Selling hazelnut shell domestically and selling it abroad are almost two separate operations for the same product. Domestically the job is mostly finished once the truck is loaded; in export, container type, packaging choice, delivery terms and pre-shipment quality confirmation all come into play. Below we’ve gathered the practical side of that process for buyers considering hazelnut shell from Turkey or reviewing an existing supply line: which container, which packaging, which delivery term — and how quality gets settled before shipment.

Turkey as a Source: The Black Sea Line

Hazelnut shell is the hard by-product left at cracking facilities after the kernel is separated. Since a considerable share of world hazelnut supply originates in Turkey, a regular volume forms on the shell side as well; because a significant part of the processing capacity is concentrated along the Black Sea line, shell appears in that region on a certain rhythm. Harvest is seasonal, but cracking facilities work at a tempo spread across the year; with proper storage and blending, planning shipments year-round becomes possible. Note too that buyers abroad search for the product under the English name “hazelnut shell” — whichever language the search is in, the source address mostly leads back to the same geography.

We buy this material from growers and processing points, store it and ship according to demand. Not depending on the output of a single facility is a detail that matters to an export buyer: when supply tightens in one region or the gaps between batches stretch out, the shipment calendar can be protected with an alternative source.

We won’t list again here what the shell is used for; we covered the uses running from fuel to blasting in detail in What Is Hazelnut Shell Used For. This article is about how that shell travels from one port to another.

Truck Domestically, Container in Export

The domestic side is relatively simple: the product is loaded onto a truck and unloaded at the buyer’s site; planning is mostly a matter of delivery date and unloading arrangements. In export the unit is the container, and in practice two types stand out: 20-foot standard and 40-foot HQ (high cube). Since hazelnut shell is a cargo that takes up considerable volume relative to its weight, the roomier 40-foot HQ is considered on many shipments; on trial orders, or with buyers facing port and inland-transport constraints at destination, 20-foot may also be preferred.

There’s no single answer to “how many tons does a container hold”. The quantity that can be carried varies with the form of the shell, the packaging method and the road weight rules of the destination country, and it becomes clear with the loading plan. That’s why discussing container type together with your quantity or unit expectation at the quotation stage heads off plans that get revised later.

Big-bag, Bulk and Sacks

Two loading methods are common inside a container: roughly one-ton big-bag bags and bulk loading; on small or mixed orders sacks can come into play too. Big-bag simplifies the work at the arrival port and in the warehouse — unloaded with a forklift, stacked, opened as needed. Bulk loading removes the packaging item and allows more efficient use of container volume; in return it calls for suitable equipment and arrangements on the unloading side. Which one is right depends on your warehouse and handling capability; regular shipments can be made either way.

Form preference affects packaging too. Bulk loading is common with whole or cracked shell, while with finely calibrated material the preference generally shifts to big-bag because of scattering and dust. If you need the ground form, note that it’s managed as a separate product; details are on the Hazelnut Shell Granule page.

FOB and CIF: From the Buyer’s Window

Delivery terms are among the items most often confused when comparing quotes. Under FOB the goods are loaded on board at the port of departure and what follows is the buyer’s organization; it gives a buyer with their own freight agreement or forwarder the chance to manage logistics through their own network. For a buyer purchasing for the first time, or one who wants to build a budget on a single total cost, CIF can be a practical route; the seller organizes freight and minimum insurance. The FOB and CIF figures for the same batch are naturally different — when placing quotes side by side, it’s necessary to clarify which delivery term is being discussed. We explained the responsibility and risk split between the two delivery terms in detail in What Are FOB and CIF in Export; no need to repeat it here.

Quality Confirmation Before Loading

An export buyer has a fair reservation: once the container is closed, there’s no chance to change what’s inside. Since hazelnut shell is an agricultural by-product, thermal value, moisture and foreign-matter content can move from batch to batch; that’s why we don’t publish a fixed table of values. Instead, values are confirmed before shipment, on request, with an analysis report obtained from an independent laboratory on a batch basis. The thresholds the buyer expects — especially moisture and cleanliness — are clarified in the order correspondence, and the batch is prepared accordingly.

A note for export customers buying for blasting: hazelnut shell contains no silica (crystalline silica); that’s one of the reasons the product is preferred on the abrasive side. You can find a summary of form and packaging options on the Hazelnut Shell product page. On serious-volume export evaluations, a sample assessment before the order may also come up; the final batch is prepared as close as possible to the approved sample.

How a First Order Progresses

Following the steps through a case makes it clearer how they connect in practice: a business running a solid-fuel boiler in Eastern Europe, considering shell from Turkey for the first time. Their first message gave three pieces of information: intended use (boiler fuel), target port and approximate annual need. With those three, the form (cracked shell), packaging (big-bag, since they had a forklift in their warehouse) and container type (40-foot HQ for the volume advantage) were settled quickly. Having no freight experience, they asked for a CIF quote; they requested an independent laboratory analysis before shipment, and the report was sent to them together with the loading documents. On the second order the process was already short — form, packaging and delivery terms were known, and only date and quantity were discussed.

What this flow says is this: the first time in export takes some correspondence, but the arrangement established repeats itself on later shipments. Most of the effort is in the first container.

What to State When Requesting a Quote

We went through the items that affect price — quality, form, season, quantity, delivery terms, exchange rate — one by one in Factors That Affect Hazelnut Shell’s Per-Ton Price; let’s not repeat them here. For an export quote, the information that speeds things up on our side is:

Intended use and the form wanted (whole, cracked, ground)
Target port and delivery term preference (FOB or CIF)
Container type/count or approximate quantity
Packaging preference (big-bag, bulk or sacks)

None of this has to be final in the first message; we clarify whatever is missing together during the correspondence. If you’re considering hazelnut shell supply from Turkey, it’s enough to send your target port and approximate quantity through the contact page; we’ll come back with a clear quote.