{ "id": "shipping-green-coffee", "url": "https://coffearium.org/entries/shipping-green-coffee/", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "title": "Shipping green coffee", "summary": "How green coffee travels from the exporting mill to the buyer's warehouse – bags, liners and bulk containers, stuffing and lining a container, port steps, the bill of lading, weights and samples on arrival, and cargo insurance.", "domain": "trade", "kind": "Process", "stage": "trade", "topics": [], "topicSections": {}, "lang": "en", "status": "verified", "reviewer": "Coffearium verification pass", "lastVerified": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "updated": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "added": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "brief": [ "Green coffee is usually packed in new jute or sisal bags, according to an insurers' guide, generally of 60 kg net.1,14 Colombia counts its exports in 70-kg bags.12", "It travels in bags or in bulk, usually in containers of 18–22 tonnes capacity.2", "Insurers' guides ask for paper lining on floor, sides and top, free ventilators and stowage below deck.1,3", "The bill of lading is the carrier's receipt for the coffee; its “on board” or “shipped” date proves the shipment date.6,7,8", "Institute Cargo Clauses (A) cover all risks except listed exclusions, among them ordinary loss in weight, insufficient packing and inherent vice.9" ], "quickFacts": [ { "label": "Bag", "value": "New jute or sisal, generally 60 kg net; 69 or 70 kg in some origins" }, { "label": "Container", "value": "Usually 18–22 t capacity, coffee in bags or bulk (Codex)" }, { "label": "Bulk share", "value": "Arabica about 10–15% of exports, a 2013 trade estimate (ICE filing)" }, { "label": "Lining", "value": "Paper on floor, sides and top of the stow" }, { "label": "Ventilation (insurers' guide)", "value": "10–20 air changes per hour" }, { "label": "Harbour transfer (ISO 8455)", "value": "No longer than 72 h recommended" }, { "label": "Unpacking after discharge", "value": "Within 24–48 h where possible" }, { "label": "Insurance in the standard contracts", "value": "All risks; under the ESCC 5% above the contract price, freight included" } ], "aka": [ "Green coffee shipping", "Coffee logistics", "Container stuffing" ], "linkTerms": [ "shipping green coffee", "container stuffing", "bulk container", "liner bag", "lined container", "break bulk", "cargo insurance", "Institute Cargo Clauses", "Hague-Visby Rules" ], "related": [ "green-coffee-storage", "green-coffee-contracts", "incoterms-for-coffee", "green-coffee-grading", "eudr", "switzerland-and-the-coffee-trade", "how-a-coffee-price-is-made", "direct-trade", "the-coffee-value-chain" ], "contested": [ "Bag weight of Colombian coffee: a German insurers' cargo guide gives 69 kg for Central America and Colombia1, while the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) counts green coffee export announcements in 70-kg bags.12 Nicaraguan export statistics use 69-kg bags beside 60-kg bags.13" ], "corrections": [ { "date": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "change": "The ICE value of approximately 150 lb is now given as the average bag delivered against the Coffee “C” contract (about 250 bags per lot), not as the average of bulk coffee bagged at a licensed warehouse.", "reason": "Submission 13-89 gives the 150-lb average for bags under the existing delivery rules; it gives no weight for bags filled under the new Appendix VI." }, { "date": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "change": "The undated one-third share of containerised coffee shipped in bulk was replaced by the exchange filing's 2013 trade estimate that approximately 10–15% of arabica exports were shipped in bulk.", "reason": "The share is a description of trade practice in an insurers' guide (Tier B for such statements) with no date or dataset; a lone Tier B number does not meet the number rule." }, { "date": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "change": "Notice of hidden damage under the Hague-Visby Rules is now within three days of removal of the goods, with the stated effect (removal is prima facie evidence of delivery as described); the third-party rule now names a holder acting in good faith.", "reason": "Article III(4) and (6) as they read; the earlier wording (“must … within three days of delivery”) was stronger than the rule." }, { "date": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "change": "Container rain is no longer attributed to the Codex code; the code is cited only for condensation and rewetting from temperature changes on the voyage.", "reason": "The Codex code (§47) does not describe warm coffee moving to a cold climate or water dripping from the roof." }, { "date": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z", "change": "The ICO mark is now described as country code, grower or exporter code and serial number of the parcel; the mark or unique consignment reference must (not should) appear on transport documents, unless agreed otherwise with the Executive Director.", "reason": "Rules 3 and 4.4 of ICC-102-9 Rev. 5 as they read." } ], "sources": [ { "id": "s1", "title": "Coffee (Transport Information Service cargo guide)", "authors": "Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (GDV), Transport Information Service", "publisher": "TIS – Transport Information Service", "url": "https://www.tis-gdv.de/?p=4116", "tier": "A/B", "tierNote": "Loss-prevention guide of the German insurers' association; A for its own handling and stowage guidance (wave ruling, 24 Oct 2026), B for descriptions of trade practice.", "quote": "Their net weight is generally 60 kg, but may be 69 kg in Central America/Colombia.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s2", "title": "Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A Contamination in Coffee (CAC/RCP 69-2009)", "authors": "Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO)", "year": 2009, "publisher": "Codex Alimentarius", "url": "https://www.fao.org/input/download/standards/11250/CXP_069e.pdf", "tier": "A", "quote": "Keep the ventilation holes in the containers free.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s3", "title": "Carefully to Carry, Consolidated Edition 2023", "authors": "UK P&I Club", "year": 2023, "publisher": "UK P&I Club", "url": "https://www.ukpandi.com/fileadmin/uploads/ukpandi/Documents/uk-p-i-club/carefully-to-carry/2023/UKPI_Carefully_to_Carry_2023_28.pdf", "tier": "A/B", "tierNote": "Loss-prevention guide of a marine liability insurer (protection and indemnity club); A for its own stowage and lining guidance, B for descriptions of trade practice.", "quote": "Bags should be stored in a brickwork fashion", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s4", "title": "Logistics and insurance (chapter), The Coffee Exporter's Guide, Third Edition", "authors": "International Trade Centre", "year": 2012, "publisher": "International Trade Centre (ITC), United Nations, Geneva; United Nations iLibrary, pp. 83–108", "url": "https://www.un-ilibrary.org/international-trade-and-finance/the-coffee-exporter-s-guide_a79f5b07-en", "doi": "10.18356/a79f5b07-en", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "Chapter preview only (break bulk and marine insurance); the full chapter was not readable.", "quote": "Marine insurance is usually higher for break bulk cargo.", "quotes": [], "abstractOnly": true, "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s5", "title": "Submission No. 13-89: Coffee “C” Futures – New Appendix VI of Chapter 8 – Permitted Bagging of Bulk Coffee", "authors": "ICE Futures U.S., Inc.", "year": 2013, "publisher": "ICE Futures U.S., self-certification to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (30 September 2013)", "url": "https://cftc.gov/stellent/groups/public/@rulesandproducts/documents/ifdocs/rul093013iceus001.pdf", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "Exchange rule filing; A for the exchange's own rules and lot size and for its statement of what the rule is for. The 10–15% bulk share is a trade estimate relayed by the exchange and is given attributed.", "quote": "on average a bag contains approximately 150 lbs.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s6", "title": "European Standard Contract for Coffee (ESCC), 2018 Edition", "authors": "European Coffee Federation", "year": 2018, "publisher": "European Coffee Federation, Brussels (copy hosted by the Comitato Associazioni Italiane Caffè, CAIC)", "url": "https://www.caic1933.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/EUROPEAN-STANDARD-CONTRACT-FOR-COFFEE.-FINAL-VERSION-2018.pdf", "tier": "A/B", "tierNote": "Standard contract of a trade body; A for what the contract itself specifies (packing, weighing, sampling, insurance, documents), B otherwise.", "quote": "The coffee shall be packed in sound uniform natural fibre bags suitable for the transport of coffee", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s7", "title": "Contract Terms and Conditions (effective May 1, 2002, as amended to September 27, 2021)", "authors": "Green Coffee Association", "year": 2021, "publisher": "Green Coffee Association, Inc., New York", "url": "https://greencoffeeassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GCA-Contract-eff-9-27-21.pdf", "tier": "A/B", "tierNote": "Standard contract of a trade body; A for what the contract itself specifies, B otherwise.", "quote": "Containers used for the shipment of coffee, shall be clean, free from odor and otherwise suitable for the transport of coffee.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s8", "title": "Marine Liability Act (S.C. 2001, c. 6), Schedule 3: Hague-Visby Rules", "authors": "Government of Canada", "publisher": "Justice Laws Website, Government of Canada", "url": "https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/m-0.7/page-18.html", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "Official text of the Hague-Visby Rules as enacted in Canadian law.", "quote": "Such a bill of lading shall be prima facie evidence of the receipt by the carrier of the goods as therein described.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s9", "title": "Institute Cargo Clauses (A), 1/1/09", "authors": "Lloyd's Market Association; International Underwriting Association of London", "year": 2009, "publisher": "Standard clauses for use with the MAR policy form (copy hosted by Aceris Law)", "url": "https://www.acerislaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Cargo-Clauses-A.pdf", "tier": "A/B", "tierNote": "Standard insurance clauses of the London market; A for what the clauses specify (cover, exclusions, duration), B otherwise.", "quote": "This insurance covers all risks of loss of or damage to the subject-matter insured", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s10", "title": "Rules on Statistics: Certificates of Origin (ICC-102-9 Rev. 5)", "authors": "International Coffee Organization, International Coffee Council", "year": 2022, "publisher": "International Coffee Organization, London (revised version approved by the International Coffee Council at its 134th Session, 7 October 2022)", "url": "https://ico.org/documents/Key documents/kd-icc-102-9-r5e-rules-certificates-origin.pdf", "tier": "A", "quote": "Every export of coffee shall receive a mark corresponding only and exclusively to the parcel of coffee concerned.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s11", "title": "10 tips on how to organise your coffee exports to Europe", "year": 2024, "publisher": "CBI – Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (last updated 17 July 2024)", "url": "https://cbi.eu/market-information/coffee/tips-organise-your-export", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "Government export-promotion agency; A for what it states about trade practice and documents.", "quote": "Many starting exporters cannot fill a full 20-tonne container.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s12", "title": "Anuncios de exportaciones de café verde de 70 kg. Registrados hasta el 22 de junio (2026)", "authors": "Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia", "year": 2026, "publisher": "Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC)", "url": "https://federaciondecafeteros.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-06-22-anuncios.pdf", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "National coffee body; A for its own export statistics.", "quote": "Anuncios de exportaciones de café verde de 70 kg", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s13", "title": "Exportaciones de café verde por calidad, cosecha 2023/2024 (01/10/2023–30/11/2023, preliminar)", "authors": "Ventanilla Única de Comercio Exterior de Nicaragua (VUCEN)", "year": 2023, "publisher": "Ventanilla Única de Comercio Exterior de Nicaragua", "url": "https://web.vucen.gob.ni/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Cafeverdeporcalidad-Nov-23.pdf", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "Government export statistics; table headers only, no text.", "quote": "Sacos de 69KG", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s14", "title": "Relatório mensal maio 2026 (Monthly coffee export report, May 2026)", "authors": "Conselho dos Exportadores de Café do Brasil (Cecafé)", "year": 2026, "publisher": "Cecafé, São Paulo (copy hosted by Poder360)", "url": "https://static.poder360.com.br/uploads/2026/06/cecafe-relatorio.pdf", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "Exporters' council of Brazil; A for its own export statistics, B for its comments on ports and freight.", "quote": "3,089 milhões de sacas de 60 kg de todos os tipos do produto", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "id": "s15", "title": "ISO 8455:2011 Green coffee — Guidelines for storage and transport", "authors": "International Organization for Standardization (ISO/TC 34/SC 15)", "year": 2011, "publisher": "ISO", "url": "https://www.iso.org/standard/44601.html", "tier": "A", "tierNote": "International standard; A for its own guidelines. Clauses read in the 2011 text (preview copy published by iTeh Standards); Amendment 1 (2015) not consulted. The quote is from the ISO catalogue page.", "quote": "from the time of its packing for export until the time of its arrival in the importing country.", "quotes": [], "accessed": "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z" } ], "markdown": "## From the mill to the container\n\nGreen coffee leaves the exporting mill as a lot: a batch of coffee from one origin and process, traded as a unit. It usually crosses the sea in shipping containers. The Codex code of practice on ochratoxin A says coffee travels in bags or in bulk, usually in containers of 18–22 tonnes capacity.2 A Dutch government guide for exporters notes that many starting exporters cannot fill a full 20-tonne container.11 It advises small suppliers to share a container with other coffee suppliers, not with other goods.11\n\nThe other way is break bulk: bags stowed in the ship's hold.4 According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), bags then risk weather during loading and discharge, tearing, contamination by other cargo, loss and mixing with other shipments.4 It notes that marine insurance is usually higher for break bulk cargo.4\n\n**The ISO guideline.** ISO 8455 gives guidelines for storing and transporting green coffee in bags, in big bags, in bulk and in silos, from packing for export until arrival in the importing country.15 A big bag, in the standard's words, is a flexible container of woven plastic fibre that holds about 1,000 litres of loose beans.15 The standard is written as guidance: its clauses say what should be done, not what must be done.15\n\n**What this entry does not cover.** How humidity, temperature and time act on the coffee is explained in Green coffee storage and transport. Who carries the risk and pays the freight is set by the trade term; see Incoterms for coffee. Contract time limits for weighing, sampling and claims are in Green coffee contracts.\n\n## Bags, liners and bulk\n\n**Bags.** A German insurers' cargo guide says coffee is usually packed in new bags of woven natural fibre such as jute or sisal.1 The European Standard Contract for Coffee (ESCC) asks for sound, uniform natural-fibre bags that are previously unused and suitable for food contact.6 The same guide says woven plastic bags do not affect quality as long as air can pass through them.1\n\n**Bag weights.** Net weight is generally 60 kg, according to the insurers' guide, and may be 69 kg in Central America and Colombia.1 Brazil's exporters report shipments in 60-kg bags.14 Nicaragua's export statistics list both 69-kg and 60-kg bags.13 The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) counts export announcements in 70-kg bags.12\n\n
\n
\n
Net weight of one export bag of green coffee as stated in an insurers' guide, an exchange rule filing and the export statistics of three producing countries. The ICE value is the average weight of a bag delivered against the Coffee “C” contract, converted from 150 lb (our calculation). TIS1, ICE Futures U.S.5, FNC12, VUCEN13, Cecafé.14
\n
\n\n**Liners.** A moisture-barrier lining can be added inside the bags.11 According to the insurers' guide, coffee from Mexico is sometimes shipped in a sisal bag with a perforated plastic inner bag.1 Hermetic inner bags and how well they keep quality are covered in Green coffee storage and transport.\n\n**Bulk.** Coffee can also travel loose. A large plastic liner bag hangs inside the container; container and liner are filled in a tilted position, then both are closed.1 In 2013 ICE Futures U.S. wrote that trade estimates vary, but that approximately 10–15% of total arabica exports appeared to be shipped in bulk.5 A marine insurers' guide says loose loading saves packaging and raises the load of a 20-ft container from 18 to 21 tonnes.3\n\n## Stuffing a container\n\nLoading a container is called stuffing. The Codex code asks for containers that are clean, dry and free of structural damage, checked before loading.2 The New York contract of the Green Coffee Association (GCA) also requires them to be free from odour.7 ISO 8455 asks that bags and containers be inspected before use: odour-free, without signs of insects, rodents or other contamination, and physically sound.15 Coffee should not be loaded into leaky, odorous or unsanitary containers, or into ones whose ceiling, walls or floor are wet or damp.15 The standard also recommends containers built to give an isothermal environment, one that the outside temperature hardly affects.15\n\n**Lining.** The floor, sides and top of the stow should be lined with packing paper, according to the insurers' guide.1 A marine insurers' guide recommends heavy-duty kraft or corrugated paper on the walls, the floor and the top of the bags.3 In a ventilated container, the insurers' guide says, no dunnage goes at the sides or the top, and only the floor is lined with paper.1 Dunnage is the material that protects and separates cargo.\n\n**Stacking.** Bags should be stacked in a brickwork pattern.3 With 250 bags of 70 kg, the marine guide says about 50 cm should stay free between the top of the stow and the roof.3 With 300 bags of 60 kg little space remains, and condensation damage becomes more likely.3 Hooks should not be used, because they tear the bags.1\n\n**Ventilation.** The ventilation openings must stay free.2 The marine guide warns that ventilators taped over for fumigation cause condensation and mould when the tape is not removed.3 Temperature changes on the voyage can make water condense and rewet the coffee, according to the Codex code.2 For inland transport, ISO 8455 warns that sealing containers that do not let air through airtight can lead to condensation.15 How this produces container rain is explained in Green coffee storage and transport.\n\n
\n
\n

A 20-ft container of bagged coffee

\n
    \n
  1. Container shell. A 20-ft general-purpose box, clean, dry, odour-free and without damage.2,6,7
    2. \n
  2. Ventilation openings. Kept free, never left taped.2,3
    3. \n
  3. Paper on the walls. Kraft or corrugated paper along the sides.1,3
    4. \n
  4. Paper on the floor. The floor is lined in every kind of container.1,3
    5. \n
  5. Bags in brickwork. Each layer offset, so no vertical gaps line up.2,3
    6. \n
  6. Paper over the top. Covers the stow in standard containers.1,3
    7. \n
  7. Headspace. About 50 cm with 250 bags of 70 kg.3
    8. \n
\n
Stuffing and lining of a box container of bagged green coffee as recommended in the Codex code and two insurers' guides. Point at a number or a line of the legend to highlight the part. Schematic, not to scale.
\n
\n\n## Port, voyage and arrival\n\n**At the port of loading.** The insurers' guide says a standard container of coffee should be stowed below deck.1 The Codex code warns against unprotected stowage on deck and near boilers or heated tanks.2 In damp weather the cargo must be protected from rain and snow during handling.1 ISO 8455 asks that the wait before loading be kept short, with loaded vehicles or containers in the shade where possible and light-coloured covers to limit the heating of the beans.15 It recommends that the transfer in the harbour take no longer than 72 hours, and that bags are never put down on an unclean or contaminated wharf.15\n\n**Ports in practice.** Brazil's exporters' council reported that 22 ports shipped Brazilian coffee in January–May 2026.14 The port of Santos handled 72.8% of the volume.14 In the same report the council's president said that a lack of port infrastructure was delaying shipments and causing exporters heavy losses.14\n\n**The voyage.** According to the insurers' guide, coffee should travel at 10–20 °C and be protected from frost.1 No source consulted for this entry gives typical transit times on the main routes. ISO 8455 asks for bagged coffee, in containers or not, to be stowed below deck in ventilated holds, well away from heated or refrigerated areas.15 It should be protected from salt water and ship sweat and kept away from chemicals, odorous or dusty cargo and goods that may be infested.15 If the cargo is unitised, only clean, dry pallets or Marino-type slings should be used, and rope slings should be clean.15\n\n**On arrival.** Where possible, the container should be unpacked within 24 to 48 hours of discharge from the ship.1 Long truck or rail journeys should be avoided, says the insurers' guide.1 Import clearance and the due diligence statement for the EU are explained under EUDR.\n\n## Papers that travel with the coffee\n\nThe bill of lading is the carrier's document for goods shipped by sea. Under the Hague-Visby Rules, the carrier issues it on the shipper's demand.8 It shows the identifying marks, the number of packages or the weight, and the apparent order and condition of the goods.8 It is prima facie evidence that the carrier received the goods as described.8 In the coffee contracts, its “on board” or “shipped” date proves when the coffee was shipped.6,7 Types of bill and how they pass through the banks belong to a planned entry on shipping documents.\n\nEach bag carries a mark. The International Coffee Organization (ICO) requires every export to receive a mark that belongs only to that parcel.10 The ICO identification mark has three parts: the code of the country, the code of the grower or exporter, and the serial number of the parcel.10 It is printed on the bags or on a metal strip attached to them.10 The GCA contract asks for bags branded in English with the country of origin.7\n\n## Weights, samples and claims\n\nOn arrival, the coffee is weighed if the contract is on landed weights. Under the 2018 ESCC this happens within 21 calendar days of discharge, by an independent recognised weigher.6 Samples for a quality arbitration are drawn and sealed by an independent qualified body.6 The time limits and the 0.5% weight franchise are described in Green coffee contracts.\n\nISO 8455 recommends taking random samples from the bags next to the container walls, and measuring moisture at least once before loading and again in the same bags on arrival.15 It sets no moisture limits. Because the acceptable range depends on the method and apparatus, it says the limits should come from practical experience and be stated in specifications and contracts; the method used should be named.15\n\nDamage is reported to two parties. Under the Hague-Visby Rules, written notice of hidden loss or damage should reach the carrier within three days of the removal of the goods; otherwise the removal is prima facie evidence that the goods were delivered as described.8 The cargo insurer pays for insured loss under its policy.9 Both the carrier rules and the insurance clauses exclude loss from insufficient packing or from the nature of the goods.8,9\n\n\n\n## Reference values\n\n| Parameter | Value reported | Source |\n|---|---|---|\n| Bag material | New woven natural fibre (jute, sisal); woven plastic if air-permeable | TIS1 |\n| Bag, ESCC | Sound, uniform, previously unused natural fibre, suitable for food contact | ESCC 20186 |\n| Net bag weight | Generally 60 kg; 69 kg in Central America and Colombia | TIS1 |\n| Bag unit in export statistics | Brazil 60 kg; Nicaragua 60 and 69 kg; Colombia 70 kg | Cecafé14, VUCEN13, FNC12 |\n| Bag for ICE “C” delivery | Approximately 150 lb per bag on average (≈68 kg, our calculation); about 250 bags make one lot | ICE Futures U.S.5 |\n| Container capacity | Usually 18–22 t, bags or bulk | Codex2 |\n| 20-ft container, bags → bulk | 18 → 21 t | UK P&I3 |\n| Bag loads named | 250 × 70 kg (17.5 t) or 300 × 60 kg (18 t); tonnes our calculation | UK P&I3 |\n| Headspace with 250 × 70 kg | About 50 cm between stow and roof | UK P&I3 |\n| Share of arabica exports in bulk | Approximately 10–15% (trade estimates, 2013) | ICE Futures U.S.5 |\n| Bulk in the ESCC | Stuffed in a 20-ft general-purpose container suitable for coffee | ESCC 20186 |\n| Stuffing temperature of the beans | 30–35 °C | TIS1 |\n| Loading moisture | Normally 11–13%; up to 13.5% still acceptable (basis not stated) | TIS1 |\n| Ventilation | 10–20 air changes per hour | TIS1 |\n| Transport temperature | 10–20 °C; protect from frost (below 0 °C) | TIS1 |\n| Temperature difference, southern summer to northern winter | Up to 50 °C | TIS1 |\n| Weight loss on the voyage | Up to 0.5% from released water vapour | TIS1 |\n| Big bag | Woven plastic fibre, about 1,000 l of loose beans | ISO 845515 |\n| Transfer time in the harbour | No longer than 72 h recommended | ISO 845515 |\n| Moisture check | At least once before loading and again in the same bags on arrival; limits set by experience and contract | ISO 845515 |\n| Unpacking after discharge | Within 24–48 h where possible | TIS1 |\n| Landed weighing | Within 21 calendar days of final discharge (ESCC 2018); within 15 days of availability at port (GCA) | ESCC6, GCA7 |\n| Bulk weighing, silo weights | Within 21 days of availability of the container at final destination | GCA7 |\n| Arbitration sample, bulk | 2 kg average sample, drawn and sealed by an independent body | ESCC 20186 |\n| Notice of hidden damage to the carrier | Within three days of removal of the goods | Hague-Visby Rules8 |\n| Time bar against the carrier | One year from delivery | Hague-Visby Rules8 |\n| Insurance in the ESCC | All risks; 5% above the contract price, freight included | ESCC 20186 |\n| Insurance end, ICC (A) | At the final warehouse, at the latest 60 days after discharge from the ocean vessel | ICC (A)9 |\n\nMoisture values from the insurers' guide state no basis; the Codex ceiling and the peer-reviewed limits are compared in Green coffee storage and transport.\n\n
\n
\n
Tonnes of green coffee in one container as stated in the Codex code, a marine insurers' guide and a government exporter guide. The two bag examples are converted to tonnes (our calculation). Codex2, UK P&I3, CBI.11
\n
\n\n## Bulk containers in detail\n\nIn a bulk container a liner bag of plastic fabric is suspended inside; the container and liner are filled while tilted and then closed.1 The insurers' guide gives the same dunnage recommendations for bulk containers as for standard containers.1 The Codex code calls a sealable plastic liner that allows aeration desirable for bulk coffee.2 The 2018 ESCC defines bulk shipment as coffee stuffed in a 20-ft general-purpose container suitable for coffee.6\n\nBulk changes what happens at the other end. In 2013, ICE Futures U.S. wrote that a growing volume of arabica coffee from traditional exchange origins was being shipped in bulk, in lined containers that hold approximately 20 tons (unit as written).5 Its rule lets such coffee arrive at a licensed warehouse in the original super sack or lined container and be bagged there.5 The bags must be new, food grade and properly marked, and sampling may only follow bagging.5 Under the existing rules, the filing notes, about 250 bags make up one Coffee “C” lot, and on average a bag contains approximately 150 lb (≈68 kg, our calculation).5 The GCA contract weighs bulk coffee within 21 days of the container's availability at final destination.7 Under the 2018 ESCC, the arbitration sample from bulk coffee is a 2 kg average sample.6\n\nThe ICO certificate of origin lets the exporter state the shipping form: bags, bulk, containers or other.10 The ICO mark or the unique consignment reference must also appear on the transport documents, unless a member has agreed otherwise with the ICO's Executive Director.10\n\n## Ventilation and condensation in practice\n\nThe insurers' guide gives a ventilation rate of 10–20 air changes per hour.1 It recommends a ventilation programme based on outside temperature and relative humidity, with daily measurements during the voyage.1 It calls preventing condensation in the hold the number one priority.1 For coffee at 13.5–14% moisture (basis not stated) it calls ventilated containers essential.1\n\nThe beans are stuffed at 30–35 °C, and the temperature difference between summer in the southern hemisphere and winter in the northern hemisphere can reach 50 °C.1 The beans release water vapour on the voyage; a sudden drop in temperature makes sweat form below deck.1 The marine guide notes that containers on the outside of a stack suffer most damage.3 It adds that the ship's crew cannot control how containers were stuffed, yet the damage may be blamed on the ship's ventilation.3 The physics of container rain and the field trials are in Green coffee storage and transport.\n\n## Weight on the way\n\nAccording to the insurers' guide, the water vapour that the beans release can reduce the weight by up to 0.5%.1 It lists torn bags, underfilled bags, sampling after filling and tare differences as further causes of loss.1 Very dry coffee may even gain weight under conducive storage conditions.1\n\nThe contracts decide who bears this loss. On shipped weights, the seller refunds only the loss above a 0.5% franchise under both standard forms (see Green coffee contracts).6,7 The insurance clauses exclude ordinary loss in weight or volume.9 The Hague-Visby Rules exempt the carrier from wastage in bulk or weight arising from the nature of the goods.8\n\n## Carrier, insurer and contract\n\n**The carrier.** Under the Hague-Visby Rules, once the bill of lading has passed to a third party acting in good faith, proof against what it states is no longer admissible.8 Notice of loss or damage goes to the carrier in writing at the port of discharge, at the latest when the goods are removed; for damage that is not apparent, within three days.8 Suit must be brought within one year of delivery, or of the date when the goods should have been delivered, or the carrier is discharged.8 The carrier is not liable for insufficient packing or for loss from an inherent defect, quality or vice of the goods.8\n\n**The insurer.** The Institute Cargo Clauses (A) cover all risks of loss or damage, except as excluded.9 The exclusions include ordinary loss in weight, insufficient or unsuitable packing or preparation, inherent vice, and delay.9 Cover starts when the goods are first moved in the warehouse for transit.9 It ends at the final warehouse, or at the latest 60 days after discharge from the ocean vessel.9 The insured must take reasonable steps to limit a loss and must preserve rights against carriers.9\n\n**The contract.** The 2018 ESCC requires insurance against all risks for 5% above the contract price, freight included.6 Under the GCA contract the buyer covers marine and war risk on FCA, FOB and CFR terms; on CIF the seller insures under an all-risks policy.7 Which term puts the insurance on which party, and the minimum cover under CIF, are in Incoterms for coffee.\n\n## Risks and damage\n\n- **Water.** Rain, sweat and excess humidity turn the beans white, according to the insurers' guide; bags wet with sea or rain water should be rejected.1 Moisture damage often shows only several days after contact with water.1\n- **Taint.** Green coffee is extremely sensitive to foreign odours and must be kept from cement and coal dust.1\n- **Mixed cargo.** The CBI guide advises against sharing a container with other commodities.11\n- **Torn bags.** Hooks and break bulk handling tear bags.1,4\n- **Fumigation tape.** Ventilators left taped cause condensation and mould.3\n- **Gas in the hold.** Before anyone enters the hold, it must be ventilated and the gas measured; poor ventilation can leave dangerous carbon dioxide levels or too little oxygen.1\n\n## Open questions\n\n- **Transit times.** No source consulted for this entry gives typical transit times on the main coffee routes.\n- **Bag counts.** The bag loads named here are examples in one insurers' guide.3 No standard consulted for this entry fixes how many bags go in a 20-ft container.\n- **Share of bulk.** The only figure here is a 2013 trade estimate for arabica relayed in an exchange filing.5 A German insurers' guide gives a higher share for containerised coffee without date or dataset,1 and no trade statistic consulted for this entry measures it.\n- **Paper over the stow.** Insurers' guides recommend it,1,3 but its value is questioned in a pepper trial described in Green coffee storage and transport.\n- **ISO 8455 amendment.** The clauses here are from the 2011 text. Amendment 1 (2015) was not consulted, so any change it made is not shown.15\n\n## Key documents\n\n
\n

ISO 8455:2011 – Green coffee: guidelines for storage and transport. The international guideline for green coffee from packing for export to arrival. It covers checks of bags and containers, warehouses, waiting at the port, stowage in the ship and moisture checks before loading and on arrival. It is a short text written as recommendations; limits for moisture are left to contracts.

\n

ISO, second edition 2011, confirmed 2018; Amendment 1 (2015) · iso.org

\n
\n\n
\n

GDV Transport Information Service – Coffee. The German insurers' loss-prevention page for coffee cargo. It covers bags and bulk liners, paper lining, ventilation rates, loading moisture, temperatures, weight loss and typical damage, from the insurer's side.

\n

TIS – Transport Information Service · tis-gdv.de

\n
\n\n
\n

UK P&I Club, 2023 – Carefully to Carry: coffee. A marine liability insurer's guide to carrying coffee. It describes the move from bags to lined bulk containers, brickwork stowage, paper lining and headspace, and why taped ventilators and tight stows lead to claims.

\n

Carefully to Carry, Consolidated Edition 2023 · PDF

\n
\n\n
\n

Institute Cargo Clauses (A), 2009. The London market's all-risks cargo clauses. They set what is covered, the exclusions such as ordinary weight loss, packing and inherent vice, and when cover starts and ends.

\n

Institute Cargo Clauses (A), 1/1/09 · PDF

\n
\n\n
\n

Hague-Visby Rules. The carriage-of-goods rules that define what a bill of lading shows and proves, the notice and time limits for claims, and the carrier's exemptions.

\n

Marine Liability Act (Canada), Schedule 3 · laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

\n
\n\n
\n

ICE Futures U.S., 2013 – Permitted bagging of bulk coffee. An exchange rule that lets arabica shipped in bulk be bagged at a licensed warehouse before grading for the futures market. Its filing records the growth of bulk shipments from traditional origins.

\n

Submission No. 13-89 to the CFTC · PDF

\n
" }