How Much Sodium Metasilicate Fits in a 20ft Container?

Loading quantity by packaging

A 20ft container holds between 22 and 27 metric tons of sodium metasilicate, depending on how it is packed. Non-palletized 25 kg bags reach about 27 MT; palletized 25 kg bags come to about 22 MT for pentahydrate and about 24 MT for anhydrous, because anhydrous carries more product per pallet at the same pallet count. Since the tonnage changes with packaging, the price per ton on a CFR or CIF quote changes with it — so fix the packing method before you compare quotations from different suppliers.

Which packaging should you ask for?

The standard pack is 25 kg per bag. Custom bag sizes and printing are available on request. Final tonnage is confirmed on the proforma invoice once grade, pallet size and container limits are fixed.

Ask for 25 kg bags if you dose by hand, split one container between several plants or customers, or your warehouse works without heavy lifting equipment.

Ask for 1,000 kg jumbo bags if you feed the product into a hopper or mixer by forklift or hoist. Confirm your lifting points and pallet footprint when you send the RFQ so the bags match your equipment.

Palletized or loose?

Loose loading gives you the most product per container and the lowest freight cost per ton. It also means unloading bag by bag. Palletized loading costs a few tons of capacity plus the pallet charge, but a forklift empties the container in under an hour.

Whichever you choose, ask the supplier to state it on the quotation, together with bag size, number of bags, pallet count, net and gross weight, container type and destination port. A quote that leaves any of these open is not comparable with one that spells them out.

Less than a full container

Minimum order is 1 MT. Orders below one full container are sold EXW, collected from the factory by your forwarder. FOB Qingdao applies to full containers only.

FOB, CFR or CIF — what each covers

For a CFR or CIF figure, name the exact port — Chattogram, Houston, Vancouver and Mersin, for example, each carry different freight and surcharges. “Bangladesh” or “the US” is not enough to price against.

• FOB Qingdao — the goods are loaded at Qingdao, the port on our customs shipment records; you arrange and pay the ocean freight.
• CFR — ocean freight to your named destination port is included.
• CIF — ocean freight and cargo insurance to your named port are both included.

What to put in your RFQ

Send these ten points to info@silicatechem.com and you will have a complete FOB, CFR or CIF quotation within 12 hours.

• Grade: pentahydrate or anhydrous
• Form: powder, granules or beads
• Particle size or mesh
• Quantity, or number of 20ft / 40ft containers
• 25 kg bags or 1,000 kg jumbo bags
• Palletized or non-palletized
• Destination port
• Payment terms
• Documents required: COA, TDS, SDS
• Target shipment date

FAQ