Sea transport and bulk packaging of olive oil

Q: How do you transport bulk olive oil by sea?

Short answer: bulk olive oil is shipped by sea container in one of three packaging types — a flexitank (~22,000 L, 1 per 20'), IBCs of 1,000 L (×20 per 20') or drums of 200-216 L (×40 per 20'). The flexitank offers the lowest cost per tonne, the IBC the flexibility of splitting, the drum the robustness for small quantities. You convert li

Q: How do you calculate the filling of a container?

Direct answer: first convert the volume into weight with the olive oil density ≈ 0.913 kg/L , then check that the gross weight (oil + packaging + pallets) stays below the container's admissible payload. A 22,000 L flexitank therefore weighs ≈ 20,086 kg of net oil; a 20' filled with IBCs or drums is often limited by the gross weight before

Q: Which packaging to choose to export bulk olive oil?

Three options: the flexitank (~22,000 L, 1 per 20', lowest cost/tonne) for a large homogeneous batch; the IBC of 1,000 L (×20 per 20') when you need to split or allow a tank return; the drum of 200-216 L (×40 per 20') for small quantities and first orders. The choice depends on the volume and the reception logistics.

Q: How many litres of oil fit in a 20' container?

About 22,000 L in a flexitank (1 per 20'), 20,000 L in IBCs (20 × 1,000 L) or 8,000 to 8,640 L in drums (40 × 200-216 L). Convert to weight with the density 0.913 kg/L , or use the loading calculator for an exact calculation according to your configuration.

Q: What is the density of olive oil?

About 0.913 kg/L : 1 litre weighs ≈ 0.913 kg (the oil is lighter than water). This value is used to convert a price €/kg ↔ €/L , to estimate the net weight of a flexitank/IBC/drum and to check that you do not exceed the payload of the container.

Q: Flexitank or IBC: which is cheaper?

The flexitank offers the lowest cost per tonne as soon as the batch is voluminous and homogeneous (no palletisation, maximal filling). The IBC is intermediate but allows splitting (1,000 L tanks) and a possible tank return. The drum is the most expensive per tonne.

Q: Should you insure the transport of olive oil?

Yes, it is strongly recommended. In CIF/CIP , the seller includes the insurance. In FOB/CFR/EXW , the goods travel at the buyer's risk, who must take out their own policy. See the incoterms guide.

Q: From which port does Tunisian olive oil depart?

Mainly Radès (greater Tunis, leading container port, reference for FOB Radès quotations) and Sfax (close to the southern olive-growing basin, useful for reducing pre-carriage). The choice depends on the available shipping line and the cost of land transport.

Q: What is demurrage and how do you avoid it?

Demurrage is charged per day when the container stays at the terminal beyond the free time (grace period). Its frequent cause: a missing document that blocks customs clearance. It is avoided by wrapping up the documentary file before loading — document checklist.

Are you shipping or importing bulk olive oil and are you hesitating between flexitank, IBC and drum — or do you want to know how many litres really fit in a container? This guide compares the three bulk packaging types (capacity, cost, reuse, risks), explains the filling of a container with the density 0.913 kg/L, transport insurance according to the incoterm, the ports of Radès and Sfax, and how to avoid the demurrage that eats into a quotation. Tables, mistakes to avoid, loading calculator and checklist included.

Free PDF cheat sheet: the flexitank / IBC / drum comparison + the capacities per container + the shipping checklist on one page. Get it by email »

How do you transport bulk olive oil by sea?

Short answer: bulk olive oil is shipped by sea container in one of three packaging types — a flexitank (~22,000 L, 1 per 20'), IBCs of 1,000 L (×20 per 20') or drums of 200-216 L (×40 per 20'). The flexitank offers the lowest cost per tonne, the IBC the flexibility of splitting, the drum the robustness for small quantities. You convert litres into weight with the density 0.913 kg/L, then add freight, insurance and port costs to obtain the landed cost.

The choice of packaging, the loading calculation and the control of transit times form one and the same subject: getting them wrong means wiping out your margin or immobilising a container at the port. The logistics acronyms (B/L, IBC, demurrage, incoterm…) are defined in the glossary.

Flexitank, IBC or drum: the comparison table

Indicative benchmarks for bulk olive oil departing from Tunisia, in a standard 20' container. To be confirmed depending on the freight forwarder and the palletisation.

Criterion	Flexitank	IBC (1,000 L)	Drum (200-216 L)
Usable capacity	~22,000 L / 20'	20 × 1,000 L = 20,000 L / 20'	40 × 200-216 L ≈ 8,000-8,640 L / 20'
Cost / tonne	The lowest	Intermediate	The highest
Splitting	No (a single batch)	Yes (per 1,000 L tank)	Yes (per drum)
Reusable	No (single use)	Yes (return/deposit possible)	Yes (metal/stainless drum)
Typical MOQ	1 flexitank	2 IBCs	10 drums
Handling	Simple (no pallets)	Palletised, stackable	Palletised, stackable
Main risk	Fitting defect / leak if poorly installed	Gross weight per tank	Number of units to handle
Ideal for	Large single-batch volume	Medium volumes, multi-client	Small quantities, commercial samples

Data July 2026, to be confirmed with your freight forwarder. Calculate your exact load with the loading calculator.

Key point: the flexitank wins as soon as the batch is homogeneous and voluminous (minimal cost/tonne, no palletisation). The IBC is required when you need to split or allow a tank return. The drum remains the solution for small quantities and first evaluation orders. The tank (ISO tank) also exists for very large recurring volumes, but is outside the scope of a first shipment.

Sidebar: buyer side / seller side

The same container is not prepared the same way depending on your role.

Angle	What the packaging & transport change for you	Reflex
Buyer (importer)	The format conditions your landed cost and your reception logistics	Ask for a price per format; check that your warehouse can handle IBCs/flexitanks
Seller (exporter who sells)	The format and the incoterm structure your quotation and your margin	Quote at net weight (density 0.913); secure the gross weight before quoting
Exporter (Tunisia operations)	The flexitank fitting, palletisation and port fix your deadlines and costs	Book early; have the flexitank fitted by an approved operator; anticipate demurrage

Shared golden rule: validate the format, gross weight and loading before the quotation. A filling error (overweight, under-filling) wipes out the margin or blocks the container at loading.

How do you calculate the filling of a container?

Direct answer: first convert the volume into weight with the olive oil density ≈ 0.913 kg/L, then check that the gross weight (oil + packaging + pallets) stays below the container's admissible payload. A 22,000 L flexitank therefore weighs ≈ 20,086 kg of net oil; a 20' filled with IBCs or drums is often limited by the gross weight before being limited by volume.

The density, key to the litres ↔ kg conversion

1 litre of olive oil ≈ 0.913 kg (the oil is lighter than water). This value is used to:

convert a price €/kg ↔ €/L in a quotation;
estimate the net weight of a flexitank, an IBC or a drum;
check that you do not exceed the payload of the container.

Indicative capacities per 20' container

Packaging	Volume / 20'	Net oil weight (≈ ×0.913)
Flexitank	~22,000 L	≈ 20,086 kg
IBC (20 × 1,000 L)	20,000 L	≈ 18,260 kg
Drums (40 × 200-216 L)	8,000-8,640 L	≈ 7,304-7,888 kg

A 40' increases the number of IBCs/drums loaded according to the palletisation and the admissible gross weight, but the flexitank is in principle fitted in a dedicated 20'.

Do the exact litres ↔ kg calculation, per format and per container size, with the loading calculator, then cost the landed price with the export cost calculator.

On the seller / exporter side: quote at net weight and check the payload before confirming. A container announced as "full by volume" may be overloaded by weight — refusal at loading.

Ports of departure: Radès and Sfax

Two ports concentrate most Tunisian olive oil shipments:

Radès (greater Tunis): the country's main container port, serves the majority of lines to Europe, the Gulf and beyond. It is the reference point for FOB Radès quotations.
Sfax: port of the southern olive-growing basin (Chemlali zone), useful for bringing the loading closer to the production area and reducing inland pre-carriage.

The choice is made according to the available shipping line, the proximity of the milling area and the cost of land transport. The incoterm sets who organises and pays for this main carriage — see the incoterms guide.

On the exporter side: always indicate the precise port in the offer ("FOB Radès", not just "FOB"). An implicit port is a source of dispute and re-quotation.

Transport insurance for olive oil

Insurance covers the goods during the journey (damage, loss, wetting, theft). Who takes it out depends on the incoterm:

Incoterm	Who takes out the transport insurance
EXW, FOB, CFR	The buyer (optional but recommended)
CIF, CIP	The seller includes it in their price
DAP, DDP	The seller (covers up to destination)

Usual coverage: 110% of the CIF value (the goods + a 10% margin for costs and lost profit).
Indicative cost: 0.2 to 0.6% of the insured value.
Credit insurance (COTUNACE): distinct from transport, it covers the buyer's non-payment (usually 80-90% of the receivable). Recommended as soon as a sale is not paid in advance, essential on a risky market.

An insurance certificate appears in the documentary file as soon as you sell in CIF/CIP or beyond — see the export documents guide.

Transit times, demurrage and detention

Direct answer: beyond the sea transit time (several days to a few weeks depending on the destination), two counters can cost dearly — demurrage (immobilisation of the container at the terminal beyond the free time) and detention (delay in returning the empty container). Anticipating the documentary file and customs clearance on arrival is the best way to avoid them.

Transit time: depends on the line and the destination port. To be requested from the freight forwarder for each quotation.
Free time: grace period (often a few days) during which the container can remain at the port free of charge.
Demurrage: charged per day beyond the free time if the container is not unloaded/removed. Frequent cause: a missing document that blocks customs clearance.
Detention: charged if the empty container is not returned on time.

A blocking document (EUR.1, COA in the wrong format, sanitary certificate as a copy…) triggers demurrage at the expense of the party suffering the delay. This is argument no. 1 for wrapping up the documentary file before loading — document checklist.

Mistakes to avoid in transport & packaging

Confusing volume and weight: a container "full in litres" may be overloaded in kg (density 0.913). Check the payload.
Under-filling a flexitank: loss of cost/tonne — the flexitank is only worthwhile when nearly full.
Poorly fitted flexitank: the fitting must be done by an approved operator; a defect = leak in transit.
Forgetting the precise port in the incoterm ("FOB" without "Radès"): dispute and re-quotation.
Neglecting insurance in FOB/CFR: the goods travel at the buyer's risk — take it out.
Ignoring the free time: a missing document → demurrage per day.
Choosing the drum by default for a large volume: the highest cost/tonne, to be reserved for small quantities.
Quoting without verifying the loading: the leading cause of margin error on bulk.

Golden rules

Choose the format according to the volume: flexitank (large single-client batch), IBC (splittable), drum (small quantities).
Always convert to weight with the density 0.913 kg/L before quoting.
Check the payload of the container: the gross weight, not just the volume.
Specify the port (Radès or Sfax) in the incoterm.
Insure the transport from CIF/CIP, at 110% of the CIF value.
Wrap up the documentary file before loading to avoid demurrage.

Loading calculator » — litres and kg per format, in 20' as in 40'. Then export cost calculator » for the landed cost.

FAQ — Transport & packaging of olive oil

Which packaging to choose to export bulk olive oil?

Three options: the flexitank (~22,000 L, 1 per 20', lowest cost/tonne) for a large homogeneous batch; the IBC of 1,000 L (×20 per 20') when you need to split or allow a tank return; the drum of 200-216 L (×40 per 20') for small quantities and first orders. The choice depends on the volume and the reception logistics.

How many litres of oil fit in a 20' container?

About 22,000 L in a flexitank (1 per 20'), 20,000 L in IBCs (20 × 1,000 L) or 8,000 to 8,640 L in drums (40 × 200-216 L). Convert to weight with the density 0.913 kg/L, or use the loading calculator for an exact calculation according to your configuration.

What is the density of olive oil?

About 0.913 kg/L: 1 litre weighs ≈ 0.913 kg (the oil is lighter than water). This value is used to convert a price €/kg ↔ €/L, to estimate the net weight of a flexitank/IBC/drum and to check that you do not exceed the payload of the container.

Does a flexitank fit in a standard container?

Yes: a flexitank of ~22,000 L is in principle fitted in a dedicated standard 20' container, without pallets. Its fitting must be carried out by an approved operator: a fitting defect is the main cause of leak in transit. The flexitank is single-use.

Flexitank or IBC: which is cheaper?

The flexitank offers the lowest cost per tonne as soon as the batch is voluminous and homogeneous (no palletisation, maximal filling). The IBC is intermediate but allows splitting (1,000 L tanks) and a possible tank return. The drum is the most expensive per tonne.

Should you insure the transport of olive oil?

Yes, it is strongly recommended. In CIF/CIP, the seller includes the insurance. In FOB/CFR/EXW, the goods travel at the buyer's risk, who must take out their own policy. See the incoterms guide.

From which port does Tunisian olive oil depart?

Mainly Radès (greater Tunis, leading container port, reference for FOB Radès quotations) and Sfax (close to the southern olive-growing basin, useful for reducing pre-carriage). The choice depends on the available shipping line and the cost of land transport.

What is demurrage and how do you avoid it?

Demurrage is charged per day when the container stays at the terminal beyond the free time (grace period). Its frequent cause: a missing document that blocks customs clearance. It is avoided by wrapping up the documentary file before loading — document checklist.

What is the difference between demurrage and detention?

Demurrage concerns the immobilisation of the full container at the terminal beyond the free time. Detention concerns the delay in returning the empty container after unloading. Both are charged per day and eat into a quotation if they are not anticipated.

How long does sea transit last?

It depends on the line and the destination (from a few days for nearby Europe to several weeks for distant markets). The transit time is requested from the freight forwarder for each quotation. Add the customs clearance time on arrival to estimate the total time to availability.

Can you ship olive oil in a 40'?

Yes for IBCs and drums (more units according to the palletisation and the admissible gross weight). The flexitank is in principle fitted in a standard 20'. The loading calculator handles both sizes and converts litres ↔ kg per format.

How do you estimate the total transport cost?

Add the packaging, the port/inland costs (up to FOB), the sea freight, the insurance (from CIF) and the destination costs (duties, VAT, customs clearance). The export cost calculator costs the landed cost incoterm by incoterm. Also anticipate the potential demurrage.

Ship without nasty surprises

You know how to choose the right packaging, calculate your loading, insure your transport and avoid demurrage. The next step: precisely cost your load and your landed cost.

Loading calculator » then export cost calculator ».

Request a free quote — a dated quotation per format (flexitank/IBC/drum) and per incoterm, for your destination port. Drawer pre-filled "Transport & packaging guide".

Free PDF cheat sheet (lead magnet): receive by email the "Packaging & freight of olive oil" cheat sheet — flexitank / IBC / drum comparison, capacities per container (20' and 40'), density 0.913 conversion, and shipping checklist ready to tick. Simple sign-up (Brevo double opt-in), no spam. Receive the PDF cheat sheet »

To go further, read the incoterms guide, the export documents guide, the export formats sheet and the guide to choosing a reliable supplier.

Data July 2026, indicative and to be re-verified before any commitment. Sources: sea-container logistics practices, olive oil density ≈ 0.913 kg/L, incoterms 2020 (insurance allocation), Radès/Sfax ports (Tunisia).