Rust at sea is rarely one big mistake—it’s usually small gaps stacked together: damp steel, “standard” packing with no numbers, too little desiccant, and no barrier against salt air. A simple written plan stops most of it.
Start dry, stay dry
- Surfaces dry and clean before packing; allow water‑cut/wash parts to dry, solvent‑wipe if needed.
- Avoid dew point issues—don’t pack cold steel in warm humid air.
Oil vs VCI vs barrier
- Oil: great for carbon steel plates/bars; cheap, proven; needs cleaning before paint/weld.
- VCI paper/film: protects enclosed metal without oil; ideal for machined parts and sheet stacks.
- Barrier (AL foil + desiccant): for long, humid routes: sealed bag + desiccant + humidity card.
- Stainless: usually no oil—use clean wrap/barrier; keep chlorides and Cu/Brass away.
By product form
- Coils: edge guards; spiral VCI; waterproof outer; strapped; wood saddles; humidity card inside.
- Sheets/plates: VCI interleave; corner protectors; IPPC pallet; top cover; stretch/barrier wrap; label by size/heat.
- Tubes/profiles: bundles with spacers; VCI sleeve; end caps; desiccant inside outer wrap.
Inside the container
- Container desiccant units (guide 1–2 kg per m³ for long humid routes), placed along walls/doors.
- Keep goods off floor; check vents/roof leaks before loading.
- IPPC wood only; avoid green timber.
Seal and document
- Heat‑seal or strong tape on barrier; fold corners neatly.
- Add humidity cards and record baseline color on packing list.
- Photo every step: dry parts → interleave → wrap → desiccant → crate → container.
Spec snippets (copy/paste)
- Plates: VCI each layer; top/bottom plywood; corner protectors; stretch‑wrap; 4 steel straps; IPPC pallet; 2 × 100 g desiccant per crate.
- Coils: Edge guards; spiral VCI; waterproof outer; saddle skid; 2 × 500 g desiccant; humidity card inside.
- Tubes: Bundles with caps; VCI sleeve; outer wrap; 1 × 100 g desiccant per meter bundle length.
FAQs & links
Q: Oil or VCI?
A: VCI for clean unpack/machined parts; oil effective for rough plate/bars.
Baoli Engineering Team · Reviewed Oct 31, 2025