Packing Options and Container Loading
Caustic soda flakes are hygroscopic and corrosive, so packing is not a detail — it is what protects the specification you paid for. We ship in two standard packing formats and confirm the loading plan before the container is stuffed.
Packing options
25 kg PP/PE bags
The standard export format. Woven polypropylene bags with an inner PE liner, sealed to keep moisture out. Available in loose loading or stacked on pallets.
Best for distributors who resell in bag units and for markets with manual handling at the destination warehouse.
1 MT jumbo bags
One-tonne bulk bags with lifting loops, for industrial users who feed the material straight into a process. Fewer units to handle and faster unloading.
Best for end users with forklift capacity and silo or hopper feeding.
Container loading
| Packing | Container | Typical net weight |
|---|---|---|
| 25 kg PP/PE bags, loose loaded | 20' FCL | 25 MT (1,000 bags) |
| 25 kg PP/PE bags on pallets | 20' FCL | 22 MT |
| 1 MT jumbo bags | 20' FCL | 20 MT (20 bags) |
| 25 kg PP/PE bags | 40' FCL | 27 MT (weight-limited) |
Bag marking and private label
Bags can be marked with your product name, grade, net weight and handling symbols. Buyer-branded packaging is discussed for confirmed orders — tell us the artwork requirement and we will confirm what the plant can print.
What you receive before departure
- Confirmed loading plan showing container type, bag count and net weight.
- Loading photographs and the container and seal numbers, so you can track the shipment.
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading as the shipment is released.
Dangerous goods handling
Caustic soda flakes are classified UN 1823, Class 8 (corrosive), packing group II, so sea freight is booked and handled as dangerous goods rather than general cargo:
- Vessel space is reserved in advance — dangerous goods bookings are normally placed 10 to 14 days before the scheduled sailing.
- The container is stuffed at a licensed dangerous goods facility, or directly at the plant, with the loading recorded.
- The container carries Class 8 markings, and the shipping documents state product name, HS code and UN number consistently.
- Caustic soda is never stowed with acids — segregation rules apply to both full-container and groupage shipments.
If your customs broker needs a particular wording or declaration format, tell us at the enquiry stage so it can be prepared together with the shipping documents.
Shipping terms and ports
Standard basis is FOB Tianjin (Xingang), the export port for the Inner Mongolia chlor-alkali cluster. We also quote CFR and CIF to your destination port on request. See quality and export documents for the full document set, or send us your destination port for a freight indication.
Packing questions
Can I mix bag types in one container?
It can be arranged, but mixing reduces the total net weight that fits and complicates unloading. Tell us your preferred split and we will confirm the loading plan.
Do you offer palletised loading?
Yes, on request. Palletising adds volume, so a 20-foot container typically takes 20 to 22 MT instead of 25 MT.
Why is the 40-foot load lower than two 20-foot loads?
Because the limit is weight, not volume. Road regulations in most destination markets cap a 40-foot container at around 27 MT of cargo, so extra space cannot be filled with product.
Request a quotation
Send us your required grade, quantity and destination port. We reply with an indicative price, packing options and a specification sheet — normally within one working day.