Caustic Soda Flakes Supplier — Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) from Turkey & UAE
Caustic Soda Supplier Africa — Bulk Sodium Hydroxide Flakes, Pearls & Liquid
A procurement guide and supply offer for importers, distributors and industrial plants sourcing caustic soda (NaOH) in container quantities for African delivery. Grades and specifications, packaging and container loading, MOQ and lead times, Incoterms and payment terms, export documentation — and the country-specific import conformity programs that decide whether your container clears customs or sits on the quay.
In short — SUHA International Trading is a caustic soda supplier and exporter serving Africa, loading FOB Jebel Ali (UAE) and Mersin (Turkey). We supply caustic soda flakes at 98% NaOH, pearls at 99% minimum and liquid caustic soda (soda lye) at 32–50%, in full-container loads from one 20′ FCL (about 25 MT). Sodium hydroxide is CAS 1310-73-2, HS 2815.11 as a solid and 2815.12 in solution, classified UN 1823 / UN 1824 Class 8 corrosive.
Every consignment ships with a batch Certificate of Analysis, Technical Data Sheet, Safety Data Sheet, Certificate of Origin and the Class 8 Dangerous Goods Declaration required for sea freight. Where the importing country operates a pre-shipment scheme — SONCAP in Nigeria, PVoC in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, CBCA in Zimbabwe — we arrange certification at origin, before the vessel sails, because it cannot be obtained retroactively.
Why African Buyers Import Caustic Soda
Africa imports the large majority of the caustic soda it consumes. Domestic chlor-alkali capacity exists in a handful of countries — most notably South Africa and Egypt — but it does not cover continental demand from mining, water treatment, soap and detergent manufacturing, textiles and refining. That gap is filled by imports, predominantly from the Middle East, Turkey, India and East Asia.
Understanding that structure matters commercially. As an African buyer you are usually not choosing between a local producer and an importer — you are choosing between importers. And the difference between importers is rarely the molecule, which is identical. It is documentation discipline, packaging suited to tropical humidity, and route knowledge. This page is organized around exactly those three things.
📊 Market context: the global caustic soda market is estimated at roughly 90–95 million tonnes annually, with growth in the region of 4–5% per year driven by alumina refining, pulp & paper, water treatment and chemical processing. Because NaOH is a co-product of chlorine, its price is set by chlorine demand, electricity cost and chlor-alkali operating rates rather than by caustic demand alone — which is why no fixed price appears on this page.
Figures are indicative industry estimates and vary by source and methodology. For a landed number, request a dated quotation.
What Is Caustic Soda? Definition & Identifiers
- Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH)
- Caustic soda is an inorganic strong base with the formula NaOH, produced industrially by electrolysis of sodium chloride brine in the chlor-alkali process. It is supplied commercially as solid flakes, pearls (prills) or micro-pearls, and as an aqueous solution known as soda lye or liquid caustic soda. It is highly hygroscopic, dissolves in water with a strongly exothermic reaction, and is classified internationally as a Class 8 corrosive substance for transport.
Getting the identifiers right on the invoice, packing list and dangerous goods declaration is the cheapest way to avoid a customs hold. The most common error on buyer-prepared paperwork is applying the solid-form UN number to a liquid shipment or the reverse — solid caustic soda and caustic soda solution have different UN numbers and different HS subheadings.
Regulatory & Trade Identifiers for Sodium Hydroxide
| Attribute | Solid (flakes, pearls, micro-pearls) | Aqueous solution (soda lye) |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical name | Sodium hydroxide | Sodium hydroxide solution |
| Formula | NaOH | NaOH (aq) |
| Common names | Caustic soda, lye, caustic flakes | Soda lye, liquid caustic, caustic liquor |
| CAS number | 1310-73-2 | 1310-73-2 |
| EC / EINECS | 215-185-5 | 215-185-5 |
| HS code (6-digit) | 2815.11 | 2815.12 |
| UN number | UN 1823 | UN 1824 |
| IMDG class | Class 8 (corrosive) | Class 8 (corrosive) |
| Packing group | II | II or III by concentration |
| Molar mass | 39.997 g/mol | — |
| Density (solid) | 2.13 g/cm³ | Concentration dependent |
| Melting point | 323 °C | — |
| Water solubility | ≈ 1,000 g/L at 25 °C | Miscible |
| pH (1% solution) | 12–14 | 12–14 |
| Heat of dissolution | −44.5 kJ/mol | — |
| Appearance | White solid, deliquescent | Clear to slightly turbid liquid |
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Practical point for importers: national customs tariffs extend 2815.11 and 2815.12 with additional digits, and duty treatment differs by country and trade bloc. Where your country is party to a preferential arrangement — ECOWAS, EAC, SADC, COMESA, AfCFTA, or the EU association agreements covering Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt — the Certificate of Origin determines whether you pay full MFN duty. Tell us which origin you need documented before we allocate production, not after.
How Caustic Soda Is Manufactured
Commercial NaOH is a co-product of chlorine. Brine is electrolyzed — today almost always in membrane cells, with older diaphragm and mercury-cell capacity largely retired — yielding chlorine at the anode, hydrogen at the cathode and a sodium hydroxide solution. That solution is concentrated by evaporation to roughly 50%, the standard commercial liquid grade. To make solid product, the 50% liquor is concentrated further and then flaked on a chilled drum or prilled into pearls. This is why the solid forms differ in physical behavior rather than chemistry, and why liquid caustic soda is always the cheapest form per tonne of NaOH at the factory gate — and usually the most expensive form to ship.
Electrolysis of brine
Purified sodium chloride brine is electrolyzed in a membrane cell, producing sodium hydroxide solution at the cathode, chlorine gas at the anode and hydrogen as a byproduct.
Concentration & purification
Dilute NaOH passes through multi-effect evaporators that remove water, while trace impurities — sodium chloride, sodium carbonate and iron — are reduced to target purity.
Flake or pearl formation
Concentrated molten NaOH is fed onto cooled rotating drum or belt flakers to form flakes, or prilled through a spray tower to form uniform pearls.
Drying & packaging
Final moisture removal precedes sealing in multi-layer, moisture-resistant packaging, because NaOH is highly hygroscopic and cakes if exposed to humid air.
Caustic Soda Grades & Typical Analysis
We supply all four commercial forms. For African destinations the overwhelming majority of volume moves as caustic soda flakes, because flakes carry the most NaOH per tonne of ocean freight, tolerate long dwell times in humid port storage, and need no bulk-liquid infrastructure at the receiving site.
| Grade | NaOH assay | Physical form | Primary industrial fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caustic soda flakes | 98% ± 1 | White flakes, 0.3–1 cm | Soap and detergent, mining, water treatment, textiles, pulp, refining |
| Caustic soda pearls | 99% min | Free-flowing beads | Automated dosing, food-adjacent processing, fine chemicals |
| Micro-pearls | 99% min | Fine beads | Rapid dissolution, low-dust handling, laboratory and blending |
| Liquid caustic soda | 32% / 45% / 50% | Soda lye solution | High-volume single-site users with bulk tankage and dosing lines |
Higher-Purity Grades on Request
Industrial Grade
Our highest-volume export grade. Mining and hydrometallurgy, oil refining, alumina extraction, pulp & paper, soap, textiles and heavy chemical manufacturing — the best balance of purity, performance and landed cost for large-scale African operations.
Food Grade
Qualified production for controlled food processing — olive curing, chemical peeling of fruit and vegetables, pretzel glazing and Clean-In-Place sanitation in dairy and beverage plants. Requires confirmation at enquiry stage.
Pharmaceutical Grade
To pharmacopoeia standards (USP/EP) for drug synthesis, cosmetic formulation and healthcare products requiring documented purity and full batch traceability.
Reagent / Lab Grade
For analytical chemistry, R&D and sensitive catalytic processes. Additional purification reduces heavy metals such as iron and nickel below 10 ppm, with certifiable purity.
Caustic Soda Flakes — Typical Batch Analysis
Typical production values for our industrial-grade flakes, provided so you can screen the product against your process requirement before requesting a quotation. The controlling document for any consignment is the batch-specific Certificate of Analysis issued at loading, which we send before you release payment or open the L/C.
| Component | Test result | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| NaOH (sodium hydroxide) | 98 ± 1 | %W |
| Na₂CO₃ (sodium carbonate) | 0.43 | %W |
| NaCl (sodium chloride) | 0.0085 | %W |
| Na₂SO₄ (sodium sulfate) | 0.0047 | %W |
| SiO₂ (silica) | 0.0019 | %W |
| Insoluble in water | 0 | %W |
| Fe (iron) | 10 | PPM |
| Al₂O₃ (alumina) | Max 3 | PPM |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | Max 2 | PPM |
| Flake size | 0.3 – 1 | cm |
[[CONFIRM before publishing]] — state the specification your production is tested against (for example GB 209, ASTM E291 or a named producer specification). Do not cite a standard the mill does not actually test to. Where a tender or process requires conformity to a specific national or international standard, we confirm in writing before allocation whether available production meets it.
Flakes vs Pearls vs Liquid — How to Choose
This is the decision that most affects your landed cost per tonne of active NaOH. The three forms are chemically identical in solution; they differ in freight efficiency, handling infrastructure, dust exposure and shelf stability.
| Criterion | Flakes (98%) | Pearls (99%) | Liquid (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NaOH per 20′ FCL | ≈ 24.5 MT | ≈ 24.8 MT | ≈ 7 MT active |
| Freight cost per tonne NaOH | Lowest | Lowest | Highest |
| Dissolution speed | Fast — high surface area | Moderate | Immediate |
| Flow & dosing precision | Good for batch tanks | Best — free-flowing, uniform | Best for continuous |
| Dust generation | Moderate | Low | None |
| Caking risk, humid storage | Moderate | Low–moderate | None |
| Site infrastructure needed | Warehouse only | Warehouse only | Lined tank, bunding, pumps |
| Freezing risk in transit | None | None | Yes, below ≈12 °C at 50% |
| Shelf life, sealed | 12 months+ | 12 months+ | 6–12 months |
| Packaging | 25 kg bags, 1.25 MT FIBC | 25 kg bags, 1 MT FIBC | Drums, IBC, ISO tank |
| Best fit | Most African buyers | Precision dosing, higher purity | Single large plant near port |
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Choose flakes if…
- You ship more than roughly 300 km inland from the discharge port.
- Your process dissolves NaOH in batch tanks rather than metering continuously.
- You resell or redistribute in 25 kg units.
Choose pearls if…
- You dose through automated screw feeders or dissolving hoppers.
- Dust exposure is a documented occupational-hygiene constraint on site.
- Your specification calls for 99% assay and tighter iron limits.
Choose liquid if…
- Your plant sits within short trucking distance of the port.
- You already have lined bulk tankage and secondary containment.
- You consume enough to justify ISO tank movements.
Key insight for export buyers: with liquid you pay ocean freight on water. A 50% solution is half NaOH by weight, so a container of drummed liquid delivers roughly 7 MT of active NaOH against about 24.5 MT for bagged flakes. Ex-works, liquid is cheapest per tonne of NaOH; landed thousands of kilometres inland, it is usually the most expensive.
Packaging Built for Africa's Climate
Caustic soda is deliquescent: it absorbs atmospheric moisture, then reacts with carbon dioxide to form sodium carbonate on the surface of the flake. In a container that crosses the equator and then sits in a coastal yard at 85% relative humidity, packaging is not an accessory to the product — it is part of the specification. Almost every caking claim traces back to a single-layer bag, a punctured liner, or a container stored open at destination.
| Format | Net unit | Moisture barrier | Per 20′ FCL | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 kg laminated PP bag, PE liner | 25 kg | Two-layer, heat-sealed inner liner | 24–25 MT | Default export format; distributors, manual handling, resale |
| 50 kg laminated PP bag, PE liner | 50 kg | Two-layer, heat-sealed inner liner | 24–25 MT | Large end users with mechanical handling |
| 1,250 kg FIBC jumbo bag, lined | 1.25 MT | UV-stabilized FIBC with PE liner | 22–25 MT | Plants with forklifts, hoppers and overhead lifting |
| Palletized units | 1 MT | 40 × 25 kg bags, shrink-wrapped | 24–25 MT | Fast forklift discharge, low damage risk |
| 200 kg HDPE drum | 200 kg | Sealed, UN-rated drum | ≈ 14 MT net | Liquid caustic soda in ocean freight |
| 1,000 L IBC tote | ≈ 1,250 kg | Sealed composite IBC | 18–20 MT | Liquid, mid-volume, forklift at destination |
| ISO tank container | Bulk | Dedicated lined tank | 20–24 MT | Liquid, high-volume, tankage at destination |
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Palletized or Non-Palletized: The Loading Trade-off
This choice changes your freight cost per tonne and your discharge time, and buyers routinely get it wrong. Because caustic soda is dense, a 20′ container reaches its gross weight limit long before it fills the available volume — which is also why a 20′ box is almost always more economical than a 40′ for this cargo.
| Configuration | Typical net load | Discharge | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 kg bags, palletized & shrink-wrapped | 24–25 MT | Forklift, 1–2 hours | Faster, lower damage and pilferage risk; slightly less payload; needs forklift and a level bay at destination |
| 25 kg bags, floor-loaded & interlocked | 26–28 MT | Manual, 4–8 hours | Maximum payload and lowest freight per tonne; higher labor cost, higher bag-damage risk, slower turnaround |
| FIBC jumbo bags, floor-loaded | 22–25 MT | Forklift or crane, under 1 hour | Fastest discharge; requires lifting capacity and a covered handling area |
Confirm your discharge capability before you specify. Non-palletized loading gives the lowest freight cost per tonne, but if your warehouse has no forklift access or your port charges demurrage on slow devanning, palletized loading is usually cheaper on total landed cost. Tell us the handling equipment available at the receiving site and we will recommend a configuration — and quote both, so you can compare rather than take our word for it.
Private Label, OEM & Custom Packaging
- Private label bags printed with your brand, product name, net weight, batch field and your regulatory text, alongside mandatory GHS pictograms and UN marking.
- Neutral packaging with no producer identification, where your commercial arrangements require it.
- Market-specific labeling in English, French, Arabic or Portuguese — which matters in Francophone West Africa, the Maghreb, Angola and Mozambique.
- Alternative net weights and bag constructions, subject to minimum run volumes agreed at order stage.
Custom-printed packaging adds artwork approval and bag production to the lead time: allow two to three extra weeks on a first run, and expect to supply print-ready artwork. Hazard communication elements are not negotiable and must remain compliant on any custom design.
MOQ, Bulk Orders, Capacity & Lead Time
Minimum order quantity: one full 20′ container — approximately 25 metric tons of bagged flakes or pearls, or around 14 metric tons net of liquid caustic soda in drums. Less-than-container-load shipment of a Class 8 corrosive is possible in principle but is rarely economic once DG surcharges, consolidation fees and handling are counted, so we do not quote it as a standard option.
| Parameter | Terms |
|---|---|
| Minimum order (solid) | 1 × 20′ FCL, ≈ 25 MT bagged |
| Minimum order (liquid) | 1 × 20′ FCL drummed, ≈ 14 MT net, or 1 ISO tank |
| Typical repeat order | 1–10 × 20′ FCL per shipment |
| Monthly supply capability | [[CONFIRM: your genuine monthly allocation in MT across both origins. This is a primary buyer-qualification question and an unverifiable number damages credibility.]] |
| Annual / framework supply | Available with agreed monthly call-off and a price mechanism |
| Production & allocation | 7–15 days |
| Sea transit | 5–35 days |
| Documents to buyer | Scanned set within 3–5 working days of sailing; originals by courier |
| Quotation validity | 3–7 days |
| Weight tolerance | ±5% on contracted quantity unless otherwise agreed in the sales contract |
| Loading origins | Jebel Ali (UAE) and Mersin (Turkey) |
Why Dual-Origin Loading Matters to Your Landed Cost
Loading from two origins is not a marketing line, it is a routing tool. Mersin generally gives the shorter, cheaper route to North and West African ports and the Mediterranean; Jebel Ali generally wins for East Africa, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean coast, and often for Southern Africa depending on the service pattern. On a 25-tonne container, the difference between the right origin and the wrong one is frequently larger than the difference between two suppliers' FOB prices. Give us the discharge port and the final inland destination and we will quote from both origins, so the comparison is visible to you rather than hidden in our margin.
EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF and DAP for Class 8 Cargo
Caustic soda is dangerous goods, which makes the Incoterm choice more consequential than for general cargo. The party controlling the booking is the party responsible for the dangerous goods declaration, IMDG-compliant packing and the carrier's DG approval — and DG bookings are refused or surcharged far more often than ordinary bookings. If your forwarder has no DG experience on the route, buying FOB can cost you more than buying CIF.
| Term | Seller covers | Buyer covers | Handles DG booking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Goods at works, packed | Export clearance, inland haulage, freight, insurance, import | Buyer | Traders with their own origin logistics and DG capability |
| FOB | Packing, export clearance, delivery on board at Jebel Ali or Mersin | Ocean freight, insurance, import clearance, delivery | Buyer | Buyers with a contracted forwarder and negotiated DG rates |
| CFR | All of FOB plus ocean freight to the named port | Insurance, import clearance, delivery | Seller | Buyers with their own marine cargo policy |
| CIF | All of CFR plus marine insurance to the named port | Import clearance, duties, inland delivery | Seller | First-time importers and most African buyers |
| DAP | Delivery to a named inland place, insurance included | Import duties and taxes | Seller | Landlocked destinations and inland industrial sites |
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Buy FOB when
- You ship regularly and hold negotiated rates including DG surcharges.
- Your forwarder has proven Class 8 experience on your specific trade lane.
- You want to control the carrier, sailing and transshipment route.
Buy CIF or DAP when
- This is a first import, or your first import of dangerous goods.
- You need one landed figure to compare against a domestic offer.
- Your destination is landlocked and the routing decision is technical.
We quote FOB and CIF side by side on request so you can benchmark our freight against your own forwarder's. Under CIF we insure at 110% of invoice value on institute cargo clauses appropriate to the cargo; ask for the certificate wording if your bank or tender requires specific cover.
Payment Terms for Bulk Caustic Soda Orders
Terms depend on order value, destination banking conditions and trading history. First transactions are normally on an irrevocable letter of credit at sight or advance telegraphic transfer; open account and documents-against-acceptance terms are considered after an established record.
| Instrument | Structure | Typical use | Buyer consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irrevocable L/C at sight | Confirmed through an acceptable bank, payable against compliant documents | New relationships, tender-backed orders, higher values | Bank charges and issuing time; strongest protection for both sides |
| T/T advance | 100% before production, or 30% deposit and 70% against B/L copy | Single containers, repeat buyers, fast execution | Fastest and cheapest; needs trust or a partial structure |
| CAD / D/P | Documents released against payment at the buyer's bank | Established buyers on repeat routes | Cheaper than L/C, less protection than L/C |
| D/A or open account | Deferred payment after acceptance or delivery | Long-standing contract customers only | Subject to credit review and, where required, trade credit insurance |
| Currency | USD standard; EUR available | All markets | Confirm your central bank's FX allocation process before ordering |
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Plan for foreign-exchange administration, not just for price. In several African markets the binding constraint on an import is not the supplier or the freight but access to hard currency and the pre-import formalities attached to it — Nigeria's Form M and PAAR, Kenya's Import Declaration Form, Egypt's ACI advance cargo declaration and equivalent regimes elsewhere. Several of these must be opened before the goods are shipped and cannot be applied retroactively. Tell us your regime at enquiry stage and we will sequence the documents around it.
Quality Control, Inspection & Export Documents
How Each Consignment Is Verified
Production batch testing
NaOH assay, sodium carbonate, chloride, iron, sulfate and insoluble matter tested per production batch, with results issued as the batch Certificate of Analysis.
Packaging integrity check
Bag construction, liner seal and net weight verified before stuffing. This is where humidity failures are prevented — not at destination.
Loading supervision
Container condition, cleanliness and dryness checked; stow pattern verified; seal number recorded and reported on the packing list.
Optional independent inspection
SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Cotecna or TÜV Rheinland can witness sampling, testing, weighing and stuffing at the loading port, on your nomination or ours.
Retained samples
Sealed batch samples held at origin, so any destination dispute is tested against the actual loaded material rather than argued from correspondence.
Documents Supplied With Every Shipment
| Document | Purpose | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Invoice | Customs valuation and payment | Standard |
| Packing List | Quantity, net and gross weight, seal and container numbers | Standard |
| Bill of Lading | Title and carriage contract | Standard |
| Certificate of Origin | Origin proof; preferential duty under AfCFTA, ECOWAS, COMESA, EU agreements | Standard; chamber-attested on request |
| Certificate of Analysis (COA) | Batch-specific test results against specification | Standard |
| Technical Data Sheet (TDS) | Product properties, solubility, handling parameters | Standard |
| Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS) | GHS 16-section hazard, handling, first-aid and disposal information | Standard |
| Dangerous Goods Declaration | Mandatory IMDG declaration for Class 8 sea freight | Standard |
| Weight / VGM Certificate | Independent weight verification | Standard |
| Insurance Certificate | Marine cargo cover | Under CIF, CIP and DAP |
| Fumigation / Non-Wood Declaration | Pallet phytosanitary status (ISPM 15) | On request or where destination requires |
| Third-party inspection report | Independent verification of quality and quantity | On request or where mandated |
| Destination conformity certificate | SONCAP, PVoC CoC, CBCA — see the compliance section | Coordinated where the importing country requires it |
| Halal / Kosher / food-grade attestation | Sector-specific qualification | Subject to available certified production |
[[CONFIRM before publishing]] — the flakes page displays "ISO 9001" and "REACH Compliant" badges with no certificate numbers. Professional buyers and tender committees treat an uncited certification claim as unverified, and it is a common cause of disqualification. Either add the certificate number, issuing body and expiry date, or remove the badge. The same applies to REACH: state the registration number or the role under which you rely on it.
Conformity Programs: What Your Country Requires Before Shipment
This is the part of African chemical importing that generates the most unexpected cost, and it is almost entirely absent from competing supplier pages. Many African countries operate pre-shipment conformity assessment schemes: for regulated products, a certificate must be issued in the country of export, before the vessel sails. It cannot be obtained retroactively once the container has arrived.
- Pre-export verification of conformity (PVoC / SONCAP / CBCA)
- A conformity assessment procedure in which an accredited inspection body appointed by the importing country's standards authority verifies, in the exporting country, that a consignment meets that country's mandatory standards, and issues a Certificate of Conformity. Where the scheme applies, the certificate is a mandatory customs clearance document, and consignments arriving without it face penalties, destination inspection, re-export or destruction at the importer's or exporter's cost.
| Country | Scheme | Authority | Also typically required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | SONCAP — Product Certificate plus SONCAP Certificate per consignment | Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) | Form M, PAAR, importer TIN; NAFDAC permit where the chemical falls in its scope |
| Kenya | PVoC — Certificate of Conformity per consignment | Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) | Import Declaration Form (IDF); Import Standards Mark for listed products |
| Tanzania | PVoC — Certificate of Conformity per consignment | Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) | Penalty on CIF value applies to uninspected regulated consignments |
| Uganda | PVoC — Certificate of Conformity | Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) | Transit documentation via Mombasa or Dar es Salaam |
| Zimbabwe | CBCA — Consignment Based Conformity Assessment | Ministry of Industry and Commerce | Import licence where applicable; transit via Beira or Durban |
| Ethiopia | Conformity assessment / import permit regime | Ethiopian standards and conformity authorities | FX allocation and import permit; transit via Djibouti |
| Egypt | Registration of the exporting factory; advance cargo information | GOEIC | ACI / Nafeza advance declaration before sailing |
| Algeria | Import authorisation and conformity documentation | National standards and customs authorities | Bank domiciliation of the import file |
| Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon | Conformity assessment and/or destination inspection by market | National standards bodies | Import declaration; French-language documentation in Francophone markets |
| South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda | No general pre-shipment conformity certificate for this product class in most cases; hazardous-goods and customs rules still apply in full | National customs and chemical authorities | SDS, DG declaration, import permit where the chemical is controlled |
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This table is guidance, not a legal determination. Regulated product lists, scheme scope and appointed inspection bodies change, and the classification of a specific HS code under a specific scheme can be revised without much notice. Confirm the current requirement for your HS code with your customs broker or the national standards authority before each shipment. What we commit to is the exporter's side: we prepare the technical file, arrange origin inspection with the appointed body, and sequence certification so that it precedes the sailing rather than chasing it.
How the Certification Sequence Actually Runs
Scheme identification
You confirm the destination country, HS code and quantity; we identify whether a pre-shipment scheme applies to that combination.
Request for Certification filed at origin
Filed with the appointed inspection body together with the technical file: specification, test reports, COA, SDS and production data.
Document review and physical inspection
The body reviews documents and, where the route requires it, inspects the goods and witnesses container stuffing and sealing.
Certificate issued before sailing
The Certificate of Conformity or SONCAP Certificate joins the document set — issued before the vessel departs.
Single-window submission
You or your broker submit it into the national single-window system for clearance on arrival.
Two practical consequences follow. First, allow certification time in your schedule — it sits between order confirmation and sailing, not in parallel with the voyage. Second, the technical file is only as good as the specification behind it, which is why we ask for your process requirement in writing at enquiry stage rather than accepting "standard grade".
Ports, Corridors & Transit Times Across Africa
Coastal Discharge Ports by Region
| Region | Discharge ports | Preferred origin | Indicative sea transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Africa | Lagos (Apapa, Tin Can), Port Harcourt, Onne, Tema, Takoradi, Abidjan, Dakar, Douala, Lomé, Cotonou | Mersin | 18–30 days |
| East Africa | Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Berbera, Port Sudan | Jebel Ali | 12–22 days |
| Southern Africa | Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Beira, Nacala, Maputo, Walvis Bay, Luanda, Lobito | Jebel Ali or Mersin | 25–35 days |
| North Africa | Alexandria, Damietta, Casablanca, Jorf Lasfar, Algiers, Oran, Radès, Sfax, Misrata | Mersin | 5–14 days |
Landlocked Destinations: Corridor Routing
Roughly a third of African states are landlocked, and for those buyers the discharge port is a decision, not a given. The corridor choice affects inland cost, transit reliability, the number of customs jurisdictions your container passes through, and which country's transit bond you need. It is also where an inexperienced supplier will simply quote CIF to the nearest port and leave the hard part with you.
| Destination | Primary corridor | Alternative | Indicative inland leg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | Northern Corridor — Mombasa to Kampala, ≈ 1,200–1,400 km | Central Corridor via Dar es Salaam | 5–12 days |
| Rwanda | Central Corridor — Dar es Salaam to Kigali, ≈ 1,300 km | Northern Corridor via Mombasa | 6–14 days |
| Burundi | Central Corridor via Dar es Salaam | Northern Corridor via Mombasa | 8–16 days |
| Zambia | Dar es Salaam by road or the TAZARA rail corridor | Beira, Walvis Bay or Durban | 7–15 days |
| Zimbabwe | Beira — shortest sea-to-inland route | Durban | 5–12 days |
| Malawi | Beira or Nacala | Dar es Salaam | 6–14 days |
| Botswana | Durban | Walvis Bay — less congested, competitive handling | 4–10 days |
| Eastern DR Congo | Dar es Salaam or Mombasa | Beira for the south-east | 10–20 days |
| Ethiopia | Djibouti — road and rail to Addis Ababa | Berbera | 4–10 days |
| Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger | Abidjan, Tema, Lomé or Cotonou | Dakar for Mali | 7–18 days |
| South Sudan | Mombasa via the Northern Corridor | Port Sudan | 14–25 days |
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Inland transit ranges are indicative and vary with border processing, seasonal road conditions, corridor congestion and whether the leg moves by road or rail. For any landlocked destination we recommend requesting a DAP quotation to the named inland place rather than CIF to a port, so that corridor risk sits with the party best placed to manage it and you receive one comparable number.
Dangerous Goods Handling in Ocean Freight
Caustic soda moves as IMDG Class 8, which has practical consequences worth budgeting for: carriers apply DG surcharges and limit DG slots per sailing; some transshipment hubs restrict Class 8 dwell time; container placarding and correct UN marking are mandatory and checked at the terminal gate; and a rejected DG booking can cost a full week's sailing. We book DG cargo as routine rather than as an exception, and we do not accept an order without first confirming DG acceptance on the intended service.
Caustic Soda Supply Country by Country
Demand structure differs sharply by market, and so does the right grade, packaging and route. These summaries describe the commercial reality of each market rather than listing flags.
West Africa
| Market | Main demand | Typical grade | Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Soap and detergent, petroleum refining, aluminium, water treatment, textiles | 98% flakes | Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt |
| Ghana | Gold processing, palm oil, soap, municipal water | 98% flakes, 99% pearls | Tema, Takoradi |
| Ivory Coast | Palm oil and soap, cocoa processing, water treatment | 98% flakes | Abidjan |
| Senegal | Phosphate and fertiliser, soap, fisheries processing | 98% flakes | Dakar |
| Cameroon | Aluminium, soap, agro-processing, oil and gas | 98% flakes | Douala, Kribi |
As a caustic soda supplier for Nigeria, the defining requirement is SONCAP discipline: certification arranged at origin, before sailing, with a technical file that matches the invoice and the HS code exactly. Nigeria is also the market where the Form M and PAAR sequence most often dictates the shipment schedule. In Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal the practical differentiator is French and English documentation done correctly and, for gold-processing buyers in Ghana, tighter iron and carbonate limits than a general-purpose flake typically carries.
East Africa
| Market | Main demand | Typical grade | Port or corridor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | Water treatment, textiles, pulp and paper, soap, food processing | 98% flakes, 99% pearls | Mombasa |
| Tanzania | Gold mining, textiles, soap, sugar processing | 98% flakes | Dar es Salaam |
| Uganda | Soap and detergent, water treatment, agro-processing | 98% flakes | Mombasa, Northern Corridor |
| Rwanda | Water treatment, textiles, mineral processing | 98% flakes | Dar es Salaam, Central Corridor |
| Ethiopia | Textiles and leather, industrial parks, sugar, soap | 98% flakes, 99% pearls | Djibouti |
East Africa is where origin choice pays off most clearly — Jebel Ali is close, and transit to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam is short enough that inventory can run leaner than elsewhere on the continent. For a caustic soda supplier in Kenya or Tanzania, the binding requirement is the PVoC Certificate of Conformity issued at origin per consignment. For Uganda and Rwanda the deciding factor is corridor selection: the same container can land at either Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, and the better choice changes with congestion and season — which is why we quote DAP to Kampala or Kigali rather than CIF to a port.
Southern Africa
| Market | Main demand | Typical grade | Port or corridor |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Mining and mineral processing, pulp and paper, water treatment, chemicals | 98% flakes, liquid | Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth |
| Zambia | Copper and cobalt processing, water treatment, soap | 98% flakes | Dar es Salaam, Beira, Walvis Bay |
| Zimbabwe | Mining, water treatment, soap and detergent, textiles | 98% flakes | Beira, Durban |
| Mozambique | Aluminium, water treatment, food and beverage, gas sector | 98% flakes | Beira, Nacala, Maputo |
| Angola | Oil and gas refining, water treatment, soap | 98% flakes | Luanda, Lobito |
| Botswana | Diamond and copper processing, water treatment | 98% flakes, 99% pearls | Durban, Walvis Bay |
| Namibia | Uranium and base-metal processing, water treatment, fisheries | 98% flakes | Walvis Bay |
| DR Congo | Copper and cobalt hydrometallurgy, water treatment | 98% flakes | Dar es Salaam, Beira |
Southern Africa is the most mining-weighted demand pool on the continent, and mining buyers ask different questions: consistency of assay batch to batch, iron content, and whether supply can be contracted against a plant's annual reagent budget rather than bought spot. For copper and cobalt hydrometallurgy in Zambia and the DRC, and for gold operations across the region, we supply against annual framework agreements with scheduled monthly call-off — usually a better answer than a marginally lower spot price on a single container.
North Africa
| Market | Main demand | Typical grade | Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | Textiles, water treatment, detergents, aluminium, petrochemicals | 98% flakes, liquid | Alexandria, Damietta |
| Morocco | Phosphate processing, detergents, refining, textiles | 98% flakes | Casablanca, Jorf Lasfar |
| Algeria | Petrochemicals and refining, industrial cleaning, water | 98% flakes | Algiers, Oran, Skikda |
| Tunisia | Textiles, phosphate derivatives, food processing | 98% flakes | Radès, Sfax |
| Libya, Sudan | Water treatment, soap, refining | 98% flakes | Misrata, Port Sudan |
North Africa is our shortest lane: from Mersin, transit is measured in days rather than weeks, which makes smaller and more frequent shipments viable and reduces working capital tied up in inventory. It is also the region with the most demanding advance-declaration regimes — Egypt's ACI filing in particular must be completed before the vessel sails — so document sequencing, not freight, is the usual failure point.
Where Africa Uses Sodium Hydroxide
Matching the grade and concentration to the process is the cleanest way to control both cost and performance. Buying 99% pearls for a saponification line that dissolves flakes in a batch tank means paying a purity premium the process cannot use.
| Sector | Function of NaOH | Recommended grade | Typical working strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining & hydrometallurgy | pH control in gold cyanidation, alumina digestion (Bayer process), copper and cobalt solvent extraction, nickel refining | 98% flakes | Process-specific, commonly 10–50% solution |
| Water & wastewater treatment | pH correction, alkalinity adjustment, heavy-metal precipitation, coagulation support, corrosion control | 98% flakes or liquid | 10–25% dosing solution |
| Soap & detergent | Saponification of fats and oils, neutralisation of fatty acids, builder manufacture | 98% flakes | 30–50% lye |
| Textiles | Mercerization of cotton, scouring, bleach preparation, dye-bath control | 98% flakes or 99% pearls | 18–28% for mercerization |
| Pulp & paper | Kraft pulping white liquor, oxygen delignification, bleaching, chemical recovery | 98% flakes or liquid | Mill-specific |
| Oil & gas refining | Acid-gas scrubbing, mercaptan removal, spent-caustic neutralisation, drilling fluid pH | 98% flakes or 50% liquid | 10–20% caustic wash |
| Food processing | CIP cleaning, chemical peeling, olive curing, cocoa alkalisation, bottle washing | 99% pearls, food-qualified production | 1–4% CIP; process-specific |
| Leather & tanning | Liming, unhairing, degreasing, effluent neutralisation | 98% flakes | Process-specific |
| Aluminium & metals | Etching, anodising pre-treatment, degreasing, descaling | 98% flakes or 99% pearls | 5–20% bath |
| Biodiesel & agrochemicals | Transesterification catalyst, intermediate synthesis, pH adjustment | 99% pearls | Catalyst loading per formulation |
| Pharmaceutical intermediates | pH control, salt formation, cleaning validation | 99% pearls with documented purity | Process-specific |
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Food and pharmaceutical use: these applications require production qualified for the purpose, with the appropriate documentation — not simply a high assay figure. Confirm the requirement at enquiry stage so we can tell you plainly whether available production qualifies. A 99% industrial pearl is not automatically food grade.
What Determines the Caustic Soda Price for African Buyers
Why no price is published here: caustic soda is a commodity whose value is set by the global chlor-alkali market, where NaOH is a co-product of chlorine. Its price moves with chlorine demand, electricity cost, plant outages and freight — sometimes weekly. Any figure published on a web page is stale within days and misleads your budgeting. We quote per metric ton, per shipment, with a stated validity period.
| Driver | Effect on your landed cost | Within your control? |
|---|---|---|
| Global chlor-alkali balance | Sets the underlying FOB level; NaOH is a chlorine co-product, so chlorine demand moves caustic pricing | No — but timing and contract structure are |
| Grade and assay | 99% pearls carry a premium over 98% flakes | Yes — specify what the process needs |
| Form | Liquid is cheapest per tonne of NaOH ex-works and most expensive to ship | Yes |
| Order volume | Multi-container and annual contracts price below single-container spot | Yes — consolidate requirements |
| Packaging and loading | Floor loading lowers freight per tonne; FIBC and custom print add cost | Yes |
| Origin selection | Mersin versus Jebel Ali can materially change freight to your port | Yes — ask for both |
| Incoterm | EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF and DAP are not comparable numbers | Yes — compare like with like |
| DG surcharges and route | Class 8 surcharges, transshipment and congestion fees | Partly — route choice helps |
| Duty and preferential origin | The Certificate of Origin can remove or reduce duty under AfCFTA, ECOWAS, COMESA and EU agreements | Yes — request the right origin document |
| Conformity and inspection fees | SONCAP, PVoC and third-party inspection are real line items | Partly — budget them upfront |
The most common costing error we see from African buyers is comparing a competitor's FOB price against our CIF price and concluding the competitor is cheaper. Insist that every offer you evaluate states the same Incoterm, the same port, the same packaging configuration and the same quantity — and that it names the conformity certification and inspection fees rather than leaving them to surface later.
How to Evaluate a Caustic Soda Supplier — Buyer's Checklist
Written from the buyer's side, including where it does not flatter us. If a supplier cannot answer the questions in the left column in writing, that is your answer.
| Ask | Credible answer | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Can I see a recent batch COA, not a template? | A dated, batch-numbered COA naming the testing party | An undated specification sheet presented as a COA |
| Which certifications do you hold, with numbers? | Certificate number, issuing body, expiry date, verifiable | Logos and acronyms with no numbers |
| Who arranges the conformity certificate for my country? | A named scheme, a named inspection body, filed before sailing | "Your broker handles that at destination" |
| Have you shipped Class 8 to my port before? | Route named, carrier practice described, DG surcharge acknowledged | General claims about worldwide shipping |
| What is the loading configuration and net weight? | Specific tonnage, palletized or floor-loaded, stated in the offer | "Full container" with no tonnage |
| What quantity tolerance applies? | A stated percentage in the sales contract | Not mentioned until the invoice differs |
| How long is the price valid? | A dated validity period | An indefinite price on a web page |
| What if the material is off-spec on arrival? | Retained origin samples, an agreed umpire lab, a written remedy | Silence, or reliance on goodwill |
| Are you the producer or a trader? | A straight answer either way, with the producing origin identified | Ambiguity about who actually makes the product |
| Can you supply on an annual framework? | Monthly call-off structure and a price mechanism | Spot-only, no capacity commitment |
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On the "producer or trader" question we will be direct, because buyers are right to ask it: SUHA International Trading is an exporter and supplier that sources from chlor-alkali producers and loads FOB Jebel Ali and Mersin. We are not the mill. What we contribute is specification control, packaging suited to African conditions, conformity certification handled at origin, and route knowledge on lanes we ship regularly. If your requirement is better served by a direct mill contract at volumes above our allocation, we will say so.
Safe Handling, Storage & Emergency Response
Condensed operational guidance for receiving sites. It does not replace the Safety Data Sheet supplied with each shipment, your own site risk assessment, or local regulatory duties. For an independent reference, see the NaOH safety profile on PubChem.
Storage
Keep in original sealed moisture-proof packaging in a cool, dry, ventilated area — below 30 °C and under 60% relative humidity. Bags on pallets, clear of walls and floor contact, maximum three pallets high. Segregate from acids, aluminium, zinc and tin.
PPE
Chemical-resistant gloves (butyl or nitrile, 0.4 mm or thicker), face shield with splash goggles, corrosion-resistant apron and closed footwear. Eyewash station and safety shower within 10 metres of the handling point.
First aid
Skin or eye contact: flush with copious running water for at least 15 minutes and get medical attention. For eyes, hold the eyelids open and seek ophthalmological care. Do not attempt chemical neutralisation on tissue.
Spill response
Contain dry material and collect mechanically. Neutralise residues with a dilute weak acid to pH 6–8 before washing down, per the SDS and local environmental rules. Never flood a large dry spill with water.
Critical: when preparing a solution, ALWAYS add caustic soda slowly to cool water with continuous stirring — never water to caustic soda. Dissolution is strongly exothermic (−44.5 kJ/mol) and the wrong order can boil and eject solution violently. Transport classification is UN 1823, Class 8, Packing Group II for solid and UN 1824, Class 8 for solution; incorrect placarding is grounds for refusal at the terminal gate and a customs hold at destination.
How to Order Caustic Soda for Delivery in Africa
Send the enquiry with five data points
Grade and assay, form, quantity in MT, packaging, and discharge port plus final inland destination. With these five we can quote; without them any number is a guess.
Receive the offer
FOB and CIF — or DAP for inland destinations — stating loading configuration, net tonnage, packaging, validity period, quantity tolerance and estimated shipment window.
Review the technical documents
Specification, recent COA, TDS and SDS checked against your process requirement and your regulatory obligations.
Confirm the compliance route
We identify whether your country requires a pre-shipment conformity certificate and who will file it. This happens before the contract, not after.
Sign the contract and open the payment instrument
L/C at sight or T/T per agreed terms.
Production, inspection and certification
Batch testing, optional third-party witness at origin, conformity certificate issued before sailing.
Shipment and documents
DG booking confirmed, container loaded and sealed, scanned document set to you within 3–5 working days of sailing.
Clearance and delivery
The full document set supports clearance; under DAP we coordinate the inland leg to the named place.
Technical Support & After-Sales
- Grade selection support — we will recommend against a higher-purity grade where your process cannot use it.
- Documentation support for customs queries, tender submissions and regulatory filings, including reissue of certified copies.
- Dissolution and dosing guidance — concentration tables, temperature rise on dilution, materials-of-construction advice.
- Retained samples and dispute handling — sealed origin samples and an agreed independent umpire laboratory named in the contract before shipment.
- Framework supply planning — scheduled monthly call-off against an annual volume for plants budgeting reagents a year ahead.
Request a Quotation, COA, TDS or SDS
Send five data points and you will receive a firm, dated offer — FOB and CIF, or DAP for inland destinations — with packaging, loading configuration, net tonnage, documentation and conformity certification costed in.
Speak Directly With
Our Africa Export Desk
We respond to caustic soda enquiries within 24 business hours, usually faster. For urgent supply or large-volume tenders, WhatsApp is the quickest channel. You can also request the current COA, TDS or SDS at no cost and with no obligation.
WhatsApp — fastest response channel+971 50 720 9246 📧 Email — enquiries & formal quotationsinfo@causticsodaco.comInclude This for the Fastest Quote
FAQ — Caustic Soda Supplier Africa
Sourcing & Supplier
Who is a reliable caustic soda supplier in Africa?
A reliable supplier delivers consistent assay batch to batch, issues a genuine batch-numbered Certificate of Analysis before you release payment, packs in moisture-barrier bags suited to tropical humidity, prepares Class 8 documentation correctly, and arranges the destination country's conformity certificate at origin before sailing. SUHA International Trading supplies caustic soda flakes, pearls and liquid from Jebel Ali and Mersin to markets across West, East, Southern and North Africa, with dual-origin routing and coordinated pre-shipment certification.
Are you a manufacturer or a trading company?
We are an exporter and supplier, not the producing mill. We source from chlor-alkali producers and load FOB Jebel Ali and Mersin. Our value is in specification control, export packaging, conformity certification handled at origin, and route knowledge. If your volume justifies a direct mill contract instead, we will tell you.
Can you supply against a government or public tender?
Yes. Tenders generally require the technical specification, a recent COA, the SDS, proof of quality certification, evidence of supply capability and a price matched to bid validity. Send the tender document with the enquiry and we will confirm in writing which requirements we can meet and which we cannot, before you commit to a bid.
Do you supply distributors and resellers?
Yes. Distributor supply typically uses 25 kg private-label bags, multi-container shipments and an annual framework with monthly call-off. Territory arrangements are discussed case by case on the basis of committed volume.
Product & Specification
What is the difference between caustic soda flakes and pearls?
Chemically nothing; commercially, purity and physical behavior. Flakes are thin and irregular with a high surface area, so they dissolve quickly, and at 98% NaOH they are the export workhorse — dense, freight-efficient and stable in humid storage. Pearls are uniform spheres at 99% minimum: they generate less dust, flow freely through screw feeders and dose more precisely, which suits automated systems and precision chemistry. Pearls carry a price premium, so specify them only where the process uses the purity or the handling advantage.
What purity of caustic soda do you supply?
Flakes at 98% NaOH plus or minus 1, pearls and micro-pearls at 99% minimum, and liquid caustic soda at 32%, 45% or 50%. Higher-purity grades up to 99.5% are available for food, pharmaceutical and reagent applications. The batch Certificate of Analysis is the controlling document for any given consignment.
What is the shelf life of caustic soda flakes?
Indefinite in principle, but practically 12 months or more in sealed, undamaged moisture-barrier bags stored cool and dry. Caustic soda does not degrade; it absorbs water and carbon dioxide, forming sodium carbonate on the surface, which reduces available NaOH and causes caking. Sealed packaging and dry storage, not a date code, determine usable life.
What is the HS code for caustic soda?
2815.11 for solid sodium hydroxide (flakes, pearls, micro-pearls) and 2815.12 for sodium hydroxide in aqueous solution (soda lye). National tariffs extend these six digits with additional national digits; confirm the full code with your broker, since misclassification between solid and solution is a frequent cause of customs delay.
What is the UN number and hazard class for caustic soda?
Solid caustic soda is UN 1823, Class 8 (corrosive), Packing Group II. Caustic soda solution is UN 1824, Class 8, Packing Group II or III depending on concentration. Both require an IMDG dangerous goods declaration for sea freight and correct container placarding.
Can you supply food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade caustic soda?
These applications require production qualified for the purpose with the supporting documentation, not simply a 99% assay. Tell us the specific requirement and standard at enquiry stage and we will confirm plainly whether available production qualifies. We do not represent industrial-grade material as food grade.
Packaging, MOQ & Loading
What is the minimum order quantity?
One full 20-foot container: approximately 25 metric tons of bagged flakes or pearls, or around 14 metric tons net of liquid caustic soda in drums. Full-container loads are the only economic way to move a Class 8 corrosive once dangerous goods surcharges and consolidation fees are counted. Multi-container and annual-contract pricing is available above that.
How many tonnes fit in a 20-foot container?
Palletized 25 kg bags: 24–25 MT. Floor-loaded and interlocked 25 kg bags: 26–28 MT. Lined FIBC jumbo bags: 22–25 MT. Liquid in HDPE drums: around 14 MT net. Caustic soda reaches the container's gross weight limit well before it fills the volume, which is why 20-foot containers are preferred over 40-foot for this cargo.
Should I order palletized or non-palletized?
Non-palletized gives the lowest freight cost per tonne but needs manual devanning over several hours and carries higher bag-damage risk. Palletized discharges in one to two hours by forklift with lower damage risk, at slightly reduced payload. If your site has no forklift access or your port charges demurrage on slow devanning, palletized is usually cheaper on total landed cost. We quote both.
Do you offer private-label or custom packaging?
Yes — bags printed with your brand, neutral unbranded packaging, and English, French, Arabic or Portuguese labeling. Allow two to three weeks additional lead time on a first run for artwork approval and bag production, and expect print-ready artwork to be supplied by you. Mandatory GHS hazard elements and UN marking must remain compliant on any custom design.
Why does packaging matter so much for African destinations?
Caustic soda is deliquescent. In high humidity it absorbs moisture and reacts with carbon dioxide to form sodium carbonate on the flake surface, which reduces available NaOH and cakes the product into unusable lumps. Two-layer laminated PP bags with a heat-sealed PE inner liner prevent this through transit and coastal storage. Single-layer bags do not.
Shipping, Documentation & Compliance
What is the lead time for delivery to Africa?
Allow 7–15 days for production and allocation after order confirmation and payment instrument, plus sea transit of roughly 5–14 days to North Africa, 12–22 days to East Africa, 18–30 days to West Africa and 25–35 days to Southern Africa. Add certification time where a pre-shipment conformity certificate is required, plus customs clearance and any inland leg.
Which documents come with each shipment?
Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, batch Certificate of Analysis, Technical Data Sheet, Safety Data Sheet, Dangerous Goods Declaration and weight certificate as standard. Insurance certificate under CIF, CIP or DAP. Third-party inspection reports, fumigation or non-wood declarations and destination conformity certificates are arranged where required.
Do I need a SONCAP certificate to import caustic soda into Nigeria?
Where the product falls within SONCAP's regulated scope, both a Product Certificate and a consignment SONCAP Certificate must be obtained in the country of export before shipment, and the SONCAP Certificate is mandatory for Nigerian customs clearance. Regulated lists and scope change, so confirm the current position for your HS code with your broker or SON. We arrange origin certification through the accredited body where it applies, and we file it before the vessel sails.
Do I need a PVoC Certificate of Conformity for Kenya, Tanzania or Uganda?
Kenya (KEBS), Tanzania (TBS) and Uganda (UNBS) each operate pre-export verification of conformity programs under which regulated consignments require a Certificate of Conformity issued at origin, per consignment, before shipment. It is a mandatory clearance document and cannot be obtained retroactively; goods arriving without it face penalties, destination inspection or rejection. Confirm current scope for your HS code, and we will handle the origin side.
Can you arrange SGS or Bureau Veritas inspection before shipment?
Yes. SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Cotecna or TÜV Rheinland can witness sampling, testing, weighing and container stuffing at the loading port, on your nomination or ours. Inspection fees are a separate line item and we state them in the offer rather than leaving them to surface later.
Can you ship to landlocked countries such as Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe or Rwanda?
Yes, through the established transit corridors: Mombasa on the Northern Corridor for Uganda, Dar es Salaam on the Central Corridor for Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia, Beira for Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia, and Walvis Bay or Durban for Botswana. For these destinations we recommend requesting a DAP quotation to the named inland place rather than CIF to a port, so the corridor risk sits with the party managing it and you receive one comparable number.
What happens if the material arrives off-specification?
Sealed samples from the loaded batch are retained at origin, and we agree an independent umpire laboratory in the sales contract before shipment. If umpire testing shows the material is outside specification, the contractual remedy applies. Agreeing this mechanism before shipment is the difference between a resolvable claim and a dispute.
Price & Payment
What is the price of caustic soda per ton?
There is no fixed published price. Caustic soda is a co-product of chlorine and re-prices with the global chlor-alkali market, so a figure on a web page is stale within days. Price depends on grade, form, volume, packaging, origin, destination port and Incoterm. We quote per metric ton with a stated validity period, normally 3–7 days.
Why is liquid caustic soda cheaper per tonne but more expensive to import?
Because you pay ocean freight on water. A 50% solution is half NaOH by weight, so a container of drummed liquid delivers roughly 7 MT of active NaOH against about 24.5 MT for bagged flakes. Ex-works, liquid is the cheapest form per tonne of NaOH; landed thousands of kilometres away, it is usually the most expensive. Liquid makes sense when the plant is near the port and has bulk tankage.
What payment terms do you accept?
Irrevocable letter of credit at sight through an acceptable bank, or telegraphic transfer — either 100% in advance or 30% deposit against 70% on presentation of the Bill of Lading copy. Cash against documents and deferred terms are considered for established buyers after credit review. USD is standard, EUR available.
How long is a quotation valid?
Typically 3–7 days, stated on the offer. If the market has moved when you come back to confirm, we will requote rather than hold a price we cannot honour. If you need longer price certainty, ask about a framework contract with an agreed price mechanism instead of a spot quote.
