Specialty chemicals should travel sealed, upright and within the temperature range on their technical data sheet. They must also be kept apart from cargo they could react with.
Temperature does the most damage. A container can get very hot in an Indian port in summer and freeze in a northern winter. Plan the packaging, route and season with that in mind.
The main risks
- Freezing can break water-based emulsions, binders and some surfactant solutions, and the damage is often permanent.
- Heat can thicken or gel some products, speed up ageing and raise pressure inside closed drums.
- Moisture can enter damaged bags and cause powders to cake, or react with moisture-sensitive liquids.
- Leaks from poor closures or damaged drums can contaminate other cargo and create a dangerous goods incident.
- Shifting loads can puncture packs if pallets are not braced or lashed.
Protecting against temperature
Start with the supplier's storage range and ask which products are frost-sensitive. For frost-sensitive goods moving to cold regions in winter, buyers use insulated container liners, thermal blankets or heated or refrigerated containers. Each adds cost, so use them only where the product needs it.
For heat-sensitive products, avoid long waits in open yards. Ask your forwarder to book below-deck stowage where possible and to keep the container away from heat sources. Plan transhipments carefully, since a container left at a hot hub for days can lose more than the voyage itself.
A simple temperature logger in the container costs little and settles arguments later. It shows whether a failure came from transit or from the product itself.
Packing and stowage
Drums and IBCs should be on sound pallets, strapped and braced so they cannot shift. Do not double-stack IBCs unless they are rated for it. Bags should be stretch-wrapped on pallets, with a top cover and a container liner if the voyage is long or humid.
Check closures before loading. Bungs and caps should be tight and sealed. Drums should not be dented at the seams. The founding guide on why quality drops after the first container shows how small packing shortcuts grow over time.
Dangerous goods must be packed, labelled, segregated and declared under the IMDG Code. The shipper and the forwarder are responsible for this. See UN-approved packaging for hazardous chemicals and confirm the details with your forwarder.
At your warehouse
The storage range applies after arrival too. Unload promptly, store indoors where the product requires it and keep packs off the floor. Check frost-sensitive goods for separation or lumps before use. If you suspect damage, retest against the certificate of analysis before the product goes into production.
Use stock in order of manufacture. Shelf life is covered in shelf life of specialty chemicals.
Next step
We check packing, closures, pallets and labels at loading, and photograph every container before it is sealed. Book a free sourcing review.