Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced it has become the first carrier to provide in-house Liquid Cargo Solutions. The company will be directly supplying and fitting flexibags that fit inside dry containers for customers worldwide.
According to the shipping giant, the service provides a single point of contact with end-to-end services for customers in the liquid cargo supply chain.
The company says its experts fit carefully selected flexibags at its depots prior to cargo pick-up, which removes the requirement for haulage to third-party fitting locations. In turn, this reduces road miles, saves time and money, and helps customers to meet their sustainability needs.
The flexibags allow customers to fill dry containers with up to 24,000 litres of non-hazardous liquid cargo – such as edible oils, wine, petroleum products and chemicals. This offers a safe and cost-effective alternative to other liquid bulk transportation methods, with less packaging than conventional ISO tanks.
The service is already available at depot facilities in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.
MSC says it works with dedicated suppliers of high-quality flexibags, and with its customers, to ensure each flexibag is tailored, selecting the right size and specifications according to the cargo’s needs.
Carmelo Cassarino, Global Accounts Manager – Logistics for MSC said, “MSC is in continuous evolution to support its customers’ needs and our end-to-end Liquid Cargo Solutions are designed to simplify and streamline the supply chain for our liquid customers. MSC’s in-house fit and supply expertise, combined with our unrivalled customer care and our worldwide connections, guarantee a smooth experience from start to finish – a 360-degree service that our customers can depend on. This solution is currently available in 21 countries across the world, and we are already looking at the potential for expansion to MSC depots worldwide.”
MSC argues that there are many advantages to making the switch to flexibags, including the fact they are single-use and fully recyclable, making them the hygienic choice for shipping edible cargoes.
In addition, the company says its bulkheads used for liquid cargo transport can be reused efficiently, reducing waste and improving supply chain sustainability.
As MSC’s statement explains, flexibags can be installed into any 20’ container which, once the bag is removed, is ready for re-use, removing the need for repositioning and saving cost. Moreover, there is no need to clean the container after use, as the case with ISO tanks.
MSC agencies currently offering Liquid Cargo Solutions include: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, UK and Uruguay with more to follow in 2022.