Chemical transport is not planned from the vehicle — it is planned from the safety data sheet. The UN number, the class, the packing group and the physical state of the product decide everything that follows: whether it needs a tanker or an IBC, whether it can travel as a part load, which tunnels the vehicle may pass through, and what the lane actually costs. On this cargo a mistake is not a delay: it is a load stopped at the border, or a vehicle that never leaves.
Bulk, IBC or drums: the decision that sets the price
On liquid chemicals the largest cost item is rarely the freight rate — it is the format. The same consignment can travel four different ways, and the cost structures do not resemble one another.
| Format | Typical volume | When it fits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road tanker | up to ~30,000 litres | Recurring volumes of the same product | Cleaning certificate and repositioning are part of the cost |
| Tank container | ~21,000-26,000 litres | Intercontinental and intermodal lanes | The tank’s return position has to be counted in |
| 1,000-litre IBC | 1,000 l per unit | Mid volumes, multiple drops, groupage | Reusable units need a temporary admission regime |
| 200-litre drums | 200 l per unit | Small consignments and samples | Higher cost per litre, but simple handling |
| Flexitank | ~20,000 litres | Non-hazardous liquids only | Cannot be used for goods in scope of ADR or IMDG |
The first question we ask is not “how many litres” but “does the product fall under ADR?”. That answer decides whether a flexitank is even on the table, and that single distinction can move the cost of the lane substantially.
The classes we actually handle
In dangerous goods transport all nine ADR classes exist on paper, but in the day-to-day reality of chemical shipments from Türkiye into Europe the traffic concentrates in three.
- Class 3 — flammable liquids. Solvents, thinners, alcohol-based products, paints. By far the most shipped class.
- Class 8 — corrosives. Acids and bases. Compatibility between the product and the packaging material governs here: an IBC suitable for one product may not be suitable for another in the same class.
- Class 9 — miscellaneous dangerous goods. Includes environmentally hazardous substances, the category that captures many chemicals which are neither flammable nor corrosive.
Less frequently we handle class 5 (oxidisers and organic peroxides, often temperature controlled) and class 6.1 (toxics, which cannot share a vehicle with foodstuffs). The full picture of classes, exemptions and documents is in our ADR transport guide.
Limited quantities: where the real saving sits
Not every chemical shipment needs the full ADR regime. Where the product travels in small inner packagings and the outer packaging complies, the limited quantity (LQ) regime removes most of the requirements: no ADR driver certificate, no orange plates, lighter documentation.
Applicability depends on a threshold set for each UN number and on the inner packaging size — so on the packing list, not on the total consignment. That is why we always ask for the packaging detail and not just the gross weight: on many shipments that is exactly where the margin is.
The tunnel code decides the routing
Every ADR substance carries a tunnel restriction code, B to E. On European lanes this is not a technicality: across the Alpine crossings that code determines which tunnels the vehicle may use and therefore what route it must take. Two apparently similar products can require different routings and different transit times.
This is why, when we quote a chemical shipment, we also state the crossing we intend to use. A transit time given without naming the routing is not reliable information on this cargo.
Customs: classification comes before the vehicle
On chemicals the tariff classification is not an end-of-process formality. Many substances need permits, registrations or checks that have to start before loading, and some fall under destination-specific regimes. We run customs clearance with the same team that plans the transport, so the classification, the safety data sheet and the transport documents are reconciled before the vehicle is booked — not once the goods are moving.
For shipments crossing Türkiye on the way to a third country, the goods can travel under a transit regime without being imported: no duty or import VAT arises, and a guarantee covers the movement for its duration.
What we handle on this cargo
- Road transport under ADR to Europe and the Caucasus, full loads and groupage where segregation allows.
- Sea freight under the IMDG Code: tank containers, IBCs and drums in FCL or LCL.
- Air freight under IATA DGR for samples and urgent replacements.
- Format assessment — tanker, tank container, IBC, drums — on cost per litre delivered, not on the freight rate alone.
- Limited quantity assessment from the UN number and the packing list.
- Bonded warehousing for cargo that has to wait without being imported.
- Documentary coordination: transport document, safety data sheet, tariff classification, destination certificates.
We run this cargo mainly on the Türkiye-Italy and Spain lanes, with recurring volumes to the UAE and across the Gulf. The sector view is on our chemical industry page.
Frequently asked questions
Which liquid chemicals do you carry?
Solvents and flammable liquids (class 3), acids and bases (class 8), environmentally hazardous substances (class 9), and — assessed case by case — oxidisers and toxics. We also carry chemicals outside ADR scope, where options such as flexitank open up. The assessment always begins with the safety data sheet.
Is a tanker or are IBCs the better option?
It depends on volume and the number of delivery points. On recurring volumes to a single consignee a tanker gives the lowest cost per litre, but cleaning and repositioning have to be counted. With multiple drops or mid-range volumes IBCs are often more efficient. We compare both on total cost delivered.
Can chemicals travel as part loads?
In many cases yes, but segregation rules apply: some classes cannot share a vehicle, and if the total on board exceeds the transport category thresholds the exemptions fall away. That is why, on groupage enquiries, we also check what else is on the vehicle.
Can a flexitank be used for ADR goods?
No. Flexitanks are excluded for goods in scope of ADR or IMDG. For those products the correct options are a tanker, tank container, IBCs or UN-approved drums. We confirm the class from the safety data sheet before proposing a format.
How much does the tunnel code affect transit time?
It can change the routing and therefore the transit time, particularly on Alpine crossings. It is not a marginal difference: two products of different classes going to the same consignee can travel different roads. Our quotations name the intended crossing for exactly this reason.
What documents does a chemical shipment need?
Safety data sheet, a transport document carrying the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group and tunnel code, plus the ordinary customs documentation. Depending on the product and destination, specific permits or registrations may be required — we check those before loading.
Do returning IBCs attract duty?
Not when handled under a temporary export or import regime. The critical point is discharging the regime within its time limit: an undischarged temporary admission comes back later as an assessment. We therefore track returns as open positions rather than as separate shipments.
How long does a quotation take?
Normally 24 working hours once we have the safety data sheet, packaging detail, quantity and both ends of the lane. Without the UN number and packing group we do not quote this cargo: any figure given before those data points is going to change.
Send the safety data sheet and the packing list, and we will tell you which format works, whether a relaxed regime applies, which routing we will use and the real transit time on that lane. Get in touch or use the quote form.