Powder and Bulk Cargo Shipping from China

Powder cargo handling at a port: FIBCs stacked neatly on pallets, with the four corner lifting loops gathered and closed and dark green webbing for easy identification. FIBCs are the most widely used packaging for powders and granular cargo in international sea freight, with individual bag capacities from 500 kg to 2,000 kg.

Powder exports from China fall into categories, and packaging decides everything

Classifying powder cargo means looking at three things at once: the declaration basis corresponding to the commodity code, whether it is carried as dangerous goods, and whether the rules for food or feed apply. The same substance can change transport classification when particle size, purity or moisture content changes. Sulphur in lump form, for example, can be shipped as general cargo, while sulphur powder cannot.

What to pack it in: FIBCs, paper bags, IBCs and bulk

Flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs)

An FIBC is a flexible bulk container with a capacity of 500 kg to 2,000 kg, a standard base of 90 to 120 cm square, a filled height of 100 to 180 cm and a volume of roughly 1.0 to 1.5 cubic metres, with lifting loops at the top corners. There are four basic structural types: uncoated without liner (code 13H1), for dry, non-hygroscopic ordinary powders; coated without liner (13H2), where the coating provides a moisture barrier; uncoated with liner (13H3), where the liner stops fine powder escaping; and coated with liner (13H4), the best barrier, suited to moisture-sensitive or very fine powders. Derived types such as 13H5, 13L1 and 13M1, 13M2 cover different materials and constructions.

An FIBC used for dangerous goods has to be UN certified and carries a UN mark on the bag body. The mark contains eight elements: the United Nations packaging symbol, the packaging code, the packing group letter, the month and year of manufacture, the authorising country code, the manufacturer's identification, the stacking test load with 0 entered where the bag is not intended for stacking, and the maximum permissible gross mass. Letters and digits in the mark have to be at least 12 mm high and the stacking symbol is a square of at least 100 mm. The height requirement is not decorative: ports and carriers use it to judge whether the mark complies. The design safety factor for a UN certified FIBC is 6 to 1, against 5 to 1 for a non-UN single-trip FIBC.

Paper bags, woven bags and lined bags

Multi-wall kraft paper bags hold 20 to 50 kg each and are the standard choice for food, feed and resin powders, with good barrier properties, printability and easy manual handling, but they are damaged by moisture and punctures, the number of stacking layers is limited, and liner boards and separators are needed to protect them in the container. Plastic woven bags hold 25 to 50 kg each at the lowest cost, but the woven structure leaves gaps along the warp and weft, fine powder seeps through and contaminates other cargo in the container, so they suit coarser granular cargo rather than very fine powder. Plastic-lined woven bags add a plastic film layer inside the weave, and aluminium foil laminated bags add a foil layer on top; both are used for moisture-sensitive and some dangerous powders, at clearly higher cost and filling difficulty.

Composite IBCs and drums

Composite intermediate bulk containers hold 500 to 1,500 litres and consist of a rigid outer drum with an inner receptacle, classified under the UN system in the corresponding codes of the 11H, 13H and 21H series, and suited to dangerous powders and products that are transferred several times. Steel drums and fibreboard drums hold 25 to 200 kg per unit and offer the best sealing, used for toxic powders, corrosive powders and very fine powders that must be isolated from water vapour. Drummed cargo is heavy per unit and uses container space poorly, so it is normally reserved for products that FIBCs and IBCs cannot take.

Bulk and pneumatic conveying

Where the lot runs to several thousand tonnes and both the loading and discharging ports have dedicated tankers, dedicated holds and receiving equipment, bulk is more economical than packaged cargo. Bulk powder is conveyed into the hold through closed pipes, never touching the ground, which reduces dust and cargo damage, and established direct bulk routes already exist for ammonium sulphate, urea and soda ash. The limits are equally clear: both ports need dedicated facilities, the cargo has to be a non-dangerous powder or a Group B cargo under the solid bulk rules, and there are firm requirements on moisture content.

Documents the supplier has to prepare before export

Trade and customs documents

Invoice, packing list, contract and customs declaration form are the foundation. The packing list has to state the number of packages, the net and gross weight of each, and the type of packaging, and for dangerous goods also the UN number, the proper shipping name, the class and the packing group. Declaration elements on the customs form follow the commodity code, and for powders the composition, particle size, use and packaging specification are common elements.

Hazardous properties classification report and safety data sheet

Under GACC Announcement No. 129 of 2020, an export declaration for hazardous chemicals has to be supported by five items: a declaration of conformity from the manufacturer, a packaging performance test result, a hazardous properties classification and identification report, a sample hazard communication label and a sample safety data sheet, plus a statement for products containing added inhibitors or stabilisers. The classification report is issued by a qualified body and states the UN number, class, packing group and transport conditions; the safety data sheet has to be provided in Chinese, with a further version in the destination country's language for the export end.

Packaging evidence

Packaging evidence comes in two documents that cannot substitute for each other. The packaging performance test result is obtained by the packaging manufacturer and evidences that the design has passed drop, stacking and leakproofness tests; the packaging use appraisal is applied for by the exporting enterprise and evidences that this consignment in this packaging is a suitable match. Both reference numbers and the packaging code are stated on the documents, and what the carrier checks is the use appraisal. The UN mark, safety factor and month of manufacture on the FIBC are also checked.

Additional documents for food and feed

Food exports are handled under the Measures for the Safety Administration of Imported and Exported Food, GACC Order No. 249: the production enterprise files with the customs office where it is domiciled, customs at the place of origin carries out inspection and quarantine, and the transport packaging is marked with the enterprise filing number, the product name, the production batch number and the production date. Feed and feed additives carry separate registration and inspection requirements, and products containing ingredients of animal origin also have to meet the importing country's veterinary hygiene conditions. Packaging for this cargo normally requires a food grade liner, and it is kept apart from other chemicals when the container is stuffed.

Cargo information for bulk shipment

Before bulk powder is delivered for carriage by sea, the shipper has to submit a declaration of the safe suitability for carriage of solid bulk cargo to the carrier and report to the maritime authority. Cargo liable to liquefy requires a certificate of the transportable moisture limit and the moisture content from a testing body; cargo not listed in the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code requires transport condition assessment material. Sampling and testing for the transportable moisture limit should be completed within 6 months before the planned loading, and sampling and testing for moisture content within 7 days before loading.

Chinese customs requirements

Commodity classification and declaration elements

Powder cargo is classified by chemical composition and use. Particle size usually does not change the classification but can change the regulatory conditions and the declaration elements. Within the same code, fields such as content, particle size distribution, packaging specification and whether the product is for agricultural use have to be completed truthfully. Getting the classification wrong leads directly to detention on inspection and duty recovery, and products subject to export quotas can be treated as circumventing trade management.

Export declaration for hazardous chemicals

Export cargo that is a hazardous chemical has to be declared for inspection to customs, with documents prepared to Announcement No. 129. Inspection declaration and customs declaration are two separate steps, and a failed inspection declaration blocks the customs declaration. The Safety Law of the People's Republic of China on Hazardous Chemicals applies from 1 May 2026 and sets clearer obligations and penalties for production, storage and transport, tightening the qualification and record requirements placed on manufacturers at the export end.

Fertiliser quotas and statutory inspection

Urea, potassium chloride and compound fertiliser are subject to export quota management, with the total volume and timing published annually by the competent authority; these products are also statutory inspection commodities and have to be inspected at origin before a certificate is issued. Ammonium sulphate is outside quota management and is exported in large volumes, which also makes it a focus of on-site customs inspection. Falsely declaring the commodity name to circumvent management carries serious consequences, and the on-site inspection rate for fertiliser exports is adjusted according to circumstances.

Consequences of inaccurate declaration

Declaration problems with powder cargo cluster in three places: declaring dangerous powder as general cargo, entering the wrong packing group for a hazardous chemical, and declaring a quota-controlled product as one that is not controlled. The first two are stopped at the carrier stage, while the third enters targeted customs verification. Once established, the consequences go beyond a fine and affect the enterprise credit rating, with a higher inspection rate afterwards and disruption to shipping schedules.

Carrier requirements and booking details for sea, air and rail

Dangerous goods classes and packing groups

Sea transport follows the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code and air transport follows the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and the two do not classify or package the same substance identically, so the documentation prepared depends on the channel used. The packing group letter has to match the actual hazard level of the cargo: letter X means the packaging may carry packing groups I, II and III; letter Y means groups II and III; and letter Z means group III only. A lower-grade code may be used for cargo in a higher group, but not the reverse. A mismatch between the letter and the actual packing group is a classic case of non-compliant loading.

What dust and moisture demand of the container and the stuffing point

Stuffing powder cargo places higher demands on container condition than dry cargo does. The container has to be dry, odour-free, free of oil and residue from the previous cargo, with plastic sheeting and liner boards laid to isolate the floor from water vapour and separators between bagged cargo to prevent rubbing and bag failure. FIBCs are secured with lashing straps after loading so they do not shift in transit. Where a stuffing point also handles combustible dust, it operates to the Safety Provisions for Dust Explosion Protection in Industrial and Trade Enterprises, Ministry of Emergency Management Order No. 6, in force since 1 September 2021, with the work area cleaned every shift and dust extraction and explosion protection equipment kept in operation. The corresponding rules in Europe are the ATEX directives: 1999/92/EC requires employers to classify explosive dust atmospheres and prepare an explosion protection document, and 2014/34/EU sets the certification requirements for equipment used in those zones, with dust zones classified as 20, 21 or 22 by frequency of occurrence.

Hold conditions for solid bulk

Bulk powder is grouped under the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code. Group A covers cargo that may liquefy when its moisture content exceeds the transportable moisture limit; Group B covers cargo that possesses a chemical hazard capable of causing a dangerous situation on the vessel, including dangerous goods and cargo that is hazardous only when carried in bulk; Group C covers cargo that neither liquefies nor presents a chemical hazard, which is where urea and soda ash sit. Carrying Group B bulk cargo also requires compliance with the rules on the carriage of dangerous goods by ship. The corresponding domestic rules are the Provisions on the Safety Supervision and Administration of the Carriage of Solid Bulk Cargoes by Sea, Ministry of Transport Order No. 1 of 2019, in force since 1 March 2019, with a further mandatory national standard, Technical Requirements for the Safety of Solid Bulk Cargoes Carried by Sea, setting explicit requirements for Group A cargo.

Booking lead time and space limits

Booking requests for dangerous goods are normally made two to three weeks ahead, longer in peak season, because the carrier has to approve them separately and check the packaging and documents. Some ports operate quotas on dangerous goods space, and the number of dangerous goods containers a single voyage can accept is limited. Booking lead time for non-dangerous powders is the same as for ordinary dry cargo, but where FIBC cargo exceeds the per-container weight limit, the carrier's weight policy and the destination road weight limit have to be confirmed in advance.

Choosing the transport mode

Choosing a mode for powder cargo starts with the cargo and the volume, then looks at the handling facilities at both ports. Non-dangerous powders go mainly in full containers by sea; for dangerous powders, the choice between a full container and groupage usually leaves only the full container.

Which Chinese production areas and ports are more convenient

Powder production areas and export ports are spread across different regions, and shipping from the nearest port reduces short-haul moves and bag breakage.

• Inorganic salts and soda ash: soda ash and sodium sulphate from Jiangsu, Shandong and Hebei move through Lianyungang, Qingdao and Tianjin; cargo along the Yangtze goes through Nanjing and Zhangjiagang, and inland East China volumes are transhipped at Taicang.
• Fertilisers: urea and compound fertiliser from Shandong, Henan and Hubei move through Qingdao, Rizhao and Lianyungang; phosphate fertiliser from Yunnan and Guizhou goes through Zhanjiang and Fangchenggang.
• Synthetic resins and rubber powder: resin powder from Zhejiang and Jiangsu moves through Ningbo-Zhoushan and Shanghai, and cargo from Guangdong goes through Guangzhou Nansha and Shenzhen.
• Flammable solids and metal powders: magnesium and aluminium powder from Henan and Hunan moves through Shanghai and Ningbo, with some volumes going north through Tianjin.
• Food and feed raw materials: flour and feed additives from Shandong, Henan and Guangdong move through Qingdao, Shenzhen and Huangpu, arranged separately on food-grade lines.
• Bulk commodities: bulk ammonium sulphate and urea from the Bohai Rim load at Tianjin, Huanghua and Rizhao, and cargo from the Yangtze River Delta goes through Lianyungang and Ningbo.

Destination-country import requirements

European Union

Chemicals have to be registered under REACH or qualify for an exemption, and classified, labelled and packaged under CLP. Classification of powder cargo needs attention to dust-related hazard statements: where a mixture contains a certain proportion of respirable fine particles, dust explosion warnings may have to be added to the label. On the user side, employers classify explosive dust zones under the ATEX directives, and buyers often write dust explosion parameters such as minimum ignition energy, minimum ignition temperature of a dust cloud and explosion index into the technical agreement. Food and feed powders are also reviewed under EU food contact material and feed additive regulations.

United States

Chemicals fall under the Toxic Substances Control Act, and importers have to confirm that the substance is on the inventory or complete new chemical notification. Dangerous goods follow the US Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations, and packaging has to be UN specification certified. Food and food additives fall under the Food and Drug Administration, with importers required to complete facility registration and file prior notice. Agricultural fertilisers and soil conditioners carry separate state registration requirements.

Other markets

Japan and Korea require classification labels and safety data sheets in the local language, and declaration and registration requirements for toxic powders are more detailed than in the European Union. Import requirements across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America vary considerably, and most markets accept the UN dangerous goods classification and packaging, but each has its own rules on label language and the format of inspection certificates. Fertilisers also depend on the destination country's agricultural registration and import licensing, and some markets operate a separate import permit procedure for products such as urea.

How overseas buyers should select a Chinese powder supplier

• Whether classification documents are complete: ask for the hazardous properties classification report and the safety data sheet, and check that the issuing body is qualified, that the reference number can be verified, and that the classification conclusion matches the commodity name.
• Whether the packaging evidence lines up: check the UN mark, packaging code, packing group letter and safety factor on the FIBC, and whether both the packaging performance test result and the use appraisal are present, since missing either one makes the loading non-compliant.
• Whether packaging is chosen to suit the cargo: moisture-sensitive powder needs a liner or coating, fine powder needs a bag that does not seep, and conductive powder needs an antistatic bag. Where packaging does not match the cargo, the problems that appear at the destination port are usually irreversible.
• Bulk experience: for bulk shipments, check whether the supplier is familiar with the solid bulk groupings, the transportable moisture limit and handling facilities at both ends, because there is very little margin for error in this kind of operation.
• Qualification on food and feed lines: production enterprises for this cargo have to be filed with customs and should be able to provide the filing number and certificates issued by customs at origin.
• Compliance documents in the destination language: whether the safety data sheet, label and inspection certificate can be provided in the destination country's official language is a key step in getting through market access smoothly.

Powder cargo export cases

Why work with us

Powder exports fail at four points: the classification decision, the packaging evidence, dust control and the bulk conditions, each in a different part of the process. When one forwarder is responsible for all four, the line of accountability is clear when something goes wrong.

• Classification before packaging: from the cargo information we first establish whether it is dangerous goods, which class, and which packing group, and only then choose between FIBCs, paper bags, drums, IBCs and bulk, rather than following habit.
• Both pieces of packaging evidence checked: the packaging performance test result and the use appraisal are verified for every consignment, and the UN mark, packaging code, packing group letter and safety factor on the FIBC are compared item by item, with any mismatch between the letter and the cargo's packing group sent back for repackaging on the spot.
• Dust and moisture plans matched to the cargo: combustible dust cargo is stuffed to dust explosion hazard zone requirements, conductive powder is given antistatic bags with earthing throughout, and moisture-sensitive cargo gets a liner or coating plus moisture-proof underlay.
• Inspection documents aligned to Announcement No. 129: the manufacturer's declaration of conformity, the packaging performance test result, the hazardous properties classification report, samples of the hazard communication label and the safety data sheet, and the statement on inhibitors and stabilisers, checked one by one, with Chinese translations prepared alongside foreign language samples.
• Bulk handled to the solid bulk rules: confirming the cargo group, arranging Group A cargo within the testing windows for transportable moisture limit and moisture content, and preparing Group B cargo documentation under the rules for the carriage of dangerous goods by ship.
• The rulebook follows the channel: IMDG for sea, IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations for air, and the respective regulations for rail and road. Whichever channel is used, the matching set of documents is prepared.
• Departure from the nearest of several ports: inorganic salts and resin powder from East China through Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan and Taicang; fertiliser from Shandong and Hebei through Qingdao, Rizhao and Tianjin; cargo along the Yangtze through Nanjing and Zhangjiagang; South China through Shenzhen and Guangzhou Nansha, with direct services preferred over transhipment.

Frequently asked questions about powder exports

How do I read the UN code on an FIBC?

The UN code appears in the marking on the bag body, with the first two digits indicating container type and material and the third letter indicating the construction. 13H1 is an uncoated, unlined flexible IBC, 13H2 is coated without liner, 13H3 is uncoated with liner and 13H4 is coated with liner. The digits 13 indicate a container made of flexible material and the letter H indicates woven plastic. A liner or coating mainly addresses moisture and fine powder leakage and has nothing to do with the hazard level, which is shown by the packing group letter X, Y or Z.

What is the difference between packing group letters X, Y and Z?

The letter shows which hazard levels of cargo the packaging may carry. X may carry packing groups I, II and III; Y may carry groups II and III; and Z may carry group III only. A packaging approved for a lower grade may be used for cargo in a higher group, but not the reverse, so Z grade packaging cannot be used for group I or group II cargo. A mismatch between the letter and the actual packing group of the cargo is a compliance violation and the carrier returns the shipment on inspection.

Is there a safety factor requirement for FIBCs?

Yes. The design safety factor for a UN certified FIBC is 6 to 1, meaning the minimum breaking strength of the bag body is at least six times the maximum permissible gross mass, against 5 to 1 for a non-UN single-trip FIBC. The safety factor is stated on the packaging performance test result and is compared against the marking on the bag by the carrier and the port at inspection. An FIBC used for dangerous goods has to be a UN certified bag.

What kind of powder needs an antistatic bag?

Conductive and combustible powders, especially metal powders, need static accumulation controlled at the filling and discharge stages. The usual approach is an antistatic FIBC with a surface resistance meeting the requirement, reliably connected to an earthing system, with operators wearing antistatic workwear. Antistatic bags and UN certified bags are two independent marking systems, and both have to be confirmed separately when requesting a price from the manufacturer. Whether it is mandatory depends on the dust explosion parameters of the cargo and on the carrier's acceptance conditions.

Is powder cargo always treated as dangerous goods?

No. Most inorganic salts, resin powders and food and feed raw materials are not dangerous goods and ship as general cargo. The hazard assessment looks at two systems: the Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals, which governs workplace safety, and the UN Model Regulations, which govern transport. The same substance may be listed as hazardous under only one of them. The conclusion rests on a hazardous properties classification and identification report issued by a qualified body, and should not be inferred from the commodity name.

How is the risk of dust explosion managed at the export stage?

Combustible dust becomes airborne when filled, transferred and discharged, and once a mixture with air reaches a certain concentration an ignition source is enough to cause an explosion. In China the Safety Provisions for Dust Explosion Protection in Industrial and Trade Enterprises apply, with the work area cleaned every shift, dust extraction and explosion protection equipment kept operating, and combustible dust not sharing a dust extraction system with combustible gas. In Europe the ATEX directives classify explosive dust zones as zones 20, 21 and 22, and electrical equipment used in those zones needs the corresponding explosion protection certification. Whether a stuffing point meets these conditions is something to confirm before shipping combustible powder.

Should powder cargo go in FIBCs or paper bags?

It depends on the cargo, the volume and the discharge conditions. An FIBC holds 500 to 2,000 kg, handles efficiently and costs less per tonne of packaging, which suits bulk non-dangerous powders and long-term orders with a fixed formulation, but the consignee needs lifting equipment. A paper bag holds 20 to 50 kg, is easy to handle and distribute manually and suits final sales packaging or a consignee without lifting equipment, at higher packaging and labour cost. Both types place higher moisture-proofing demands on the container than flexitanks and tank containers do.

How many FIBCs fit in a 20-foot container?

It depends on the weight and volume of each bag. Taking one-tonne urea FIBCs as an example, a 20-foot container normally takes 18 to 20 bags, around 18 to 20 tonnes in total, and the actual number also depends on the destination country's road weight limit and the carrier's per-container weight policy. In some countries the road transport weight limit for an imported container is below the container's own carrying capacity, so the weight limit from the destination port to the door has to be confirmed before stuffing, otherwise the container has to be stripped and the cargo redistributed on arrival.

How do I choose between bulk and packaged shipment?

Where the lot runs to several thousand tonnes and both the loading and discharging ports have dedicated tankers, dedicated holds and receiving equipment, bulk is more economical and carries no packaging cost or bag breakage. Where the volume is lower, or one end lacks dedicated facilities, packaging is the more realistic choice. Bulk is also governed by the solid bulk cargo rules, with Group A cargo subject to transportable moisture limit and moisture content testing and Group B cargo requiring documentation under the dangerous goods rules.

How can caking from moisture absorption be prevented?

Three things help: keep the container dry by measuring internal humidity before stuffing and ventilating or dehumidifying where it does not meet the requirement; lay moisture-proof underlay on the floor and against all four walls and hang desiccant inside the container on long voyages; and choose packaging with a coating or liner to suit the cargo. Temperature differences inside the container in transit cause condensation, which is particularly pronounced in the plum rain season and on routes crossing climate zones. Caking is irreversible cargo damage that cannot be recovered on arrival, and prevention costs far less than dealing with it afterwards.

What extra requirements apply to fertiliser exports?

Urea, potassium chloride and compound fertiliser are subject to export quota management, with the total volume and timing published annually by the competent authority, and they are statutory inspection commodities that have to be inspected at origin before a certificate is issued. Ammonium sulphate is outside quota management, is exported in large volumes and is also a focus of on-site customs inspection. Confirm the available quota and the inspection arrangements for the current period before exporting, rather than scheduling shipments on last year's basis.

Can powder cargo go by air?

Some can, but the restrictions are greater than by sea. Powdered substances are a focus of scrutiny in air transport and most require prior transport condition assessment to establish whether they are dangerous goods and what packaging is required. Air freight is common for high-value, small-lot powders with time requirements, while ordinary bulk powder is uneconomic to fly. Air transport follows the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and the packaging and labelling requirements are not identical to sea freight, so sea freight documentation cannot simply be carried over.

How far ahead should powder cargo be booked, and what has to be submitted?

Booking requests for dangerous goods are normally made two to three weeks ahead, longer in peak season, because the carrier has to approve them separately and some routes and ports operate a dangerous goods space quota. The documents usually required are the hazardous properties classification report, the packaging performance test result and use appraisal, the safety data sheet and the dangerous goods declaration; bulk shipments additionally require the declaration of safe suitability for carriage of solid bulk cargo and the applicable test reports. A booking confirmation does not mean the cargo has been approved to load, and prior approval for dangerous goods is a separate step.