We provide a full range of logistics and transport services necessary for the international transportation of cocoa beans and cocoa powder. Cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate and other foods containing chocolate. Grated cocoa is also used for cosmetic purposes. Shipment volumes in this sector are growing. Companies that work with raw cocoa often aim to expand o new, foreign markets and require new logistics systems. We help its customers establish regular international deliveries of grated cocoa and cocoa beans. Our company organizes cargo shipping by various modes of transport in Europe, the CIS, the Baltics States, the Balkans, the Americas, and South-East and Central Asia. Our experienced employees take into your specific needs and your cargo’s characteristics to develop optimal delivery routes that minimize the cost of the transportation. We organize on-time delivery of any cargo regardless of its destination. Thanks to close cooperation with international transport companies, we offer flexible pricing with Swiss-quality service.
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Raw cocoa falls into in the “most sensitive” category of cargo susceptible to unfavorable external factors. It is a hygroscopic product that easily absorbs moisture and water vapor from the air. In addition, cocoa powder absorbs odors and is subject to autolysis (self-dissolution of tissues under the influence of special enzymes), self-heating, rot and mold. This sensitivity to external influences necessitates the strict observance of all conditions during the transportation of cocoa. Grated cocoa is a viscous liquid obtained by grinding heat-treated refined cocoa beans. Multilayered bags and other packaging used in the transportation of grated cacao ensure a proper seal and protection from the harmful external effects. As packaging for the international transportation of cocoa beans, dense bags of natural coarse fibers (jute or sisal) are used. This strong packaging helps maintain the consumer properties of the goods.
Raw cocoa is transported in so-called "coffee containers" with natural ventilation. An important condition for transportation is that the products, the container, and in the container surface coating must all have as little water content as possible. The container surfaces must be dry and clean with a moisture percentage not exceeding prescribed limits. Minimizing humidity helps avoid the additional formation of water vapor inside the container and prevents damage and decay. Raw cacao containers are enclosed in special wrapping paper to avoid damage from water absorption. To regulate the humidity level inside the container, special filters with anti-coding properties or non-woven insulating materials are also used. We perform delivery in standard ISO-containers and in flat-rack containers with open platforms. The latter method, although less safe, allows lower transport costs in comparison to the use of more expensive ventilated containers. The rules concerning the transportation of cacao powder also cover special conditions and procedures for the handling of such goods. In particular, the use of loading and unloading equipment that can damage the goods' packaging is not allowed. A special procedure for transshipment operations is established in case of unfavorable weather conditions like snow, rain, and high humidity. In such cases, the cargo should be protected from accidental wetting and exposure to high humidity to avoid mold and rot. We carefully monitor international regulatory changes concerning the cargo transportation of food and other products and ensure safe, fast delivery appropriate for the characteristics of each particular product.
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Cocoa transportation requires the use of specially-adapted sea, rail, air, and road equipment. Vehicles must be dry, cool, ventilated and odorless. These conditions are ensured, for example, in the case of international coco transportation by sea, by placing the cargo in bags under the deck at a sufficient distance from any heat source. Special measures are taken to prevent the harmful effects of high air humidity, which provokes the product's self-heating properties and leads to autolysis.
So, in the case of sea transportation, cargo should be laid on the inner cargo deck of a sea vessel. This placement reduces the risk of condensation. Cocoa is highly sensitive to sudden temperature fluctuations. Air temperatures below zero Celsius, as well as significant daily temperature fluctuations, can damage to shredded cacao and make it unsuable as a food ingredient. To avoid exposure to unfavorable external weather conditions, these goods are kept in closed compartments of the vehicle. Transportation of unenclosed cocoa on a vehicle is possible only in warm seasons when daily temperatures remain steady.
Additional measures to maintain a temperature regime during the delivery of raw cocoa are not required. However, at the request of a customer, our specialists can organize shipments under a certain temperature regime.
Adequate fastening is important in the international transportation of cocoa beans and cacao powder. Packages with goods have to be secured so as to avoid displacement or slippage during delivery. All of our reliable transport partners use vehicles complete with full sets of technical documentation. Our experienced experts select specially-adapted vehicles for the transportation of cocoa beans and grated cacao depending on cargo characteristics and customer needs. If necessary, our team arranges multimodal transportation schemes using air, road, sea, and railway transport.
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Our team is highly qualified and has many years of experience in the field of cargo transportation in general and in the transportation of cocoa in particular. Experience and qualifications help us provide solutions tailored to the cargo characteristics and client requirements involved in each order. Cooperation with reliable transport service providers allows us to develop and select the most cost-efficient routes, clearly coordinate all stages of transport, and deliver any cargo in a timely manner. We offer a suite of services for the international transportation of cocoa that includes:
- Transportation project development.
- Selection of specially-adapted vehicle appropriate to the characteristics of this product.
- Development of optimal routes and, if necessary, due diligence on them.
- Security checks to verify the necessary licenses and registration details of transport haulers. We work only with those transport companies that have been legally carrying out transportation activities for more than 120 working days.
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- LONG-TERM EXPERIENCE
We have been organizing the cocoa transportation for over 20 years. During this time, our company has gained a thorough understanding of multiple industries. Therefore, each client receives a proven and effective solution for each requirement.
- MARKET KNOWLEDGE
Our team can solve any issue related to the international transportation of cocoa. Thanks to the well-coordinated work of our specialists, each AsstrA customer is guaranteed maximum cargo safety of during transportation, a clear and well-organized delivery system, adherence the agreed timeframe, and fulfillment of all technical and sanitary standards.
- COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES
We are one expert source for a full range of cocoa bean and shredded cacao transportation services including freight forwarding (including intermodal schemes), customs and documentation support, insurance, warehousing, consulting, and project logistics. In addition to a global presence in 18 countries, our company has 8 in-house customs agencies supporting our continuous improvement and development of innovative logistics and transport solutions.
- RELIABILITY
We organize the transportation of grated cacao and cacao beans exclusively with reliable transport service providers. Our transport partners cooperate with us on the basis of long-term contracts guaranteeing top performance regardless of market conditions. Our transport partners have all necessary licenses, permits, and carrier liability insurance coverage.
- FINANCIAL SAFEGUARDS
We focus on providing safe, innovative, efficient services for the transportation of cocoa that meet the requirements of international law. We are insured for €3M per incident with our reliable partner Zurich Insurance Company Ltd (Switzerland).
- LONG-TERM EXPERIENCE
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The legal regulation of the international transportation of cocoa is complicated by the absence of a single international or national normative act that would contain an exhaustive list of rules for the carriage of this type of cargo. The rules of transportation are determined in respect of each particular shipping mode and in which countries the shipping takes place. In each specific case, carriers refer to the rules of cargo delivery by road, rail, air or sea transport as well as to international conventions and technical legal acts. Norms governing the process of the transportation of cocoa are contained in numerous technical regulations and documents establishing sanitary, hygienic and technical standards for the transport and certification of food products. All these documents establish a complex and detailed procedure for the transportation of raw cocoa. AsstrA fully ensures compliance with all relevant rules and regulations.
We look forward to cooperating with you! For more information on our services, please contact us via our website or at our nearest AsstrA office.