LOGISTICS
PAC Packaging and Shipping: Bags, IBCs and Container Loading
Packaging looks like the least technical part of a PAC order until the first container arrives caked, damp or short-loaded. Solid and liquid PAC ship differently, load differently and fail differently. Here is how we pack, load and document both forms, and what buyers should check on arrival.
Solid PAC: bags and jumbo bags
Standard export packaging for solid PAC is a 25 kg woven polypropylene bag with an inner polyethylene liner, printed with product name, net weight, batch number and standard. For plants with big silos or automated dosing, 500 or 1,000 kg jumbo bags with discharge spouts reduce handling labour.
The inner liner does the real work. PAC is hygroscopic and humid maritime air during a six-week voyage is enough to start caking in an unlined or damaged bag. Palletised, shrink-wrapped loading costs a little more and protects bags from fork damage and deck moisture; it is worth it for long routes.
Container loading, by the numbers
Load planning is weight-limited for solid and volume-limited for liquid. Typical figures for a 20-foot container:
| Packaging | Typical load per 20 ft container | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 25 kg bags, loose | 25 - 26 tonnes | Maximum weight governs |
| 25 kg bags, palletised | 20 - 22 tonnes | Pallet weight and voids reduce the figure |
| 500/1,000 kg jumbo bags | about 24 tonnes | Ask for spout position before ordering |
| Liquid, 1.25 m3 IBC totes | about 20 tonnes (16 totes) | Density near 1.2 keeps it weight-limited |
Liquid PAC: IBC totes and bulk
Liquid PAC at about 10% Al2O3 ships in 1.25 cubic metre IBC totes on a 20-foot container, roughly sixteen totes per box, or in road tankers for domestic and short-sea routes. Totes should be vented and protected from freezing - frozen liquid product hydrolyses and loses performance, and thawing does not reliably restore it.
For buyers with storage tanks, repeated IBC handling can be replaced by a tanker delivery into an FRP or PE-lined tank. Plan the receiving line before committing to bulk: PAC liquid is mildly acidic and attacks bare carbon steel over time.
Documents and arrival checks
A complete export set covers commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, COA for the shipped batch and MSDS. PAC solid is non-hazardous for transport purposes, which keeps freight costs and paperwork manageable. Ask for the COA to quote the actual batch numbers on the bags - a mismatch causes customs and quality-audit trouble.
On arrival, photograph a few bags from different pallets before unloading, check liner integrity, and open one bag for a look at the powder. A sample from an arrival bag against the shipped COA settles most disputes in an afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
Is PAC classified as dangerous goods for shipping?
Solid polyaluminium chloride is generally non-hazardous under transport regulations and ships without DG surcharges. Liquid product is mildly acidic; check the MSDS for the concentration you are buying, and store it away from alkaline materials.
How much solid PAC fits in one 20-foot container?
Loose 25 kg bags load around 25 - 26 tonnes; palletised loads come to 20 - 22 tonnes because pallets and stacking gaps cost space. For 40-foot boxes, weight limits usually still govern, so the gain is handling, not tonnage.
Can solid and liquid go in the same container?
Yes, on pallets, with liquid totes floor-loaded at the door end and bags stacked behind. Tell the factory at order stage - mixed loading needs the packing plan agreed in advance, not improvised at the warehouse.