Shipping Big Bags — safely packed, transported insured
Logisticoo transports big bags (FIBC) from a single sack up to a full load — with a fixed price in 30 minutes and vehicles matched to the unloading situation. A filled big bag typically holds 0.5 to 2 m³ and weighs between 500 and 1,500 kg depending on the bulk material; with sand, gravel or grain it is the bulk density that determines the actual axle load. Loading requires a forklift or crane with sufficient lifting capacity at both ends — if the consignee has none, we schedule a vehicle with a truck-mounted forklift or loading crane. The condition of the fabric is important: only undamaged sacks with intact lifting loops and the appropriate safety factor (SF 5:1 for single-use, SF 6:1 for multi-use) go on the load bed. Dusty or free-flowing goods we carry with a liner and a closed filling spout. Whether builders' merchant, agriculture or recycling: your personal dispatcher clarifies the weight, lifting equipment and time slot and arranges the run within Germany or to one of 55 countries.
Packaging & load securing
Big bags stand individually on pallets so that forklifts can move them without pulling on the loops, and they are lashed down against tipping with straps over the pallet edges — not over the body of the sack. A positive fit against the end wall and between the sacks in accordance with VDI 2700 prevents these heavy units from shifting; torn loops or UV-brittle fabric rule out transport.
What matters
- State the actual gross weight per sack — calculate by bulk density, not volume
- Clarify lifting equipment at BOTH the loading AND the unloading point, otherwise schedule a truck-mounted forklift
- Only ship big bags with intact loops and a legible label (SWL/SF)
- Protect moisture-sensitive bulk goods with a liner and a cover hood
- Report hazardous bulk goods (e.g. certain fertilisers) in advance — they may be subject to ADR
Or call us directly: +49 30 346 467 850
Bulk density over volume — weight and the right vehicle
A filled big bag holds 0.5 to 2 m³ and weighs 500 to 1,500 kg depending on the medium — with sand, gravel or ore it is the bulk density, not the volume, that determines the actual axle load. A single sack is calculated like a heavy pallet and needs a vehicle with a truck-mounted forklift or loading crane if there is no forklift at a loading dock. Several sacks run as a part load; manufacturing operations ship entire batches as a full load — a curtain-side semi-trailer holds around 26 standard big bags in a single layer. The vehicle class depends on the total weight and the unloading situation: 7.5 t and 12 t trucks for single and part quantities, and a semi-trailer (FTL) for the full batch.
Point load and spillage protection — securing per VDI 2700
Big bags concentrate their weight on a small footprint; that is why they stand individually on pallets so that forklifts can move them without pulling on the lifting loops. Lashing is done over the pallet edges, never over the body of the sack, and stowed with a tight, positive fit against the end wall and between the sacks in accordance with VDI 2700, so that the heavy units do not shift. Only sacks with intact loops and the appropriate safety factor (SF 5:1 single-use, SF 6:1 multi-use) go on the load bed; UV-brittle or torn fabric rules out transport. Free-flowing and moisture-sensitive bulk goods travel with a liner, a closed filling spout and a cover hood.
How to ship big bags with Logisticoo
- You tell us the actual gross weight per sack, the fill material, the quantity and the lifting-equipment situation at the loading and unloading points.
- For critical media we check the ADR requirement and give you the fixed-price quote in 30 minutes.
- The sacks are ready palletised and dimensionally stable, with loops and label (SWL/SF) intact.
- Loading by forklift or — if none is available — with our truck-mounted forklift or loading crane.
- Secured transport per VDI 2700, with part-filled sacks conservatively secured against sloshing.
- Unloading at the agreed point. Whether builders' merchant, agriculture or recycling — your dispatcher schedules the weight, lifting equipment and time slot.
What does it cost to transport big bags?
The price comes up front as a fixed price. As a guide (±15%): 7.5 t truck around €1.45/km (from €169), 12 t truck around €1.65/km (from €219), semi-trailer (FTL) around €1.95/km (from €379). A single big bag holding one tonne is calculated as a heavy pallet and, as a part load, is considerably cheaper than a direct transport. A full load of around 20 big bags from Cologne to Berlin (around 575 km) comes to about €1.95/km as FTL, so roughly €1,120. Cost drivers are a lack of lifting equipment on site (truck-mounted forklift/loading crane) and ADR-regulated fill goods.
Big bag, vehicle and loading
| Weight / quantity | Example fill material | Vehicle | Loading without a dock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 big bag / 500–1,000 kg | Sand, granulate | 7.5 t truck + truck-mounted forklift | Truck-mounted forklift |
| 1 big bag / up to 1,500 kg | Gravel, ore | 12 t truck + loading crane | Loading crane / crane |
| several (2–10) | Building materials, recycling goods | Part load, truck | Forklift |
| Full load (~26 units) | Bulk-material production | Semi-trailer (FTL) | Forklift / dock |
Shipping options compared
| Shipping option | When it makes sense | Transit time | Cost level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part load | one or two sacks, flexible on timing | a few days (consolidated run) | cheapest option |
| Part load (LTL) | several big bags, moderately urgent | 1–2 days | medium |
| Direct transport (FTL) | full batch or production requirement | same/next day, no handling | km-based, from €379 |
| ADR transport | hazardous bulk goods with a UN number | as planned | higher, with requirements |
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to transport a single big bag holding one tonne?
That depends on the route and the unloading situation. As a single space on the load bed we calculate it like a heavy pallet; over longer runs the part load becomes considerably cheaper than a direct transport. Send us the weight, postcodes and lifting-equipment situation — the fixed-price quote comes in 30 minutes.
Can a big bag be loaded without a pallet?
Technically yes, by crane on the loops. For truck transport, however, we still recommend the pallet: it allows forklift handling without wearing out the loops, distributes the load on the load bed and is what makes clean load securing with a positive fit and lashing down possible in the first place.
Does a big-bag transport need an ADR permit?
That depends on the fill material. Building sand, granulate or non-critical substances travel freely; certain fertilisers or chemicals with a UN number trigger ADR requirements (approved sack, marking, trained driver). Tell us the name of the substance — we check the classification with the fixed price in 30 minutes.
How do you secure part-filled big bags?
Part fills between 20 and 80 percent slosh and amplify the centrifugal forces in bends. We secure such sacks especially conservatively with an additional positive fit and a moderated driving style. State the fill level so that we can design the load securing to suit.
Does the big bag have to stand on a pallet?
Technically it can be loaded by crane on the loops, but for truck transport we still recommend the pallet. It allows forklift handling without wearing out the loops, distributes the load on the load bed and is what makes a positive fit and lashing down possible in the first place.