If you’re buying bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads, you’re past the stage of drums and bottles. You need tens of tons of oil delivered cheaply, safely and without contamination, and you want a seller who has done it before. We’re DThai Company Limited, and we ship bulk sunflower oil in flexitank containers from Thailand to refiners, bottlers, food factories and traders worldwide. This guide covers what a flexitank is, how much oil fits, our oil specifications, how loading and discharge work, what it costs compared with drums and ISO tanks, and how to order.
Table of Contents
What a Flexitank Is
A flexitank is a large, single-use bag made of several layers of food-grade polyethylene, fitted inside an ordinary 20-foot shipping container. Once it’s filled with oil, the container becomes a liquid tanker. At the other end, the oil is pumped out and the bag is thrown away or recycled.
Because the bag is new every time, there’s no previous cargo to worry about, which matters a lot for edible oil. And because it goes in a standard dry container, you can ship to almost any port that handles containers. That’s why so much bulk sunflower oil in flexitank form moves around the world today instead of in drums.
Flexitanks, and that includes bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads, are used for non-hazardous liquids only: edible oils, wine, juice concentrates, syrups, some industrial oils and similar products. Sunflower oil is one of the most common cargoes, and bulk sunflower oil in flexitank containers is now a standard way to trade it.
How Much Sunflower Oil Fits in a Flexitank
Flexitanks come in different sizes, typically from around 16,000 to 24,000 liters. For edible oil, most shippers use the larger sizes to get the most out of each container.
Sunflower oil weighs roughly 0.92 kg per liter. So a 24,000-liter flexitank carries about 22 metric tons of oil. Compare that with other ways of packing the same container:
| Packing in a 20-foot container | Approx. oil per container | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flexitank, 24,000 L | About 22 tons | Lowest packing cost per ton, single use |
| IBC totes, 20 x 1,000 L | About 18 tons | Easier to handle in small plants, totes cost more |
| Steel drums, 80 x 200 L | About 15 tons | Good for small buyers, highest packing cost per ton |
| Bottles and jerry cans | Varies | Retail-ready, much less oil per container |
One thing to check before ordering bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads: road weight limits in your own country. A container with 22 tons of oil plus the container’s own weight is heavy, and some countries or roads limit what a truck can carry. If that’s an issue, we can fill the flexitank to a lower volume.
Choosing the Fill Volume
Bigger isn’t always better. The right fill volume for bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments depends on three things at your end:
- Road weight limits. Check the maximum gross weight trucks can carry from your port to your plant. A full 24,000-liter flexitank plus the container can be over the limit in some countries.
- Tank space. Make sure your receiving tank can take the whole load in one go. Splitting a discharge is messy.
- How fast you use oil. If one flexitank lasts you three months, a smaller fill and more frequent shipments may keep your oil fresher.
Common choices are around 20,000 to 24,000 liters. Tell us your limits and we’ll suggest the volume. It’s easy to fill a little less, and much harder to deal with an overweight container at the port. A seller who has shipped a lot of bulk sunflower oil in flexitank containers will ask about this before quoting, and so will we. Getting it right first time saves you trucking fines, delays and extra handling, which matters more than squeezing in the last ton of bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads.
Our Sunflower Oil Specifications
Our standard grade for bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments is refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) oil, ready for bottling or food use. This is the spec we quote and load against:
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product | Refined, bleached, deodorized (RBD) sunflower oil |
| Free fatty acid (FFA) | 0.1% max |
| Moisture and impurities | 0.1% max |
| Color (Lovibond 5.25 inch cell) | 2.0 to 3.0 Red max |
| Peroxide value | 2.0 meq O2/kg max |
| Smoke point | Approx. 230°C |
| Bulk packing | Flexitank or ISO tank |
| Other packing | 1L, 2L, 5L bottles, 20L jerry cans, 200L drums |
| Shelf life | 12 months from production in sealed, cool, dark storage |
| Origin | Processed in Thailand |
We also supply crude sunflower oil for refiners, high oleic sunflower oil for frying and longer shelf life, deodorized sunflower oil and organic sunflower oil. Most of them can ship as bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads too. The standard grade is listed on our refined sunflower oil for sale page.
Refined or Crude in a Flexitank?
The grade you order depends on what you’ll do with it.
- Refined (RBD) oil is for bottlers, food factories and foodservice. It’s ready to use as soon as it’s pumped out.
- Crude oil is for refineries that will process it themselves. It’s cheaper per ton but needs degumming, neutralizing, bleaching and deodorizing before it can be eaten.
- High oleic oil is for fryers and snack makers who need oil that lasts longer under heat.
If you’re unsure, our guide to refined vs crude sunflower oil explains the trade-offs. When we quote bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments, we always confirm the grade in writing first, because a refinery and a bottler need very different things.
How Loading Works at Our End
Loading bulk sunflower oil in flexitank containers is a careful job, and most problems come from cutting corners here. This is how we do it:
- Container check. We choose a clean, dry, undamaged 20-foot container with no sharp edges, nails or strong smells inside.
- Lining. The container walls and floor are lined with cardboard or similar material to protect the bag.
- Bulkhead. A strong bulkhead is fitted at the door end to hold the weight of the oil away from the doors.
- Bag fitting. The new flexitank is laid out flat, valve facing the doors.
- Filling. Oil is pumped in through the valve and the volume is measured.
- Sampling. Samples are drawn for the certificate of analysis and kept as reference.
- Sealing. The valve is closed, the doors are shut and the container is sealed. The seal number goes on the documents.
You’re welcome to send your own surveyor to watch the loading, check the quantity and draw samples. We encourage it on first orders.
Quality Checks We Run Before Loading
Before any bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipment leaves us, the oil is tested against your contract. These are the numbers that go on the certificate of analysis:
- Free fatty acid. Low FFA means fresh, properly refined oil.
- Peroxide value. Shows whether the oil has started to oxidize.
- Color. Measured on the Lovibond scale, important for bottlers.
- Moisture and impurities. Water in oil shortens shelf life.
- Smell and taste. Refined oil should be neutral, with no off notes.
We keep a sealed reference sample from every flexitank. If anything is ever questioned at your end, we can test the same oil that went into your container. When you buy bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads from us, you can also have your surveyor draw their own samples at the same time.
Discharge at Your End
When your bulk sunflower oil in flexitank arrives, the container is trucked to your plant or a storage terminal. Here’s what you need on site:
- A clean, food-grade pump and hoses suitable for edible oil.
- A clean receiving tank, emptied and inspected before discharge.
- Space to park the container level, so the oil drains fully.
- Someone trained to connect the valve and run the pump.
Discharge of bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads usually takes a few hours. When it’s done, the empty bag is removed and disposed of according to your local rules. Many flexitank makers run collection or recycling programs.
Sunflower oil stays liquid at normal temperatures, so most routes don’t need heating. If your plant is somewhere very cold in winter, ask us about a heating pad fitted under the bag, which lets you warm the oil before pumping.
What Goes Wrong With Flexitank Shipments
We’d rather tell you the risks up front. Most problems with bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments come down to a handful of causes, and almost all of them are avoidable:
- A poor container. A nail, a damaged floor or a sharp edge can puncture the bag. That’s why we inspect and line every container.
- A weak bulkhead. If the bulkhead fails, oil presses against the doors. Opening them can be dangerous. Proper bulkheads prevent this.
- Overfilling. Too much oil for the container or the road limit causes problems with trucks and handling. We fill to the agreed volume.
- A non-food-grade bag. Cheap industrial flexitanks can taint edible oil. We only use food-grade bags.
- Rough handling. Containers dropped or shunted hard can stress the bag. Good shipping lines and trucking help.
Asking how a seller handles each of these is one of the quickest ways to judge whether they really know how to ship bulk sunflower oil in flexitank containers.
Flexitank vs ISO Tank vs Drums
| Flexitank | ISO tank | Drums or IBCs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil per 20ft unit | About 22 tons | About 22 to 24 tons | About 15 to 18 tons |
| Cost per ton | Lowest | Higher, tank must be returned | Highest packing cost |
| Previous cargo risk | None, new bag each time | Needs cleaning certificate | Low with new drums |
| Discharge | Pump at your site | Pump at your site | Easy, can be split |
| Best for | Regular bulk buyers | Buyers who need reusable tanks | Small buyers, mixed orders |
For most buyers who use 20 tons or more at a time and have a tank to pump into, bulk sunflower oil in flexitank form is the cheapest and simplest way to ship. If you don’t have a tank, drums or IBCs may still make more sense.
Who Buys Bulk Sunflower Oil in Flexitank From Us
- Bottlers who fill their own 1L, 2L and 5L bottles under their own brand.
- Food manufacturers making snacks, sauces, mayonnaise, margarine and ready meals.
- Refineries buying crude oil to process.
- Traders and distributors who sell oil on to smaller buyers.
- Large foodservice groups with central kitchens and storage tanks.
Each buyer of bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments cares about different numbers. Bottlers watch color and smell. Fryers watch smoke point and oxidation. Refiners watch FFA. Tell us what you’ll use it for and we’ll quote the right grade.
Markets We Ship To
We ship bulk sunflower oil in flexitank containers to buyers in many regions:
- The Middle East and the Gulf. Bottlers and food factories with steady monthly demand.
- Africa. Distributors and bottlers who refill into jerry cans and bottles for local markets.
- South and Southeast Asia. Short sea routes, so oil arrives fresh and freight stays low.
- Europe and the Americas. Food manufacturers with strict specs and full documentation requirements.
- Oceania and the Pacific. Smaller island markets, sometimes shipping oil alongside rice or sugar from us.
Tell us your port and your plant’s equipment, and we’ll suggest the flexitank size and grade that suit you best.
Storing Sunflower Oil After Discharge
Once the oil is in your tank, a few simple habits keep it fresh:
- Use clean, food-grade storage tanks, ideally stainless steel or coated carbon steel.
- Keep oil away from heat and direct sunlight, which speed up oxidation.
- Limit air contact. Some plants use a nitrogen blanket on large tanks.
- Don’t mix new oil on top of old oil if you can avoid it.
- Bottle or use the oil within its shelf life.
Refined sunflower oil keeps around 12 months in good conditions. If you buy bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads every month, you’ll rarely hold stock long enough for this to be a problem.
Contracts and Trade Terms
Many international oil contracts follow the standard forms published by FOSFA International, the trade association for oils and fats. Whether or not your contract uses FOSFA terms, the important points for bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments are the same:
- The exact grade and specification, including FFA, color, moisture and peroxide value.
- How quantity is measured at loading, and the allowed tolerance.
- Who appoints the surveyor, and at whose cost.
- The Incoterm. The ICC Incoterms rules set out exactly where cost and risk pass from us to you.
- Payment terms and documents.
We’ll put all of this in writing before you pay a deposit on any bulk sunflower oil in flexitank order.
How to Check a Seller Before You Pay
Bulk oil is a big-ticket purchase, and the edible oil trade has its share of fake offers. Before you pay a deposit for bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads, ask:
- Where is the oil refined, and can I see a recent certificate of analysis?
- Can you send a sample from the actual lot?
- Will you accept an independent surveyor at loading?
- Which flexitank brand do you use, and is it food-grade?
- Which port will it load from, and when?
- Does the company on the contract match the shipper on the Bill of Lading and the bank account?
A real seller answers these quickly. Offers with prices well below the market, fees before samples, or refusal of inspection are all warning signs.
What Moves the Price
We don’t publish prices on this page because vegetable oil prices change daily. Ask and we’ll quote you the same or next working day. The main drivers are:
- World sunflower oil prices, which follow crops in the main growing regions.
- Grade, with refined and high oleic costing more than crude.
- Flexitank and loading cost, a fixed amount per container.
- Ocean freight and whether you buy FOB or CIF.
- Volume and contract length, with monthly contracts getting better pricing.
Per ton, bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments almost always land cheaper than the same oil in drums or bottles, simply because the packaging costs far less.
Documents and Shipping
Every flexitank shipment comes with a commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin and certificate of analysis. Health certificates, halal certificates and the flexitank’s own certificate are available on request. If your country needs anything else, tell us before loading.
We load from Bangkok or Laem Chabang, usually 10 to 20 days after your deposit clears. Transit takes about a week to most of Asia and roughly three to six weeks to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. First orders are normally paid by T/T, 30% deposit and the balance against shipping documents, with Letters of Credit available for larger repeat contracts. More detail is on our shipping page and in our guide to bulk container shipping from Thailand.
Why Buy From DThai
- Lot-specific certificate of analysis before you pay.
- New, food-grade flexitanks on every shipment.
- Independent surveyors welcome at loading.
- Refined, crude, high oleic and organic grades from one supplier.
- Drums, IBCs or bottles for smaller orders, so you can start small and move to flexitanks later.
- One team handling the oil, the loading and the paperwork.
Our sunflower oil supplier guide covers our full oil range, and the sunflower oil for sale page lists every grade. For long-term supply, see our supply contracts page.
Starting Small: From Drums to Flexitanks
Not every buyer is ready for 22 tons in one go. Plenty of our customers started with drums or IBCs, tested the oil in their own production, and moved to bulk sunflower oil in flexitank shipments once they were sure.
That’s a sensible way to start buying bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads. Drums cost more per ton, but they let you check our oil, our paperwork and our loading before you commit to bigger volumes. When you’re ready, switching to flexitanks usually brings your cost per ton down noticeably, and we can keep the same grade and spec.
How to Order
- Send us the grade, number of flexitanks, destination port and whether you want FOB or CIF.
- We send a quote and a recent certificate of analysis.
- We send a sample if you need one.
- We sign a contract with the spec, quantity, tolerance, loading date and payment terms.
- You pay the deposit and we schedule loading.
- We load, seal and send the documents. You pay the balance, and the oil sails.
You can start on our contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tons of sunflower oil are in one flexitank?
About 22 metric tons in a 24,000-liter flexitank. Smaller flexitanks carry less, and we can fill to a lower volume if your roads have weight limits.
Is a flexitank safe for edible oil?
Yes, when it’s a food-grade flexitank and fitted properly. The bag is new for each shipment, so there’s no previous cargo inside.
Do I need special equipment to unload?
You need a food-grade pump, hoses and a clean receiving tank. Most oil buyers already have these.
What is the minimum order?
One flexitank, which is one 20-foot container. If you need less than that, we can supply drums or IBCs instead.
Can you ship high oleic or organic oil in a flexitank?
Yes. Most of our grades can ship as bulk sunflower oil in flexitank loads. Tell us the grade when you ask for a quote.
Do I need a heating pad?
Usually not for sunflower oil. If your destination is very cold in winter, ask us, and we can fit a heating pad under the bag.
Do you ship worldwide?
Yes. We ship to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Oceania.
Shipping bulk sunflower oil in flexitank containers is the most practical way to move edible oil in volume, as long as the oil is right, the bag is fitted properly and the paperwork matches. That’s the part we take care of. Send us your requirements and we’ll come back with a quote.