What You Need to Know to Ship Bulk Liquids Overseas

Bulk Liquid shipping can be complex. Therefore, if your business deals with products such as beverages or other liquids, you must understand the state and federal laws and carrier policies surrounding bulk liquid shipping.

While it’s possible to ship some liquids domestically, others require international shipping. Keep in mind that various factors need consideration during bulk liquid shipping. This guide helps shed light on what you need to know about bulk liquid shipping and shipping options such as flexibags for sale.

The Nature of the Liquid Product being Shipped

Various laws and regulations surround various liquids when it comes to bulk shipping. For instance, when it comes to perishable goods such as juices and beverages, shipping is possible through most carriers as long as proper packaging such as flexitanks for sale is in place.

However, stringent regulations exist regarding liquid products that are considered hazardous. Most of us think of toxic chemicals and explosives when it comes to hazardous items. However, the shipping group comprises everyday items.

To qualify as dangerous shipping materials, items simply need to be potentially hazardous to those who store or ship them in case they spill, break, drop, or contact another substance. They can include items such as perfume and paint.

Examine the Carrier’s Policies

Some carriers ship certain liquids, while others don’t. Based on the nature of the liquid, we might impose extra charges or require supplemental labeling or shipping instructions. Whether you’re shipping internationally or locally can impact our shipping and the shipping technique.

Since numerous restrictions exist and differences might arise when it comes to the location and carrier, we recommend you contact us to determine how to ship your liquid products through our service to ensure your shipment arrives safely and securely at the intended destination in our reliable flexitanks for sale.

Transporting Bulk Liquids

The following procedures ensure the safe transportation of liquid products:

Unloading and Loading

Before loading, the carrier must clean the tanker to remove odor or residue. The only time tank washing might not be necessary is if the tanker transporting the same type of chemical has undergone recent unloading.

We further recommend a thorough inspection to ensure leaks aren’t there. If any concern arises, we recommend you fill the entire tank with water to watch for leaks. Beware that leaking tanks aren’t just costly and inconvenient; they’re illegal.

Two main techniques exist for unloading and loading liquid products from a bulk tanker: pumps and compressors. While pumps suck the liquid out of the tank, air compressors depend on pressure to force out the liquid.

It’s worth noting that you can’t use air compressors for flammable liquids because static electricity could accumulate, causing a spark. Once a bulk shipment arrives at the intended destination, we expect the receiver to verify whether we’ve delivered the right product in good condition.

Labeling

Regulations stipulate that any trailer transporting dangerous materials should have a label. This helps identify the type of product transported and recognize the precautions needed.

Bulk Shipping Options

Flexitanks

Flexibags for sale are huge plastic bags that can accommodate huge quantities of liquid. Typically, we load liquids into the bag before moving it into a 20ft. shipping container.

Flexitanks for sale are special equipment manufactured from plastic. Essentially, the multilayer bags can accommodate up to 25,000 liters. Keep in mind that overloading could rupture a container’s side walls. However, it can’t be insured if you underload because it’s susceptible to leakages. Nonetheless, you can optimize your flexibag cargo load easily with weighing jacks.

It’s worth noting that these bags are suitable for non-hazardous products. Therefore, flexibags for sale are ideal for moisture and oxygen-sensitive products.

Benefits of flexitanks include:

• Flexibags for sale allow fast discharging/loading
• No cargo contamination
• Low storage expenses
• Maximized payload because of low equipment weight

Drums

Various kinds of barrels and drums exist, for instance, plastic, steel, and fiber. However, they’re all similar because they need coating or a liner for hygiene safety and strapping. Since their volumes range from 20-250 liters, they’re ideal for shipping cargoes with lower capacities.

Using them for shipping hazardous materials is possible because they can be UN Certified. However, they can be complex regarding safety, maneuverability, and storage.

Benefits:

• Easy transportation
• Their uniformity in size makes them easily stackable
• They can undergo certification for transporting dangerous products

Factors to Consider for Safe Bulk Liquid Shipping

The safe transportation of bulk liquids relies on temperature requirements, weight and volume requirements, and the compressor or pump needs. Once you consider the three, you stand a high chance of shipping your products successfully.

Weight and Volume Requirements

The volume of your product helps a carrier identify the size of the tank trailer. Ensure you and the carrier are clear on the volume prerequisites to prevent miscommunication.

Compressors and Pumps

Air compressors and pumps are two major techniques for unloading and loading bulk liquids from and into tank trailers. Sometimes, you might use both techniques to force out the liquid. This is common when handling very viscous liquids.

Temperature Requirements

We must identify and consider the temperature requirement of the liquid products we transport. After all, we understand that the transportation of temperature-sensitive materials under the wrong conditions could result in revenue losses on the part of the carrier and shipper. Identifying the temperature prerequisites of bulk liquids is mostly significant for shipping products such as oils.  

If you’re looking to ship bulk liquids internationally, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the pertinent policies. This guide is a great start if you’re new to bulk liquid shipping.