Legally shipping coconut charcoal briquettes from Indonesia takes only 5 simple steps

Author: Dongsheng Raw Materials | October 16, 2023

  It is a common practice to transport coconut charcoal briquettes from Indonesia, which exports 30,000 metric tons of charcoal briquettes per month and has a significant presence in the global market. Natural coconut charcoal briquettes such as those used in shisha or shisha are in high demand all over the world, with Indonesia supplying more than 90% of the world's supply. Due to its superior quality, coconut shells from Indonesia are widely regarded by many countries as the best product in the world for the production of charcoal briquettes for shisha and shisha.

  However, in recent years, spontaneous combustion incidents on ships caused by charcoal products have been an important cause of transporting charcoal briquettes, resulting in serious damage to cargo, destruction of ships, and loss of many lives. This makes charcoal classified as a dangerous good, making it extremely difficult to ship charcoal products out of Indonesia due to the large number of permits required for transportation.

  Is hookah and coconut charcoal briquettes for shisha really dangerous? How can we ship them out of Indonesia the right way? In this article, we hope to clear up some of the confusion about the safety of water sand charcoal briquettes, as well as the latest shipping rules related to this in-demand product.

  In the past, it was known that some shady factories in the shisha industry would deliberately add nitrate, which is usually found in gunpowder, to the coconut charcoal blocks of shisha, so that they would automatically ignite when burned. Although this "instant lighting" feature is undoubtedly very popular in some markets, it poses a high safety risk during transportation, as the temperature inside the container always rises, which can cause it to spontaneously combust

  It is important to know that Indonesian hookah charcoal briquettes made from coconut shells do not contain any dangerous chemicals that can easily catch fire. Compared to other types of coal nuggets, such as charcoal briquettes used for barbecue and barbecue, these coconut charcoal briquettes have proven to be the safest and most fire-resistant.

  Since charcoal nuggets are considered flammable, major shipping companies have been reluctant to transport them as cargo in recent years. As a result, the number of shipping companies agreeing to transport charcoal around the world has decreased.

 Since June 2021, in order to address these ongoing safety concerns, the transportation of coconut charcoal briquettes by water and sand has been strictly regulated. Dangerous goods such as charcoal nuggets must be subject to special handling, packaging, and paperwork to protect the cargo and the vessel. In order to reduce the safety hazards of transporting coconut charcoal briquettes around the world, the use of refrigerated containers, thermal blankets and limited freight capacity is now necessary

   When transporting coconut charcoal briquettes for water sand, it is crucial to understand the guidelines set by shipping companies. FIRST, LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT TWO MAJOR SHIPPING COMPANIES: MSC AND MAERKS LINE, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE GOOD AT TRANSPORTING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

  Founded in 1970, MSC is one of the largest shipping companies in the world. It is committed to following international safety norms such as ASTM and IMDG codes. They prioritize cargo safety and security, especially flammable items such as coconut, charcoal, and coal. MSC's extensive global network provides extensive coverage and effective solutions for water and sand transport, coconut charcoal, and briquettes. Their vast range provides a reliable route to a variety of destinations.

While MSC is known for its security compliance and extensive network, MAERKS LINE excels at providing professional solutions and is known for its customer-centric approach and exceptional customer service.

   Coconut charcoal factory as a shipper should carefully examine its individual needs and consider these needs when choosing the best transportation route for transporting coconut charcoal briquettes.

FROM FACTORY TO DESTINATION: HOW TO SHIP CHARCOAL STEP BY STEP WITH MSC OR MAERSK LINE

STEP 1: PRE-ORDER THE SHIPMENT VIA MSC OR MAERSK LINE

  To book directly with MSC or MAERKS LINE for the transport of coconut charcoal briquettes as dangerous goods, the factory audit permit must first be presented to the shipping company, as well as the consignee information and preferred vessel departure date.

 Obtaining a factory audit license is challenging and takes a lot of time, so only a few charcoal plants in Indonesia have licenses. AN INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY SURVEYOR LIKE CARSURIN MUST VISIT THE FACTORY SITE AND COMPLETE A TWO-STEP AUDIT AND VERIFICATION PROCESS.

After reviewing the audit results, only coconut charcoal briquette factories that meet the necessary criteria and do not have any significant organizational, paperwork, process, control or safety issues will be granted a valid license. This permit authorizes the charcoal plant to transport coconut charcoal nuques to their respective shipping companies within 12 months, which must then be renewed. Please note that the charcoal plant must apply for a separate permit for each shipping line.

 We are proud to be one of the few charcoal factories with our own coconut charcoal lump transportation factory license. Therefore, we do not need to rent such licenses from other factories through the so-called "under name" services. It is important to know that we do not lease our licenses to other companies or third-party forwarding services, otherwise our licenses and their validity may be at risk.

Unlike general cargo, where customers can self-organise international shipments on Ex Works (EXW) or Freight on Board (FOB) terms, our customers rely on us to book the shipping of coconut charcoal briquettes on their behalf, as a valid factory audit license must be obtained at the time of booking.

 Once booked, we will receive a booking reference number, which is a unique identifier for a specific shipment and is essential for later management and tracking of the shipment.

Step 2: Accept Carsurin's pre-shipment inspection

    THE NEXT STAGE IS FOR MSC OR MAERKS LINE TO SELECT A RELIABLE THIRD-PARTY INDEPENDENT SURVEYOR, CARSURIN, TO CARRY OUT AN ON-SITE INSPECTION OF THE PRODUCTION SITE ON A MUTUALLY AGREED DATE. It is important to note that the factory audit license and the address visited by the CARSURIN representative must match for the check to be successful. This verification procedure ensures that the correct production facility is checked and that the charcoal being shipped comes from an authorized factory. Most charcoal also has to be easily placed in its final box packaging in order to start checking.

CARSURIN WILL CAREFULLY SAMPLE THE CHARCOAL LUMPS DURING THE INSPECTION. They will randomly pick samples to ensure that they are fairly representative of the entire batch of coconut charcoal nuggets. CARSURIN will take a picture of the charcoal in the final package, record its condition and verify that it meets all safety requirements.

THE COLLECTED SAMPLES WILL BE SENT TO THE CARURIN LABORATORY FOR FURTHER TESTING AND ANALYSIS. Charcoal samples will be subjected to extensive testing such as approximate analysis (ROA) and self-heating test (SHT) according to ASTM and IMDG guidelines. In the analysis of the transportation of coconut charcoal briquettes, the moisture content, ash content and carbonization level of the charcoal were comprehensively evaluated.

The ability of the charcoal block to spontaneously ignite and maintain a stable flame in the absence of an external ignition source was determined by self-heating experiments. When storing and transporting coconut charcoal briquettes, assessing the potential for spontaneous combustion is essential to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Within 3-5 business days, CARSURIN will issue a report detailing the results of these inspections prior to shipping the coconut charcoal blocks. An example of a CARSURIN test report for our facility is shown in the image below. Our charcoal briquettes have a very low ash content of 1.55%, a moisture content of 3.89% and a relatively high fixed carbon percentage of 82.21%.

During the 24-hour stable heating in the 140°C oven, the self-heating test results showed that the maximum temperature in the center of the sample was only 143.9°C, indicating that the temperature remained reasonably stable during the heating period. Therefore, our lumps of coal made from coconut charcoal should not be considered as self-heating materials.

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  CARSURIN WAS INVOLVED IN SAMPLING, TESTING AND DOCUMENTING THE ENTIRE PROCESS, WHICH REALLY STRENGTHENED THE CREDIBILITY AND RELIABILITY OF TRANSPORTING COCONUT CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES. By carrying out these tests, CARURIN ensures that they meet the standards and safety rules for transporting coconut charcoal briquettes.

Step 3: Receive the container delivery order

 As soon as Carsurin receives the test results, they will immediately notify the MSC or MAERKS LINE of the results. After verifying that the test results comply with the necessary regulations and the completeness and accuracy of all accompanying documents, MSC or MAERKS LINE will approve the shipment of the coconut charcoal briquettes and issue a container delivery order.

A container delivery order indicates that the shipping container is ready to be delivered to the charcoal factory within 24 hours of the scheduled filling date. Usually, it contains important details such as but not limited to the name of the shipping carrier, supply vessel details, estimated vessel departure time, container type, etc.

After a container delivery order has been placed, the shipper can still change the loading date without receiving any penalty, as long as there is no change to the supply vessel on which the container is scheduled to be boarded.

Step 4: Fill the charcoal into a container covered with Proliner

 When loading charcoal briquettes into containers, the Proliner system is a key part of ensuring the safety of transporting coconut charcoal briquettes. In this way, a special lining is placed inside the container. This creates a barrier between the cargo and the container wall, ensuring the safety of the cargo

Here are some of the key aspects of Proliner in transporting coconut charcoal briquettes:

Minimizes movement: Since the elongated sections are vacuum-sealed at the end of the filling process, this helps to keep the charcoal nuggets in place inside the container and eliminates the risk of damage to the box and the charcoal nuggets inside due to movement, movement, or collision.

Leak-proof: Proliner also prevents the lump of coal from coming into direct contact with the wall of the container and acts as a shield from any spillage or leakage during transport.

Moisturizing: If the coconut charcoal block absorbs too much moisture, it will deteriorate and crack when heated. Proliner helps prevent moisture from penetrating into the briquette, allowing the briquettes to perform at their best.

Enhanced safety: The use of Proliner reduces the likelihood of the charcoal block catching fire on its own. The inner lining is an extra layer of protection that keeps the lump of coal away from anything that could cause a fire, heat, or spark.

First, gently place the proliner inside the container to cover the entire inner surface. Once the liner is in place, the charcoal briquettes can be loaded into the container under the supervision of a CARURIN representative.

Proper alignment of the briquette master box is a priority. The loading team ensures that the lumps of coal are evenly distributed and aligned to stabilize the cargo and reduce the risk of damage or breakage when handling and transporting the coconut charcoal lumps.

It is also crucial to create buffers when loading. Purposefully leave a small gap of 10-30 cm between the lump of coal and the top of the container to protect the charcoal lump from external influences.

Once the container is fully loaded, the final inspection ensures that the goods are safely placed and packed in the container. This ensures the integrity of the shipment and compliance with current safety regulations. The container is then sealed and the charcoal block is fixed to its final destination.

Depending on the size of the container and the equipment involved, the filling process usually takes 3-6 hours per container.

Step 5: Track your shipment online

Transporting coconut charcoal briquettes has become easy. Know the shipping status and location of coconut charcoal forming blocks at any time. MSC and MAERSK provide a trustworthy and transparent tracking service by investing in innovative tracking technology and an efficient logistics network. MSC or MAERSK allows you to track your goods online in real time from the moment the empty container arrives at our factory to the estimated time of arrival at the port of destination.

Simply visit the MSC or MAERSK LINE tracking page and enter your booking reference or container number to track your shipment. These codes are your key identifiers when shipping coconut charcoal nuggets from start to finish. The vessel name, current port of call, estimated time of arrival at the port of destination, and intermediate stops are displayed on the tracking page. The tracking system also alerts you to schedule changes and delays, keeping you informed of shipments.

A few days after the vessel has set sail, the consignee may choose to receive a physical copy of the original bill of lading from MSC or MAERSK via DHL or via Telex Release after the shipper has delivered the original bill of lading to MSC or MAERSK.

Misrepresentation of Risk: Consequences and Penalties for Dangerous Goods

Transporting coconut charcoal briquettes for water and sand requires special handling as they are considered dangerous goods and not ordinary commodities. It's no surprise that shipping costs can be at least 50% more expensive than average items. It is understood that some freight forwarding services may provide false claims when transporting coconut charcoal briquettes, promising lower prices.

However, keep in mind that this is certainly not the recommended procedure when it comes to transporting coconut charcoal briquettes. Customers should not try to evade paying the correct duty by misrepresenting charcoal nuggets as a general commodity. Mislabeling hazmat as non-hazmat can result in legal penalties, shipping delays, and hefty fines. If you don't properly disclose the HS code when shipping dangerous products, you could face fines of up to three times the value of the goods.

When transporting coconut charcoal briquettes, it is crucial to pay attention to the safety of the cargo and deal with a reliable partner who values ethical and responsible practices. As a competent and reputable Indonesian factory, we highly emphasize the importance of complying with current regulations and preventing false positives in our projects. WE ALSO BOOK DIRECTLY WITH MSC OR MAERKS LINE, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ANY FREIGHT FORWARDER OR MIDDLEMAN, TO ENSURE COMPETITIVE RATES AND HASSLE-FREE SHIPPING.

Trust us to properly handle your charcoal formed brick shipment to ensure your charcoal business is compliant, safe, and seamless operations. Book a free consultation with one of our trusted advisors today to learn more about our high-quality coconut charcoal briquettes for Shuisha and how we can help you transport charcoal briquettes with the highest level of compliance and professionalism. We are committed to providing high-quality products, excellent after-sales service, and expert guidance to ensure your ultimate success in the charcoal industry. Let us help you achieve your goals and make your shipping process as smooth and efficient as possible starting today

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