Most Common Bulk Liquid Shipping Mistakes

If you are just getting started in liquid bulk shipping, then there’s a lot you need to know and understand before you can send out your first shipment. Here are some of the most common mistakes that new liquid bulk transportation companies make, and how you can avoid them.

Not Staying In Touch Throughout The Whole Supply Chain

Firstly, it is very easy for bulk liquid shipping companies to forget that they are just one link in the full supply chain. When you get involved in exporting or importing bulk liquids, you need to be in touch with the full supply chain throughout the entire process. Remember, if there is ever an issue or a delay with a shipment, it is going to have knock on effects throughout the whole chain. 

As such, you need to ensure that you are staying in touch the whole time your shipment is on the road. That way, if you do need to update others on what’s happening, they will be in the loop and ready to respond accordingly. That is something that’s a lot of other companies will be grateful for.

Not Having The Right Documentation

Working in bulk liquid solutions, is not just about sending those liquids where they need to go. When you are shipping goods out, you have to be certain that they have the right documentation with them. This is an issue that is more likely to come up if you are shipping goods abroad, as sending goods overseas will mean they have to go through customs.

As such, if your shipment hasn’t got the right documentation, it can get stopped at the border and create delays and more issues down the line. To avoid this, you want to be certain that all the right documentation is with that bulk liquid transportation at every step of the way. Keeping an eye on shipping regulations with the country you are shipping to is always a good idea, as things can change.

Using The Wrong Transportation Tank

One of the most important things you should do when sending out any shipment, is make sure you are using the right tank for the job. There are several different tanks that you can choose from, and they all have their benefits. However, some are better than others for some jobs, so you need to be sure you are using the right tank.

For example, in some cases the liquid you are shipping will actually corrode the bulk liquid transportation option that you are using. That will lead to issues later on when it reaches its destination, and could even lead to that tank full of liquid being discarded. You don’t want to lose profits on something like this, so you need to be sure you are using the correct tank.

As another example, if you are shipping any kind of food grade liquid, such as wines, beers, oils, and so on, you want to make sure you’re using the right tank. Many shipping companies are now making the move towards flexitanks, as they are becoming a great option for these kinds of liquids. That’s because as bulk liquid transportation, they are the only option that are approved by the FDA.

With this in mind, do your research before picking the right tank for your shipment.

Not Loading Tanks Correctly

Again, this doesn’t feel like it would be an issue most of the time, but you would be amazed how much time, effort, and money is wasted by tanks not being loaded correctly. If a tank isn’t properly prepared and loaded, it can easily cause damage to the tank or to the liquid itself. Again, this can cost liquid bulk transportation companies a lot of money that they shouldn’t have to lose. 

The answer to this is quite simple, as you will need to ensure staff are trained correctly and how to load up the tanks that you use. This is going to tie into the above point, as you will need to pick tanks that you can train your staff on and that they can use easily. 

Using flexitanks as an example again, these are loaded differently to other tank types so your staff will need to be trained. Rather than being filled and then placed into shipping containers, they are placed into a shipping container that is empty, and then filled by a pump through a nozzle in the top. When done correctly, this saves your company a lot of time and will ensure your bulk liquid solutions will be sent to their destinations safely.

Not Having A Good Tracking System

Finally, if you are shipping out bulk liquids you need to be able to track that shipment through every step of the journey. However, accidents happen, routes get changed thanks to traffic or accidents, and that can have an effect on the liquid being shipped. When time is of the essence, you don’t want to delay that shipment without good reason. 

That’s why it’s so important, no matter what bulk liquid solutions you use, to have a good tracking system in place. With good GPS, you can know exactly where your drivers are and to help with directions should you ever need to.

Overall, if you can avoid these mistakes when starting your bulk liquid company, you can start to see success much earlier. Luckily, it is very easy to avoid a lot of these issues.