Bitumen packages
Bitumen packages are as important as the bitumen quality. Unfortunately, some bitumen exporter companies pay less attention to the type of a suitable package for different bitumen types. In the following, we discuss different types of bitumen packages and their specifications.
New steel drum
The first type of bitumen packages that we intend to discuss, is New Steel Drum.
However, the steel can be either new or used, it depends on the customer’s order and demand.
As a matter of fact, the new steel drum is more popular than the other bitumen packages types.
New steel drums are available in 100 kg, 150 kg, 185 kg, and 220 kg. Now, let’s talk a little bit about the sizes, volume, and details of the drums loading.
Drum & container quantity
Important to know that a 40-foot container can load about 64 to 88 drums.
However, the density of the product, the destination port, and the container specifications are all determinative.
Moreover, each drum is almost 208 liters.
Besides, a 20 ft. container has a capacity of about 28 metric tons. In other words, a 20 ft.
container has a maximum load of 28 metric tons, while the 40 ft. open top container can hold up to 30 metric tons.
Important to realize, that overweight for a 20 container means the maximum cargo weight that can be safely and legally loaded.
Polybag
Another bitumen package that is also popular among the bitumen importers, is poly bag.
The workers fill polybags with bitumen.
Before this process, they cool down the bitumen to a temperature slightly higher than the softening point and lower than the melting point of the plastic liner material of the bag. Then, they let the bitumen to become solid for easy handling. The polybags are polymeric and 3 ply.
These bags are harmless to the environment, besides being easy to handle and unload.
As another positive point of these types, large quantities of bitumen are the best choice for these packages.
Since, that large quantity of bitumen with these polybags reduce costs notably. Interestingly, the bags also save about 8% of energy consumption in comparison to drums or Bitutainers.
Bulk vessel
Another way through which the bitumen exporters or the refineries export bitumen, is bulk vessels.
Bulk Vessels for bitumen vary in size and capacity.
Therefore, according to the customer’s order, quantity, requested bitumen type, and the destination, the package type is selected.