**A 40-foot high-cube (40HC) container holds roughly 25 metric tons of dried Eucheuma cottonii — about 350 bales — while a standard 40ft carries near 23 MT and a 20ft box around 15 MT. Because dried rumput laut is bulky and light, most loads “cube out” on volume before they reach the container’s weight limit.**
Why does dried cottonii cube out before it weighs out?
Dried Eucheuma cottonii — the red seaweed farmers call cottonii or katoni — is springy, low-density cargo. Every shipping container has two ceilings: maximum payload (weight) and internal volume (cube). Salted or sun-dried seaweed hits the volume ceiling first, so you run out of space long before you run out of allowed kilograms. That is why a 40HC rated for far more than 25 MT of dense freight tops out near 25 MT of baled cottonii. For the full stuffing pattern, bracing and weight-tolerance breakdown, see our eucheuma cottonii container load guide.
Planning by cube rather than by rated payload keeps you from quoting freight you can never physically load into the box.
How much fits in each container size?
The figures below are working averages. Real net weight for any container of dried cottonii moves with moisture and bale compression, so treat them as planning numbers and confirm the final load list per shipment.
| Container | Typical net cottonii | Internal volume (approx.) | Loading note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft dry | ~15 MT | ~33 m³ | Cubes out early; good for scaled-up 1 MT trials |
| 40ft standard | ~23 MT | ~67 m³ | Balanced choice for most contracts |
| 40ft high-cube (40HC) | ~25 MT | ~76 m³ | Best cube efficiency; ~350 bales cited by exporters |
A high-cube adds roughly 30 cm of internal height over a standard 40ft, which matters for a cargo that fills space before it fills its weight rating. That extra cube is why the 40HC is the workhorse box for dried seaweed exporters.
Why do bale and bag format decide the count?
Dried cottonii ships as pressed bales wrapped in polypropylene (PP) cloth, packed into 50 kg or 100 kg bags. Bag size changes both the bale count and how cleanly the container stows:
- 100 kg bags: fewer units, faster loading, denser floor stacks
- 50 kg bags: more units, easier manual handling, better for filling top voids
- PP cloth wrap: guards against abrasion and moisture pickup during 30-60 day transit
One exporter cites about 350 bales in a 40HC, but that count assumes a specific bag weight and compression. Mixing bag sizes is common — heavier bales low, lighter bags topping out the cube — so always reconcile the bale count against the packing list, not a rule of thumb.
What makes real container weight vary?
Moisture is the biggest swing factor. Documented wholesale specs for dried Eucheuma cottonii run from moisture 35-37% max with foreign matter 3% max, to 37-39% with impurities max 2%, up to a premium Grade A at moisture under 35% with impurities under 2%. Wetter, salted commodity grade weighs more per bale but delivers less usable dry seaweed; low-moisture clean grade weighs less but ships more product per kilogram.
| Variable | Effect on the load |
|---|---|
| Higher moisture (37-39%) | Heavier bales, container weighs out sooner, more water shipped |
| Lower moisture (<35%) | Lighter bales, more dry product per MT, cubes out |
| Foreign matter / salt | Adds dead weight, lowers carrageenan yield per ton |
| Bale compression | Tighter bales fit more mass in the same cube |
Any moisture, ash, foreign-matter or carrageenan-yield number is only reliable when it comes from a specific batch Certificate of Analysis (COA) — never assume a headline spec applies to your exact container.
How do you plan a monthly shipping schedule?
Container math scales into throughput. One Indonesian exporter has cited capacity of up to 120 FCL (full container loads) per month, though that is a stated ceiling, not a promise for any single buyer. Typical order flow starts at a 1 MT trial and rises to 20-100 MT contracts — roughly one to four 40HC containers — as the relationship proves out.
Lead time usually runs 30-60 days after payment is approved, and dried cottonii carries about a 12-month shelf life when stored cool, dry, sealed and away from direct sunlight. Seasonality matters too: monsoon and rainy months lengthen sun-drying and push moisture up, which can shift both bale weight and the loading calendar.
As a planning reference, raw dried cottonii sits around FOB USD 4-12/kg (commodity/salted 4-7, standard 6-9, higher-grade low-moisture clean 9-12) — FOB indicative per 2026, moving with harvest, moisture and grade, with the final quote set on spec and MOQ.
Which documents and trade terms travel with the container?
Loading specs are only half the job; the paperwork has to match the box. Common export documents for dried Eucheuma cottonii include:
- Certificate of Analysis (COA) — the batch source for moisture, ash, foreign matter and heavy-metal figures
- Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
- Fumigation Certificate
- Phytosanitary Certificate
- Certificate of Origin (COO)
- Halal and HACCP/ISO 22000 supplied on request
Trade terms are usually offered FOB, CIF or CNF, with payment by T/T, 100% irrevocable LC at sight, or 100% advance, shipped worldwide. The weight declared on the bill of lading must reconcile with the packing list and the COA batch, or the container risks delays at the destination port.
Sea moss is a food ingredient, not medicine, and no exporter can guarantee customs clearance — so build every loading plan around verified specs and honest documentation rather than best-case bale math.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does dried cottonii need fumigation before the container is loaded?
Yes — most buyers require a Fumigation Certificate, and treatment is done before or at loading. Fumigation controls insects during the 30-60 day transit and pairs with the Phytosanitary Certificate many destinations demand. Confirm the fumigant, holding time and paperwork timing with your freight forwarder, since some ports mandate specific methods and documents dated to the container’s departure.
How many 100 kg bales actually fit in a 40ft high-cube?
A 40HC commonly holds around 350 bales wrapped in polypropylene cloth, but the real count depends on whether bags run 50 kg or 100 kg and how tightly bales are compressed. Because dried cottonii cubes out on volume, net weight settles near 25 MT rather than the higher figure a simple bag-count multiplication would suggest. Always confirm against the packing list.
Can I mix 50 kg and 100 kg bags in one container?
Yes, mixing 50 kg and 100 kg bags is workable, but plan the stow so heavier 100 kg bales sit low and lighter 50 kg bags fill the top voids. Keep one moisture grade per container where possible, label every bale, and record the exact bag split on the packing list so the buyer’s COA and declared weight reconcile on arrival.