Shipping Companies for Bulk Wine

Container Ship

1. J.F. Hillebrand (DHL Global Forwarding – Beverage Logistics Division)

• Industry leader in bulk wine shipping

• Ships in:

  • Flexitanks (24,000L single-use liners inside containers)

  • ISO tanks (for repeat-use stainless steel tanks)

• Offers:

  • Global coverage

  • Customs and excise support

  • Wine-specific insurance

  • Blending & lab services at destination (in some regions)

✅ Used by major exporters from Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, and Spain

2. VinLog (by Kuehne + Nagel)

• Specializes in temperature-controlled logistics for wine & spirits

• Handles bulk and bottled formats

• Offers door-to-door service, freight consolidation, and local warehousing

3. Braid Logistics (UK-based, now part of Hillebrand)

• Known for bulk liquid logistics, especially flexitank solutions

• Strong presence in:

  • Chile

  • Argentina

  • Australia

  • New Zealand

• Often partnered with bottlers in UK, Germany, and USA

4. Trans Ocean Bulk Logistics

• Bulk liquid transport via flexitanks

• Offers end-to-end logistics from winery to bottling plant

• Global network, especially strong in South America, Europe, and Oceania

5. Hoyer Group (Germany)

• Specialist in ISO tank containers

• Used for high-value or temperature-sensitive bulk wine

• More common in Europe and Asia than flexitanks

🔍 Bulk Wine Shipping Formats

Format	Volume (L)	Typical Use
Flexitank	24,000	One-way, non-hazardous liquids
ISO Tank	24,000–26,000	Reusable, for higher value or regulated shipments
IBC Tote	1,000	Intermediate, used for local or short-haul
Bottled (container)	~10,000	Bottled wine in cases (not bulk)

🚢 Example Use Case: South Africa → UK or EU

• Winery loads wine into flexitanks at Cape Town.

• Shipped via Maersk, MSC, or CMA CGM.

• Received in the UK by a bulk wine bottler (e.g. Greencroft Bottling).

• Avoids EU bottling taxes and reduces emissions/costs.

🧾 Why Bulk?

• 70–80% cheaper than bottled wine shipping

• Lower environmental footprint (lighter, less packaging)

• Bottling closer to market improves freshness and flexibility