What You Need To Know About Shipping Bulk Liquids
Are you looking for bulk liquid solutions? Then even after a cursory search online, it's easy to get overwhelmed with all the options out there. How do you know you're choosing the right method for shipping your bulk liquids? This guide has everything you need to know, so read on to get all the info you need.
Shipping Methods Available To You
Firstly, what kind of bulk liquid transportation tanks can you use? There are several different varieties out there, so let's look at what you can choose from.
Drums or barrels: This is the standard used for those shipping smaller amounts of liquids. Drums usually come in 55 gallon sizes, so you'll need to use multiple containers if you want to move more liquids than that. They are usually stacked onto pallets and wrapped, before being lifted into the shipping container.
IBCs: IBCs, or Intermediate Bulk Containers, are the in between option between drums and tanks. These are cube shaped, making them easier to stack up in shipping containers and use up more of the available space. Each container can hold up to around 1000 liters, depending on the model you choose.
ISO Tanks: These are usually
chosen for larger jobs, and you'll have seen plenty of them on the roads.
They're a popular choice for transporting fuel, for instance. They'll hold up
to 26,000 liters at once so you can move a lot of liquid all on one vehicle.
Preventing Cross Contamination
When choosing the right shipping method, you'll need to consider the contamination risk and the liquid you're shipping. Most shipping methods are reusable, and so they need to be cleaned out when they're used and sent back to the depot, ready to be used again. Most of the time, this isn't a problem at all. They're cleaned thoroughly, and you won't have to worry about it.
In a small minority of cases though, there's the risk of cross contamination. If this were to happen, you'll lose the contents of the container that you were using. Obviously you want to avoid this no matter what you'll be shipping in it. There are ways of avoiding this, such as the liners that are usually used in drums and barrels. Flexitanks help you avoid this issue too, as they are one use only.
Strength Of Shipping Containers
Another thing to consider is the strength of your bulk liquid transportation tank. Whatever you're transporting, it needs to be protected from leaks and wastage. You don't want to lose the product you're moving, as of course that will lead to a loss of revenue. Then there's the issue of causing harm to wildlife in transport. If you're transporting a liquid that could be dangerous, such as fuel, then you need to be sure that your tank is unlikely to leak en route.
Extra Precautions For Food Grade Liquids
Are
you looking to move a food grade liquid? This could be anything from cooking
oil to beers and wines. Whatever you're transporting, you need to ensure your
tanks are capable of transporting them safely. That means a reduced chance of
leakage and no chance of contamination.
Many companies are choosing to use Flexitanks, as they are actually approved by the FDA for food grade liquid use. With that recommendation behind them, you know that whatever you're shipping, it will be protected in a Flexitank. Keep that in mind when you're choosing your tanks.
Loading And Unloading Containers
Something else to consider is how a tank will be loaded and unloaded onto trucks, ready for shipping. The way they're loaded will affect your shipping times, so you need to keep this in mind. As mentioned earlier, drums will be filled up, wrapped on pallets to keep them in place, and then lifted into place using a forklift. A Flexitank, on the other hand, will be placed into the shipping container and then filled up using a pump through the nozzle in the top.
When choosing a tank, consider both how easy it is to fill it up, and how many people will it need? The quicker you can fill it, and the less people you can use, the better. Longer methods that take more people will cost more money, so it's important you choose the tank that works best for you.
Environmental Concerns
Let's look back at those drums again, and how they're packaged. To keep them on the pallets, they're often wrapped in plastic wrap. This will be a concern to many business owners, as they will be aiming to use less packaging and create less waste in their work. That plastic will be thrown away and sit in landfill, so you need to consider whether that's what you want to do.
Flexitanks are good for this, as they are recyclable once they have been used. It's a good way to create less waste when shipping liquids.
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