

• ✅ Add a temperature monitoring strip or logger for high-value shipments

• ✅ Comply with all USPS, UPS, FedEx regulations

• ✅ Consider local EPS recycling rules and alternatives

Ship with Confidence — Trust LoBoy Coolers

Whether you’re a seafood supplier or a home chef sharing a taste of the coast, LoBoy makes cold-chain shipping easy, safe, and reliable.

📦 Browse our top-rated
👉 Styrofoam Shipping Coolers
👉 LoBoy Gel Ice Packs

📞 Need a bulk quote or help choosing the right setup?
👉 Contact our team here — we’re happy to help you ship seafood right.