When shipping food grade products, you’ll have to provide some key info to your food grade bulk tanker carrier of choice. Here’s what they’ll need to know.
Before your product gets to its destination, there are certain things your food grade bulk tanker carrier needs to know. Here’s a list of questions to keep in mind before shipping your product:
What’s being shipped?
Your carrier will need to know a variety of details about your goods before they can be shipped. You’ll be asked to provide a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for your goods, along with the following information:
- Your product’s spoilage rate: Carriers need to know how long the goods can stay in the tank before they spoil. This will allow them to add in extra transportation time in case of an unexpected delay.
- Your product’s list of incompatible prior products: This is a list of what the tank can’t ship prior to shipping your goods to prevent contamination.
- Your product’s classification: Is your product food-grade (non-edible), food grade (edible) or food-grade (kosher). When shipping kosher products, there will be a number of additional requirements for the carrier, such as providing tanks,
equipment and tank washes that only carry kosher products.
What type of equipment do you need?
Your food grade bulk tanker carriers will ask how you need your goods loaded and unloaded from the tank so they can decide what type of tank would be best. If you’re shipping liquid bulk-food-grade loads, keep in mind that carriers won’t typically use extra equipment like hoses and pumps to avoid risk of contamination.
If extra equipment is needed, your carrier can most likely provide it at an added cost, though there’s a limited pool of food-grade providers with extra equipment, which could mean it’ll take longer to find a compatible carrier.
Do you have goods that need temperature control?
This is a crucial question that will help your food grade bulk tanker carrier decide which tank to use. For example, if your goods need to be kept hot, there are special tanks that have in-transit heating units or steam the tank along the way to help keep a high temperature.
What’s your project timeline?
Because there’s a fairly small amount of bulk freight carriers that can meet the requirements for transporting food-grade products, timeline is an important question. Carriers will need to know when you need to ship by so they can plan in advance. This is especially true for seasonal products. When moving Christmas goods, for example, it’s important to allow for a long lead time. Booking in advance is a great idea.
Turn to the experts
ShipNorthAmerica specializes in a variety of bulk shipping, including food-grade bulk goods. When dealing with food-grade products, it’s important to trust your carrier. With years of experience, ShipNorthAmerica guarantees every load gets the attention and care it needs. Contact us for a quote.