Packing & Logistics
Bitumen Packing Comparison
Drums, polybags, tank containers or bulk vessel — a straight comparison of cost, volume, infrastructure and handling.
The right packing is decided by three things: how much you take at a time, what infrastructure exists at the receiving end, and how the product will be handled once it arrives. Get that match right and the delivered cost per tonne falls significantly.
Below is the comparison we work through with buyers before a first shipment is quoted.
Choose drums when
- There is no heated storage or pumping capability at destination
- Volumes are modest and intermittent
- Product must be redistributed to many small sites inland
- Material will be stored for an extended period before use
- Site handling equipment is limited to manual labour and flatbeds
Choose polybags when
- Product goes straight into a melter at an asphalt plant
- Steel waste disposal is a cost or a compliance problem
- Forklift handling is available on site
- You want more net product per container than drums allow
- Decanting labour is expensive or slow
Choose tank containers when
- Volumes are steady but below bulk cargo size
- There is no bitumen berth, but there is a container port
- Heating and pumping equipment exists or can be installed
- You want bulk economics without the infrastructure investment
- Door-to-door delivery to an inland plant is needed
Choose bulk vessel when
- Annual offtake justifies cargo-sized parcels
- Heated shore tankage and a suitable berth are in place
- Lowest possible cost per tonne is the priority
- Supply is continuous rather than project-driven
Typical specification
| Drums | 14–17 MT/container · no infrastructure · highest unit cost |
|---|---|
| Polybags | Up to 24 MT/container · forklift only · low waste |
| Tank containers | 20–26 MT/tank · heating & pump · mid unit cost |
| Bulk vessel | 1,000–30,000 MT · berth & tankage · lowest unit cost |
Values are indicative and given for guidance. Contract specification is agreed in writing and certified per batch on the certificate of analysis issued with each shipment.
