Pack agarwood chips for international shipping inside a rigid, double-walled export carton lined with a sealed moisture barrier, cushion each grade in its own labelled poly bag, keep every box under 20-25 kg, and fix the original CITES export permit and BKSDA recommendation to the consignment so the paperwork physically travels with the cargo. Legal export requires that permit — never ship without it.
Agarwood chips are small, light and extraordinarily valuable, which makes them one of the trickier commodities to pack well. A single export carton can carry plantation chips worth USD 500-7,000 per kilogram depending on grade (as of 2026, indicative, final quote confirms grade and scope), so a torn bag or a crushed corner is not a cosmetic problem — it is money and scent walking out the door. This guide covers the packing, labelling and insurance steps that keep resin, aroma and legal documents intact from a Bali warehouse to a Gulf or China buyer.
Why does agarwood need such careful packing?
Three things make agarwood chips demanding. First, value density: because so much worth sits in so little weight, damage or theft hits hard. Second, aroma volatility — the resin that defines the grade also carries the fragrance, and heat, humidity swings and crushing all degrade it. Third, the regulatory weight: Aquilaria is listed under CITES Appendix II, so the physical shipment and its permit are legally inseparable.
Good packing therefore protects three assets at once: the chips, their scent, and the documents that make the export lawful.
What materials protect agarwood chips in transit?
Use export-grade materials, not repurposed retail packaging. The table below lists what belongs in a proper agarwood pack:
| Layer | Material | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Food-grade resealable poly bag per grade | Separates grades; contains loose fines |
| Moisture control | Silica gel sachets + foil moisture barrier | Holds humidity steady; protects resin |
| Cushioning | Kraft paper or biodegradable foam | Stops chips crushing and abrading |
| Inner box | Corrugated insert or grade compartments | Keeps grades from mixing in transit |
| Outer carton | Double-walled export corrugated box | Structural strength; stacking resistance |
| Seal | Reinforced water-activated tape | Tamper evidence; edge protection |
Keeping each grade in its own sealed bag matters commercially, not just physically: Super A must never mix with a lower tier, because a blended carton is impossible to grade on arrival and invites disputes. Map these material choices against your broader agarwood export logistics plan before the box ever leaves the warehouse, since freight mode and route decide how much cushioning and moisture control you actually need.
How do you build the box, layer by layer?
Work from the chip outward. The sequence below is a reliable default for a mixed-grade consignment:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Weigh and photograph each grade lot before bagging |
| 2 | Seal each grade in its own labelled poly bag with a silica sachet |
| 3 | Wrap bagged lots in kraft paper; slot into compartments |
| 4 | Line the outer carton with a foil moisture barrier |
| 5 | Fill voids so nothing shifts when the box is shaken |
| 6 | Seal, then attach documents in a waterproof pouch |
| 7 | Weigh the closed carton; keep it under 20-25 kg for safe handling |
A box that rattles is a box that will arrive with abraded chips and a drift of valuable fines in the corners. Void fill is not optional.
How do you label a CITES agarwood shipment?
Labelling does two jobs: it routes the box and it proves the trade is legal. Every carton should carry:
- Consignee and consignor details, matching the permit exactly
- Net and gross weight per carton
- The CITES export permit number
- Species name (for example Aquilaria malaccensis)
- Source code W (wild) or P (plantation) — plantation material is generally easier to permit and more sustainable
- Handling marks: keep dry, fragile, this way up
- Harmonised System (HS) code as advised by your forwarder
Names and weights on the box must reconcile with the permit and invoice to the gram. Customs officers compare the physical carton against the paperwork, and any mismatch between labelled weight and declared weight is a fast route to a hold.
Why must the CITES permit travel with the shipment?
Because the permit is not a filing you keep at the office — it is the document that authorises this specific box to cross a border. Legal export requires a CITES export permit plus a BKSDA recommendation, and the trade is subject to a Non-Detriment Finding (NDF) confirming it will not harm wild populations; Indonesia’s 2024 NDF set a wild Aquilaria malaccensis quota of 24,110 kg. The original permit accompanies the cargo; a copy stays in your file.
Domestically, moving processed agarwood between Indonesian regions also needs a wood transport permit, the Surat Angkutan Kayu Olahan (SAKO), from the local forest authority, so the chips are covered on the road to the port as well as in the air or on the water. Agarwood Export is a sourcing broker and information hub, not a permit authority — we do not issue permits or guarantee customs clearance. Always confirm the current requirements with the CITES Management Authority (Indonesia) and your import country before you ship, because rules and quotas change.
What insurance and documentation should ride with the cargo?
Given the value band, insure the consignment for its full invoiced worth, not a nominal freight figure. Freight is arranged through vetted licensed partners who can bind cover appropriate to CITES goods. Keep this documentation set together in a waterproof pouch on the carton and mirrored digitally:
- Original CITES export permit and BKSDA recommendation
- Commercial invoice and packing list (weights matching the labels)
- Certificate of origin
- Airway bill or bill of lading
- All-risk cargo insurance certificate for the declared value
What packing mistakes cause the most rejected agarwood shipments?
- Declared weight not matching the labelled and permitted weight
- Shipping without the original permit physically on the consignment
- Blending grades in one bag, making arrival grading impossible
- Skipping moisture control, so resin sweats and aroma flattens
- Under-insuring to save a few dollars on a five-figure carton
- Reusing soft retail boxes that crush under stacking
Fix these six and most avoidable losses and holds disappear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can agarwood chips ship by air, or must they go by sea?
Both work, and the choice is commercial rather than regulatory. Air suits high-grade, high-value chips where speed limits exposure and cost per kilogram is easy to absorb. Sea freight fits larger, lower-grade volumes. Either way the CITES export permit, BKSDA recommendation and matching documents must travel with the consignment; the transport mode does not change the paperwork.
Should agarwood chips be vacuum-sealed for export?
Vacuum sealing is not required and can be counterproductive. A firm vacuum can crush fragile resinous chips and fracture Super grades. A better default is a resealable food-grade poly bag with a silica gel sachet inside a foil moisture barrier — this steadies humidity and preserves aroma without applying pressure. Reserve tighter sealing for powder or fines, where crushing is not a concern.
How do you stop agarwood chips losing scent on a long ocean shipment?
Control humidity and heat, not the chips themselves. Keep each grade in a sealed bag with silica gel inside a foil moisture barrier, avoid deck or hot-container placement, and never mix agarwood with strongly scented cargo that can taint it. A stable, cool, dry micro-environment inside the carton is what protects the resin’s fragrance across weeks at sea.