Both ISO standards appear regularly in flexitank supplier documentation. But they cover different things — here's what each one means for your shipment.
Two ISO certifications appear regularly in flexitank supplier documentation — ISO 9001 and ISO 22000. Both matter. But they cover different things, and understanding the distinction helps you ask the right questions when evaluating a supplier.
ISO 9001 is a quality management standard. It doesn't specify what a product must be — it specifies how a manufacturer must operate. A company certified to ISO 9001 has demonstrated that it has documented processes, consistent controls, and a systematic approach to quality across its entire operation. It means that the flexitank you receive today was made under the same controlled conditions as the one you received six months ago, and the one you'll receive six months from now. In an industry where consistency of product is directly linked to cargo safety, that matters enormously.
ISO 22000 is a food safety management standard. Where ISO 9001 is about process consistency, ISO 22000 is specifically about food safety — identifying and controlling hazards that could cause harm to the end consumer through food contact. It incorporates the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and applies them to the manufacturing environment. For flexitank manufacturers producing food-grade and beverage-grade products, ISO 22000 is the more demanding standard to achieve and maintain.
The practical implication for shippers is straightforward. If you're moving non-food bulk liquids — non-hazardous chemicals, industrial oils, and similar cargo — ISO 9001 certification from your flexitank supplier gives you confidence in product consistency and manufacturing quality. If you're moving food-grade cargo — wine, fruit juice, edible oils, dairy products — you want to see ISO 22000 as well, because it tells you that food safety has been systematically addressed at every stage of the manufacturing process.
Sun Flexitanks holds both. ISO 9001 across the full product range, and ISO 22000 for food-grade and Reefer Flexitank products. Combined with FDA compliance, SGS verification, and COA FQL listing, it represents one of the most comprehensive certification frameworks in the flexitank industry.
After more than 20 years operating in bulk liquid logistics across the MENA region, India, South America, Africa, and Oceania, Sun Flexitanks understands that certifications aren't just credentials for a sales brochure. They're the foundation of the trust that customers place in us every time they load 24,000 litres of their product into one of our tanks. That trust has to be earned — and maintained — with every shipment.
If you're evaluating flexitank suppliers and want to understand what their certifications actually cover, our team is happy to walk you through it. It's a conversation worth having before your cargo is on the water.
Talk to the Sun Flexitanks team about the right solution for your cargo.