This pre-order FAQ for Epichlorohydrin (ECH, CAS 106-89-8) covers MOQ, lead time, payment, sampling, and dangerous goods handling. ECH is a chlorinated oxirane liquid with the empirical formula C₃H₅ClO and molecular mass 92.52 g/mol. At 20 °C, its density is 1.180–1.183 g/cm³ when determined under ASTM D4052. The material is classified as UN 2023, Epichlorohydrin, Class 3 flammable liquid with subsidiary risk 6.1, and Packing Group II. A representative bulk specification sets purity at not less than 99.90% by gas chromatography, water at not more than 0.010% by Karl Fischer titration, and APHA color at not more than 10.

Production-grade ECH is used in liquid epoxy resin manufacture, epichlorohydrin rubber, wet-strength paper resins, and synthetic glycerin. The propylene-based route converts allyl chloride to dichloropropanol, followed by calcium hydroxide saponification; the glycerol-based route converts glycerin in the presence of a carboxylic acid catalyst and hydrogen chloride. Crude ECH is purified in a continuous vacuum distillation train with structured packing to remove water, chloropropanols, and high-boiling chlorinated ethers. Batch-to-batch variance at the distillation column outlet is controlled by the reflux ratio and by the feed rate of the saponification reactor. When pH is not controlled, trace chloropropanol derivatives remain and can alter the epoxy equivalent response in the buyer’s resin cook.

Minimum order quantity and package-specific mass balances

Bulk spot MOQ is one dedicated 25,000 kg ISO tank container. Drum and IBC programs operate from a 20 ft container load. A standard 240 kg epoxy-lined steel drum with UN 1A1 certification allows 80 drums per container, yielding 19,200 kg net. A 1,250 kg composite IBC with a UN 31HA1 inner bottle allows 20 units, yielding 25,000 kg net. Less-than-container-load shipments are permitted for 4 drums or fewer at the consolidation terminal’s discretion, but the dangerous goods surcharge per kilogram and the segregation check increase proportionally. Pre-order MOQ is therefore expressed as the mass of one full package unit, not as a free-form liquid volume.

Packaging selection must prevent moisture ingress and active-hydrogen contamination. Steel packages use a baked phenolic or epoxy-phenolic interior lining; closures and gaskets are PTFE or EPDM. The package certificate must show test pressure, leakproofness, and drop test results under ADR/RID chapter 6.1 or IMDG Code chapter 6.1. If the package certificate is not submitted before booking, the carrier’s dangerous goods safety adviser can reject the load even if the product inside is on-spec.

For ISO tank supply, the tank must be approved for UN 2023 and equipped with a pressure-relief device set below the tank’s design pressure, commonly 4.0 bar(g). The tank’s last inspection date and periodic test interval are listed on the transport documents. Receiving terminals require a copy of the tank certificate before the unit is accepted into the gated area.

In pre-order documentation, the buyer’s dangerous goods declaration must state the package code and the net mass per container. For bulk, the receiving terminal will also require the tank certificate number, the last test date, and the tank’s maximum allowable working pressure. A discrepancy between the declared net mass and the actual loaded mass of more than 2% can trigger re-inspection and demurrage at the port. This is a terminal-level tolerance, not a statutory allowance.

Can a spot shipment be loaded within seven days, and what extends that window?

For warehouse-backed drum or IBC cargo, ex-works readiness can be 5–7 days after payment confirmation and package inspection. A spot ISO tank cargo normally requires 12–18 days because vessel nomination, tank approval, and return of the empty unit to the loading terminal are independent constraints. On routes with inland barge or rail positioning, the total interval can extend to 20–30 days. These times assume that the consignee’s import permit and dangerous goods declaration are already valid; if the consignee name on the permit does not match the commercial invoice, re-issuance adds 3–5 days.

The production schedule is a secondary variable. ECH is not commonly held in large volumes at loading ports because prolonged storage increases the risk of moisture uptake and epoxide ring opening. A continuous distillation train therefore allocates forward production against bookings rather than drawing from a bulk stock tank. Drum and IBC parcels may be filled from buffer inventory produced within the previous 21 days. The final certificate of analysis is issued only after transfer into the transport package and completion of a 24 h custody hold for leak inspection. The hold is fixed for dangerous goods segregation and is not negotiable.

Lead time is also extended if the cargo must be re-analyzed after initial load because the line has handled a different epoxide product. Dedicated ECH lines avoid this, but shared epoxy-grade loading arms require a flush protocol of at least 2 h with dry nitrogen or fresh ECH. The flush procedure is repeated until the load-compartment vapor space contains less than 0.5% oxygen and moisture below 100 ppm(v). The certificate of analysis is not signed until the flushing log is approved by the terminal supervisor.

If the letter of credit is not prepaid, loading is controlled by banking and vessel nomination only

First-order payment instruments are typically an irrevocable sight letter of credit or 30% telegraphic transfer advance with 70% against scanned document presentation. The documentary set includes the commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of analysis, certificate of origin, dangerous goods declaration, and the ocean or road carrier document. Under CIF terms, the insurance certificate must be issued to the consignee or the issuing bank, as stated in the credit. The most frequent documentary discrepancy is an incorrectly signed dangerous goods declaration; it must show UN 2023, Class 3, subsidiary risk 6.1, and Packing Group II. The HS code for Epichlorohydrin is 2910.30.

Payment release does not accelerate dangerous goods acceptance. The bank may release original documents after payment, but the vessel cut-off for hazardous cargo is commonly 48 h before arrival. In a pre-order schedule, payment confirmation and cargo readiness should therefore be processed in parallel with the terminal’s gate approval. Under a letter of credit, the nominated paying bank has 5 banking days to examine the presentation under UCP 600 article 14(b). If the credit requires an inspection certificate issued by the buyer’s designated surveyor, the lead time must include that surveyor’s attendance at the loading port; in some countries this requirement can add 4–7 days to the booking.

For repeat buyers, open account terms may be granted after a minimum of 5 full-container loads or 180 days of incident-free receiving history. This is a credit-committee benchmark and is not defined in public dangerous goods standards. Payment terms do not override carrier segregation checks, port authority cut-offs, or the buyer’s obligation to present an import permit.

Pre-shipment sampling follows the same transport classification as bulk ECH. A representative volume of 0.5 L to 1.0 L is drawn from a circulating tank loop or from a homogenized drum using a nitrogen-purged dip tube. The sample container is a 0.5 L high-density polyethylene bottle with a PTFE-lined cap. It is sealed in a metal can with inert absorbent, then placed in a UN-certified fiberboard box with orientation arrows and a completed shipper’s declaration. IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations require cargo-aircraft-only routing for UN 2023; most carriers do not accept this material as checked or carry-on baggage and prohibit movement on passenger aircraft. The outer package carries the flame, corrosion, skull and crossbones, and health hazard pictograms, with the signal word “Danger.”

The sample testing schedule includes GC purity, moisture, color, inorganic chloride, and density. Moisture is measured by Karl Fischer titration under ISO 760, color by APHA under ISO 6271, and density at 20 °C under ASTM D4052. A valid pre-order retention sample from an export tank should have purity between 99.92% and 99.95%; a value below 99.80% may indicate distillation column endpoint drift or package contamination. The sample retains a final custody volume of 0.5 L in the laboratory for 90 days after shipment, unless national regulations require longer retention.

The shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods must be signed by a trained dangerous goods specialist and include the number of packages, the net quantity, and the transportation mode. For a 0.5 L sample moving by air, the material’s Class 3 and subsidiary 6.1 status usually requires an Operator Variation check in addition to the IATA DGR packing instruction. Because airline variations differ, sample bookings are confirmed only after the carrier’s dangerous goods station approves the outer package and the UN specification marking. The analytical report for a sample shipment is not a substitute for the final certificate of analysis for the commercial parcel. In some jurisdictions, the sample import permit will not cover a full container, and the buyer must file a new notification for the commercial quantity.

The receiving terminal must demonstrate the permit for UN 2023 before truck in-gating

ECH is classified under the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations, with UN 2023, proper shipping name Epichlorohydrin, Class 3, subsidiary risk 6.1, and Packing Group II. Under CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, the assigned hazard codes include H226, H301+H311+H331, H314, H317, and H350. The product therefore requires explosion-proof equipment, skin and eye protection, and restricted cargo segregation from foodstuffs, oxidizers, strong acids, and amines.

Receiving tanks should be vertical carbon steel tanks with an internal epoxy-phenolic lining, or 316L stainless steel for critical service. The tank must be fitted with a nitrogen blanketing system holding a pressure of 5–20 kPa(g) to exclude atmospheric moisture. Unloading lines should use stainless steel braided hoses or conductive PTFE, and the entire transfer loop should be bonded and grounded to a resistance below 10 Ω. Pumps are sealless magnetic-drive or canned-motor types with explosion-proof motors certified to IEC 60079-10-1 for Zone 1 or Zone 2. Stuffing-box seal flush with water is not recommended because water can hydrolyze ECH and raise the chloride content at the interface.

Spill containment is sized to 110% of the largest storage tank volume in most jurisdictions. Because ECH has measurable water solubility, a spill that enters an unisolated drain can propagate beyond the immediate drench station; the drain must be sealed during unloading. Fire suppression should use alcohol-resistant foam; a straight water spray may spread a burning pool. Emergency showers and eyewash stations must be reachable within 10 s of the unloading point, and the area must have a fixed gas detection loop for flammable vapor and a portable photoionization detector for screening pipeline flanges after transfer.

Personal protective equipment includes butyl rubber or fluorinated rubber gloves, chemical goggles, a face shield, and a chemical-protective suit when opening connections. Air-purifying respirators with organic vapor cartridges do not protect against oxygen displacement in a confined space; supplied-air respirators are required for tank entry or cleaning. The presence of the H350 carcinogenicity category means that exposure monitoring records and health surveillance are retained according to national occupational hygiene regulations. Under no circumstances should ECH be loaded into a tank that has previously contained amines, anhydrides, strong acids, or products with active hydrogen, unless a written cleaning and inspection procedure has been completed and verified by the responsible engineer.

The transport documents must name the product exactly as “Epichlorohydrin” without abbreviation, because a trade name or a shorthand such as “ECH” can be rejected by the carrier’s dangerous goods station. The marine dangerous goods manifest and the road transport document must also show the flash point, the net mass, and the number of packages. In the European Union, the seller’s safety data sheet must be updated to the current CLP classification and must state the specific concentration limits for the mixture if the product is shipped as a stabilized grade. Some suppliers add a stabilizer package below 100 ppm to inhibit acid-catalyzed polymerization; the identity and concentration of the stabilizer must appear in section 3 of the safety data sheet. A pre-order loading slot is therefore not confirmed until the receiving terminal has filed the unloading permit, the carrier has approved the dangerous goods declaration, and the tank or drum package has passed the final custody leak test. The inspection hold cannot be shortened for a first order if the cargo is moving under IMDG Code segregation requirements.