Wine flexitank capable of carrying two different liquids launched

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 08 July, 2014

If 24,000 litres of wine is too much to ship at once, bulk buyers can now take advantage of a dual compartment flexitank which can transport two different wines within one container.

German logistics group Dachser, along with partner Liquatrans, has launched a flexitank which is split into two - one holding 11,000 litres and the other 13,000.

Dachser already makes the only flexitank in the industry for use on road transportation - which does not have bulkheads.

Torben Wieben, who heads the wine and spirits competence centre at Dachser, told Harpers.co.uk: "I think the market is waiting for it."

He said the split-tank was no more expensive than a regular version, and was easier to install as it doesn't have the same metal bars as other tanks.

Wieben has been surprised by the number of large operators who are interested, having initially thought smaller operations would be the biggest users.

"It's in use already, especially moving some lines in Africa, but some of our major customers are considering it and are about to trial it." It has also been used to move wine into Germany.

Although no-one has yet shipped wine into the UK using the new flexitank, since last month's London Wine Fair, when the firm introduced the new system to the UK market, there has been growing interest. Chile, South Africa and the US are also keen, says Wieben.

Up until now smaller operators have been able to consolidate shipments in order to lower costs, but shipping by flexitank has often been beyond their means. Moving two different wines within one flexitank may prove useful and offer cost savings.

From 2005 to 2012, the Organisation of Wine and Vine says bulk wine shipping increased by 61%, with the UK accounting for 11% of worldwide bulk wine imports, up 6% on 2011. Four out of 10 bottles of wine in the UK are now shipped in bulk and packaged here - but industry insiders say that figure is rising and could reach six out of 10 bottles.

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