T1 is the IMDG Code Chapter 6.7 portable tank instruction at the lowest-pressure end of the T1 to T22 ladder. Min test pressure 1.5 bar, MAWP 1.0 bar, 6 mm reference-steel shell, bottom outlet allowed, normal pressure-relief valve. Cargo population: non-hazardous liquids that need a portable-tank frame for intermodal logistics rather than for chemical containment. Wine in bulk (the bedrock of the Hillebrand-Gori fleet), fruit-juice concentrates above their freezing temperatures, glycerin / glycerine, mineral water, honey, liquid sugar and syrups (heated), vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste, milk, cream, liquid eggs.
What T1 is built for
The cargoes are food-grade or pharma-adjacent and the regulatory regime is FDA 21 CFR 177, EU 1935/2004 + 10/2011, USDA, Kosher OU/Kof-K, Halal JAKIM/MUI/HMC. The IMDG plate matters less than the food-grade certification documents that accompany the booking. The bulk-wine trade in particular is dominated by Hillebrand-Gori; the broader food-grade fleet is operated by Stolt Tank Containers, Hoyer, Bertschi, and a long tail of regional specialists (Trifleet, Newport).
Construction and materials
316L stainless cylinder (or 304L; both are FDA-acceptable), polished interior to Ra 0.8 micrometres or finer for CIP cleaning, 50 to 100 mm polyurethane foam insulation under aluminium or GRP cladding, hinged manlid for hygienic access, food-grade EPDM or PTFE gaskets, optional steam coils or glycol jacketing for syrups and chocolate. The polished interior is the key build difference vs a chemical T11: a chemical-grade interior with welding scale and surface roughness above Ra 1.0 micrometres traps prior cargo and contaminates wine or juice on the next load.
CIP (clean-in-place) spray balls are fitted in food-grade builds. Shadow-zone mapping behind any baffles is part of the cleaning protocol. CIP plus rinse-with-potable-water plus dedicated food-line ECD documentation form the EFTCO Food Cleaning Standard.
When T1 is the right choice
T1 is the right tank when the operator has a dedicated food-grade fleet entry, the ECD covers a P15 CIP cleaning protocol, and the cargo is non-DG. Wine in bulk from Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and California rotates in T1-spec equipment between vintage seasons. Juice concentrate from Brazil ships in refrigerated T1 builds (frozen orange concentrate at minus 10 deg C is the canonical example). Glycerin from biodiesel co-production rides T1 stainless without temperature control.
When T1 is the wrong choice
T1 is the wrong tank for any DG cargo: the test pressure is too low to satisfy the IMDG rules for Classes 3, 6.1, 8 PG II/III, much less PG I or Classes 5.1 / 5.2 / 4.1. T1 is also the wrong tank if the operator’s food-grade certification regime is incomplete; a T1 build without dedicated-fleet history and current EFTCO Food ECD is no better than a generic chemical tank for food cargo, and probably worse because the buyer has paid food-grade rates for non-food equipment.
How a T1 food-grade booking is verified
The plate stack (CSC, 5-year, 2.5-year) is the same as any IMDG-eligible build. The food-grade documentation stack is the differentiator: FDA 21 CFR 177 declaration, EU 1935/2004 conformity, Kosher / Halal certificates where applicable, EFTCO Food ECD covering the P15 CIP cleaning protocol, dedicated-fleet history showing no chemical-cargo cross-contamination, food-contact gasket material certificates (silicone, EPDM food-grade, PTFE). For wine the buyer additionally requires nitrogen-blanket integrity (the wine is stored under nitrogen to prevent oxidation; a leaking blanket fails the booking).