Oil transportation

BSF Actions

Stage 1: Container Preparation

Before installing the bag, the container must be inspected:

• Cleanliness: Floor, walls, and ceiling must be perfectly clean, dry, free of sharp objects, nails, debris, and residues of previous cargo.

• Integrity: The container is checked for airtightness (no gaps or holes). Sharp edges and burrs at floor-wall joints are covered with special protective tape or cardboard.

Stage 2: Laying the Protective Layer (Barrier Layer)

To protect the flexitank from damage:

• Corrugated cardboard (typically 2–3 layers) or special heavy-duty polyethylene is laid on the container floor.

• The cardboard should extend 20–30 cm up the walls to prevent the bag from contacting metal side panels.

• Container corners receive additional protection (cardboard corner protectors).

Stage 3: Flexitank Installation and Securing

The flexitank is delivered in folded form in a cardboard box. Installation steps:

• Bag placement: The bag is carefully removed and spread out on the protective layer. The working surface (bottom part) is multi-layer polyethylene.

• Orientation: The bag is positioned lengthwise in the container so that the valve (filling port) is at the door end. This is critically important — filling can only be done through the door opening.

• Smoothing folds: The bag is laid without folds or creases, spread along the entire length of the container (approximately 5.6 m for a 20' container).

• Installation of spreader bar (or bulkhead): A special metal or wooden spreader bar (often telescopic) is installed in the door opening (between the bag and the doors). Its purpose is to prevent the bag from bulging out when the doors are opened and to compensate for hydrostatic pressure during transport. Sometimes a plywood sheet is used to press the bag against the front wall.

Stage 4: Oil Filling

Before filling, it is important to ensure the container is on a level surface (allowable slope no more than 2–3°).

• Connection: The pump hose is connected to the flexitank valve via an adapter.

• Process: The oil is pumped in at low pressure (typically 1–2 bar). Maximum volume for a 20' container is 20,000 – 24,000 liters (depending on flexitank model and shipping line restrictions).

• Monitoring: During filling, the operator checks:

  • That the bag fills evenly and does not twist.

  • For no leaks around the valve area.

• Venting: Air is vented through the upper valve to prevent oil oxidation (especially for sensitive products) and to ensure full volume.

Stage 5: Filling Completion and Closing

• After filling, the valve is closed with a cap and sealed.

• Excess air is removed through a special pressure relief valve (some models).

• Container doors are closed. Important: Doors must not pinch the bag. The spreader bar keeps the bag inside.

• Labels are affixed to the container: "Flexitank", "This way up" (arrows), and warnings against tipping.

Stage 6: Transportation and Discharge

• Transportation: The container is transported as a standard 20' container. Restrictions: no sharp impacts or tipping.

• Discharge (unloading): At the port or consignee's facility, a hose is connected to the valve, and the oil is either pumped out or drained by gravity (if the container can be raised). The flexitank is sent for recycling after use.

Result

BSF ensured correct container preparation, safe flexitank installation, and full-cycle control from loading to dispatch. This approach reduces the risk of packaging damage, preserves the quality of the liquid cargo, and ensures uninterrupted logistics.