Portland Cement (OPC)
OPC 42.5 / 52.5 in bulk and sling bags
Ordinary Portland cement is contracted on strength class first and everything else second. EN 197-1 CEM I 42.5 N means a 28-day compressive strength of at least 42.5 MPa with an early strength of 10 MPa at two days; the R suffix lifts the early strength to 20 MPa and matters for precast yards and slipform crews that strip formwork on a clock. CEM I 52.5 N is the high-strength class for prestressed and high-rise work. ASTM C150 Type I is the general-purpose equivalent and Type II adds a C3A cap of 8% for moderate sulphate resistance, which is why Gulf and coastal foundation contractors specify it. Behind the class sit the numbers that govern how the cement behaves on site: Blaine fineness of 3,000–3,800 cm²/g (finer grinds faster and demands more water), initial setting time of at least 60 minutes, soundness under 10 mm on the Le Chatelier test, loss on ignition under 5%, sulphate as SO₃ under 3.5% and chloride under 0.1%. A mill certificate that quotes strength alone is not a specification.
The supply base is where a buyer's costs are actually decided. UN Comtrade 2025 export declarations under HS 2523 show Egypt shipping 10.19 million MT at an average USD 82/MT, Pakistan 8.85 million MT at USD 38, Saudi Arabia 8.05 million MT at USD 40 and Indonesia 13.98 million MT at USD 32, with the low per-tonne averages reflecting a heavy clinker share and, for Egypt, cement into Libya, Lebanon and West Africa. Bagged cement moves as 50 kg sacks pre-slung into 1.5–2 MT sling bags for break-bulk discharge, or as 1.5 MT jumbo bags; bulk cement moves in pneumatic cement carriers or geared Handysize tonnage into terminals with silo capacity. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company that already writes to cement exporters in Turkiye, Egypt, Vietnam and the UAE, and because it runs a chartering desk (LaycanDesk) freight can be quoted alongside the cargo so a CFR number is one conversation rather than two. Send the strength class, the sulphate requirement, bagged or bulk, discharge port and monthly draw, and supply is worked against that rather than against a generic 42.5 offer.
Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices Egypt to West Africa cement and clinker freight on LaycanDesk.
Indicative reference
$45–65 USD / MT
as at September 2026
Reference level only — not an offer, and reviewed quarterly. Levels shown are as at September 2026. Firm pricing is quoted per RFQ, subject to volume, terms and inspection.
Typical Specification
Specifications are indicative and adjusted to the agreed contract and destination requirements. Final spec confirmed on COA / SGS.
Available Grades
Applications
- Ready-mix concrete
- Precast & prestressed elements
- Infrastructure & marine foundations
- Housing & general construction
- Distributor & bag-trade resale
Category
Industrial Minerals & Construction
Incoterms
FOB · CFR · CIF
Pricing basis
USD / MT
Inspection
SGS / Intertek at load port
Portland Cement (OPC) — buyer questions
Should I specify 42.5 N or 42.5 R?
Both reach 42.5 MPa at 28 days; the difference is the two-day strength, 10 MPa for N and 20 MPa for R. If you are a ready-mix plant pouring slabs and footings, N is fine and normally cheaper. If you are a precast yard, a slipform crew or anyone stripping formwork early, R pays for itself in cycle time. Do not pay for R on a project that never uses the early strength.
Bagged or bulk — which lands cheaper?
Bulk is cheaper per tonne at origin and on freight, but only if you have silo capacity and a pneumatic or grab-and-hopper discharge at the receiving port. Without a terminal, sling-bagged 50 kg sacks discharged by ship's gear into trucks is the practical route, and it is how most West African and Indian Ocean parcels move. Tell us what discharge equipment your port has and we work the format from there.
Which origins are actually shipping in volume?
By UN Comtrade 2025 export declarations under HS 2523: Indonesia 13.98 million MT, Egypt 10.19 million MT, Pakistan 8.85 million MT and Saudi Arabia 8.05 million MT, with Vietnam and Turkiye also major exporters. Egypt's cement goes mainly to Libya, Lebanon and West Africa. The right origin for you is the one whose freight lane to your port is already active, which is why we quote cargo and freight together.
What shelf life should I expect on bagged cement?
Cement absorbs moisture from the air and loses strength from the day it is bagged; three months of dry, covered storage is the usual planning figure and six months is the outer limit before you should retest. Order to your draw rate rather than to the largest parcel that fits the vessel, and insist on a mill certificate dated to the production run, not to the shipment.
Ready to source Portland Cement?
Send your quantity, specification, preferred Incoterms and destination port. We'll verify supply and respond with a workable offer — usually within one business day.
Have Portland Cement to sell? Submit an offer — we'll match it against live buyer demand.