Shisha Charcoal Buyer FAQ and Trade Glossary
Answers to the questions wholesale buyers ask before ordering a container of shisha charcoal from Indonesia — on product, private label, quality, dangerous-goods shipping, import rules, payment and our factory — each with a link to the full answer, plus a glossary of the trade terms used across this site.
Product
What are coconut shell charcoal briquettes?
Carbonized coconut shell bound with tapioca starch and pressed into 25 mm cubes, 26 mm cubes or hexagonal briquettes.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Which sizes do you make?
Cube 25 mm, Cube 26 mm and Hexagonal; hexagonal dimensions are agreed with the buyer.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
What is the indicative price?
USD 1,800–1,900 per ton FOB Semarang, indicative and non-binding, as of October 2026.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
How much fits in a container?
Cubes: 18–19.5 t per 20' and 25–26 t per 40'; hexagonal 17 t per 20' and 25.5 t per 40'.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Private label
What is the minimum per design?
5 tons per print design, within a minimum order of one full container.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
How many designs fit in a container?
Up to 3 designs in a 20' and up to 5 in a 40'.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
How long does printing take?
2–3 weeks after artwork approval; the charcoal is already in stock.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Who owns the artwork?
You do; we use your artwork only for your orders.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Quality
Which laboratories test your charcoal?
Carsurin and Beckjorindo issue our Certificates of Analysis.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
What does ash content tell me?
How much mineral residue remains after burning, as a percentage of dry weight.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
How should burn time be measured?
With cube size, device, airflow, number of pieces and end point stated.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
What is a golden sample?
An approved sealed sample that later shipments must match within agreed tolerances.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Shipping
Is coconut charcoal dangerous goods by sea?
Yes: UN 1361 CARBON, Class 4.2, under IMDG Amendment 42-24, mandatory since 1 January 2026.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Is SP 978 an exemption?
No. It sets carriage conditions: weathering, packing temperature and headspace.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Which documents ship with the container?
DGD, weathering certificate, MSDS / SDS, vanning survey, certificate of origin and bill of lading.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
What is the port of loading?
Port of Semarang (Tanjung Emas); all prices are FOB Semarang.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Import
Which HS code applies?
HS 2022 uses 4402.20; some schedules still use 4402.90 — confirm with your broker.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Is it duty-free in the USA?
Entered duty-free under CBP ruling N306942; confirm with your broker.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Why no duty rates for Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq or Jordan?
Rates change often; get a written broker quote on CIF value.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Which documents do importers need?
Invoice, packing list, B/L, certificate of origin, COA, SDS, DGD copy and weathering certificate.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Buying
What is the minimum order?
One full container, 20' or 40'.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
What are the payment terms?
50% deposit and 50% before shipment, T/T to the PT company account only.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Can I inspect before paying the balance?
Yes; visit the factory in Magelang or appoint an inspector to see your allocated stock.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Is the 1 kg sample free?
Yes; you pay the courier cost and we refund it against your first order.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Factory
Where is the factory?
Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, operating since 2017.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
What is your capacity?
250 tons per month.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
How can I verify you?
Check our NIB in the OSS registry and book a live video call.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Which certifications do you hold?
None beyond lab COAs; we do not hold ISO 9001 or other certifications.
Full answer · Last updated 2026-10-17
Glossary
UN 1361
UN 1361 is a four-digit transport identifier that the UN Model Regulations assign to carbon of animal or vegetable origin, including coconut shell charcoal. It is a classification used on dangerous goods documents and container markings, not a certificate, so no supplier can be certified to it.
Class 4.2
Class 4.2 is a dangerous goods hazard class that covers substances liable to spontaneous combustion, meaning they can heat up and ignite in contact with air without an outside flame. Charcoal shipped as UN 1361 falls into this class, which decides how it is packed, stowed and declared.
Used in: Shipping
SP 978
SP 978 is a special provision of the IMDG Code that sets the conditions under which charcoal is carried by sea, including weathering before packing, packing temperature and free headspace in the container. It defines how the cargo must be prepared; it is not an exemption from dangerous goods rules.
Used in: Shipping
IMDG Code
The IMDG Code is the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, an IMO rulebook that governs how dangerous goods are classified, packed, documented and stowed on ships. It is amended every two years; Amendment 42-24 became mandatory on 1 January 2026 and changed how charcoal is shipped.
Used in: Shipping
DGD
A DGD, or Dangerous Goods Declaration, is a shipping document that the shipper signs to declare dangerous cargo to the carrier. For charcoal it names UN 1361, the proper shipping name CARBON and Class 4.2, and records production date, packing date and packing-day temperature.
Weathering
Weathering is a preparation step that exposes finished charcoal to air for a set period before packing so it can absorb oxygen and moisture and become less likely to self-heat. Under SP 978 it is evidenced by a weathering certificate stating the period or the alternative steam treatment and cooling.
Used in: Shipping
PSN "CARBON"
PSN "CARBON" is the proper shipping name, the standard text that must appear alongside UN 1361 on dangerous goods documents and markings. Using the exact name, rather than a trade name such as shisha charcoal, lets carriers and port authorities identify the hazard without ambiguity.
Used in: Shipping
Packing group
A packing group is a dangerous goods grading that indicates the degree of danger within a hazard class, from I (high) to III (low). It determines packaging performance requirements and is stated on the DGD; check the packing group on your own declaration rather than assuming one for all charcoal.
Used in: Shipping
FOB
FOB, Free On Board, is an Incoterms rule under which the seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the named port of loading and the buyer takes over cost and risk from that point. We quote FOB Semarang, so the buyer's forwarder books the vessel.
CIF
CIF, Cost, Insurance and Freight, is an Incoterms rule under which the seller pays freight and minimum insurance to the destination port while risk passes to the buyer once goods are on board. Most customs authorities also use CIF value as the base for calculating import duty.
EXW
EXW, Ex Works, is an Incoterms rule under which the seller makes goods available at its own premises and the buyer handles everything else, including export clearance. It rarely suits dangerous goods such as charcoal, because the buyer must manage the export DG paperwork in Indonesia.
Used in: Shipping
T/T
T/T, telegraphic transfer, is a bank payment method that moves money by wire directly from the buyer's account to the seller's account. Our terms are 50% deposit and 50% before shipment by T/T, paid only to the PT Hookah Coals Coconut Charcoal Indonesia company account.
Used in: Buyer's Guide · Products
LC
An LC, or letter of credit, is a bank undertaking that pays the seller once specified shipping documents are presented without discrepancies. It gives document-based protection to both sides but adds bank fees and paperwork, and a single document mismatch can delay payment and shipment.
Used in: Buyer's Guide
FCL / LCL
FCL and LCL are sea freight booking types: Full Container Load gives one shipper a whole container, while Less than Container Load consolidates several shippers' goods in one box. We ship FCL only, because our minimum order is one full 20' or 40' container.
Used in: Products
MOQ
MOQ, minimum order quantity, is a supplier term that sets the smallest order the supplier will accept. Ours is one full 20' or 40' container, with a separate print minimum of 5 tons per packaging design, which allows up to 3 designs per 20' and 5 per 40'.
Used in: Products · Private Label
Proforma invoice
A proforma invoice is a preliminary sales document that sets out product, quantity, price, Incoterm, payment terms and bank details before shipment. It is the document the deposit is paid against, so its beneficiary name and specifications should be checked line by line.
Used in: Buyer's Guide · Products
HS code
An HS code is a customs classification number from the World Customs Organization's Harmonized System that decides duty rates and import rules. Coconut shell charcoal sits in 4402.20 under HS 2022, though some national schedules still use 4402.90; the importer is responsible for the code used.
Certificate of origin
A certificate of origin is a trade document that states the country where goods were produced, here Indonesia. Customs use it to apply the correct duty rate, and a specific form may be needed to claim a preferential rate under a trade agreement.
COA
A COA, Certificate of Analysis, is a laboratory report that records test results for a specific sample, such as ash, moisture, fixed carbon, volatile matter and calorific value. It proves the results for that sample only; our COAs are issued by Carsurin and Beckjorindo.
Ash content
Ash content is a laboratory measure of the mineral residue that remains after a charcoal sample burns completely, expressed as a percentage of dry weight. In shisha use, higher ash means more cleaning and less usable heat; compare figures only on the same test basis.
Used in: Quality
Fixed carbon
Fixed carbon is a calculated value that represents the carbon left to burn as solid char after moisture, volatile matter and ash are accounted for. It is usually reported by difference, so an error in any of the other three figures also changes the fixed carbon result.
Used in: Quality
Volatile matter
Volatile matter is a laboratory measure of the material released as gas when a charcoal sample is heated without air. Higher values mean faster ignition but more smoke and smell while lighting, and can indicate that carbonization of the shell was incomplete.
Used in: Quality
Calorific value
Calorific value is a laboratory measure of the heat released when one kilogram of charcoal burns completely, reported in kcal/kg. It shows how much heat is available but not how evenly it is delivered, so read it together with ash, moisture and fixed carbon.
Used in: Quality
Moisture content
Moisture content is a laboratory measure of the water held in a charcoal sample, expressed as a percentage of its weight as received. Wet briquettes light slowly, can crack or spark, and add paid-for weight; moisture can also change during storage and transit.
Used in: Quality
Golden sample
A golden sample is an approved reference sample that buyer and factory seal and each keep, named in the contract as the standard that later shipments must match within agreed tolerances. It turns a good sample into an enforceable quality commitment for bulk orders.
Used in: Quality · Buyer's Guide
SABER
SABER is a Saudi online conformity platform operated by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) through which importers register products and obtain the certificates needed to clear goods into Saudi Arabia. Check the current requirements for charcoal with your broker.
Used in: Import
SCoC
An SCoC, Shipment Certificate of Conformity, is a conformity document that is issued per shipment through SABER to confirm that a consignment meets Saudi technical requirements. It is requested by the importer and must be in place before the goods are cleared at a Saudi port.
Used in: Import
EUDR
The EUDR is the EU Deforestation Regulation, a due-diligence law that requires operators placing certain commodities and products on the EU market to show they are deforestation-free and legally produced. Application dates were moved to 30 December 2026 and 30 June 2027 by Regulation (EU) 2025/2650.
ISF
ISF, the Importer Security Filing or "10+2", is a US customs filing that requires the importer to submit shipment data to CBP before goods are loaded on a vessel bound for the United States. Late or missing filings can lead to penalties and holds, so brokers file it early.
Used in: Import