A bitumen supplier in Algeria faces a question that does not arise in most markets: Algeria refines its own bitumen. Sonatrach’s refineries produce penetration grades domestically, so importing is not the default — it is a decision that needs a reason. This page is honest about what those reasons are, covers the EN grade naming Algerian tenders actually use, and treats the import licensing regime as the real constraint it is rather than a footnote.
ZUMRUT INT Co. supplies oxidized bitumen, polymer modified binder, membrane, emulsion and cutback grades into Algeria, loading from Mersin with a short Mediterranean crossing. Every shipment carries a batch certificate of analysis issued before loading, stated against the standard your contract names, with French documentation as standard.
Why import bitumen into a producing country?
Algeria has domestic refining capacity and produces penetration grade bitumen. For standard road paving, local supply is usually the sensible route — no freight, no licence, no clearance.
Imports fill specific gaps. Being clear about which gap applies to your project saves time on both sides.
| Reason to import | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Grades not produced locally | Oxidized bitumen for roofing, waterproofing and pipe coating. Domestic refining focuses on paving grades |
| Polymer modified binder | PMB for airport pavement, heavy-duty highway and specialist work, where the modification is done to a project specification |
| Finished membrane | APP and SBS modified membrane rolls as a finished product rather than raw binder |
| Supply gap | Refinery maintenance, allocation shortfall, or a project volume that exceeds what local supply can commit to on schedule |
| Specification mismatch | Where a tender names a grade or standard that domestic production does not certify against |
| Emulsion and cutback | Specific emulsion grades for surface treatment where local formulation is limited |
The honest position. If you need bulk 50/70 for ordinary paving and local supply can meet your schedule, import is the harder path — freight, licensing and clearance against a product already available domestically. Where we compete is the categories above: oxidized grades, modified binder, membrane and specification-driven requirements. Tell us what you actually need and we will say plainly if local supply is the better answer.
EN or ASTM? Algeria uses EN
This causes more confusion than it should, and getting it wrong means a technically non-compliant offer.
Algerian specifications follow the European system under EN 12591, a legacy of both the French technical tradition and the EU association agreement. Tenders name grades such as 35/50 and 50/70 rather than the ASTM 40/50 and 60/70 used across much of Africa and the Middle East.
| EN 12591 grade | Penetration range | Nearest ASTM | Where it fits in Algeria |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/30 | 20–30 dmm | Harder than 40/50 | Specialist heavy-duty; rarely specified |
| 35/50 | 35–50 dmm | 40/50, approximately | Saharan interior, heavy freight corridors, airport pavement |
| 50/70 | 50–70 dmm | 60/70, approximately | The volume grade for the northern coastal strip and Tell Atlas |
| 70/100 | 70–100 dmm | 80/100, approximately | Cooler mountain areas, surface dressing |
Approximately is carrying weight in that table. The penetration ranges overlap but the specifications differ elsewhere: EN 12591 requires the Fraass breaking point and specifies retained penetration after RTFOT, neither of which appears on a standard ASTM D946 certificate. A batch can satisfy 60/70 and fail 50/70 on a test that was never run. If your tender names an EN grade, ask for a certificate reporting against EN — not an ASTM certificate with an equivalence note attached. Our grade equivalence chart sets out where the systems diverge.
Two Algerias, one specification decision
Algeria is the largest country in Africa and roughly four-fifths of it is Sahara. The binder that works in Algiers is wrong in Tamanrasset, and the reason is not simply that the south is hotter.
| Zone | Cities | Conditions | Grade | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean coast | Algiers, Oran, Annaba, Béjaïa | Hot dry summers, mild wet winters | 50/70 | Moderate temperature swing; winter rainfall makes adhesion matter |
| Tell Atlas and highlands | Sétif, Tiaret, Batna | Continental — hot summers, genuinely cold winters with snow | 50/70 or 70/100 | Thermal cracking is a real risk. The hardest grade is wrong here |
| High plateau | Djelfa, Laghouat | Semi-arid, wide seasonal range | 50/70 | Compromise between summer rutting and winter cracking |
| Northern Sahara | Ouargla, Ghardaïa, Hassi Messaoud | Extreme summer heat above 45 °C | 35/50 | Rutting governs. Oil and gas traffic loads the pavement heavily |
| Deep Sahara | Tamanrasset, Adrar, Illizi | Extreme heat, and a wide day-to-night range in winter | 35/50 or PMB | See below — the diurnal range complicates the obvious answer |
| Airport pavement | Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Hassi Messaoud | Point loading plus heat | PMB or 35/50 | Turning and standing loads exceed what an unmodified binder handles |
The Saharan detail that is easy to miss. Desert conditions are not simply hot. Clear skies and dry air mean heat radiates away fast after sunset, so the deep Sahara has a wide diurnal range — daytime surface temperatures well above 60 °C in summer, while winter nights approach freezing in some areas. A very hard binder resists the daytime rutting and then cracks under the nightly contraction. Where both failure modes apply on the same section, polymer modified binder handles the range better than pushing the penetration grade harder. If your project is deep south rather than northern Sahara, say so at the enquiry stage.
Grade selection by application
| Application | Recommended grade | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal and northern paving | 50/70 (ASTM 60/70) | Balanced stiffness and low-temperature performance for Mediterranean conditions |
| Saharan highways | 35/50 (ASTM 40/50) | Resists rutting where surface temperature exceeds 60 °C |
| Trans-Sahara corridor, heavy freight | PMB | Long-haul truck traffic across extreme thermal range; the modification handles both ends |
| Oil and gas field roads | 35/50 or PMB | Heavy slow-moving equipment applies sustained shear, which damages more than fast traffic at the same axle load |
| Airport runways and aprons | PMB or 35/50 | Point loading, turning stress and fuel resistance requirements |
| Mountain roads, Tell Atlas | 50/70 or 70/100 | Winter snow and freeze-thaw. A harder grade cracks |
| Surface dressing | 70/100 or CRS-2 emulsion | Softer binder wets and holds the chip; aged binder causes chip loss |
| Prime coat | MC-30, MC-70 | Low Saharan humidity aids solvent curing; MC-30 for tight bases |
| Tack coat | CSS-1 | Cationic where coastal humidity leaves surfaces damp |
| Roofing membrane | APP modified or SBS modified | APP for UV stability and high heat; SBS where low-temperature flexibility matters more |
| Roof and building waterproofing | Oxidized 85/25 or 95/25 | 85/25 on the coast; 95/25 in the south where roof surfaces exceed 75 °C |
| Mastic asphalt flooring | Oxidized 90/10 | High softening point with low penetration gives the hardness mastic asphalt flooring needs in factories and warehouses |
| Pipe coating | Oxidized 115/15 | Anti-corrosion enamel for pipeline and buried steel — a substantial application given Algeria’s hydrocarbon network |
APP or SBS membrane?
Both are modified bitumen membranes and both are used in Algeria. The choice is climate-driven.
| APP modified | SBS modified | |
|---|---|---|
| Modifier | Atactic polypropylene — a plastomer | Styrene-butadiene-styrene — an elastomer |
| Heat resistance | Higher — holds under intense sun | Good, but lower softening point |
| Low-temperature flexibility | Adequate | Better — stays flexible in cold |
| UV stability | Better for exposed applications | Usually needs surface protection |
| Elastic recovery | Limited | Higher — accommodates structural movement |
| Best fit in Algeria | Coastal and Saharan — the dominant choice for most of the country | Tell Atlas and highlands, where winter cold and movement matter |
Ports
| Port | Serves | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Algiers | The capital region and central north | The main commercial port; most frequent sailings but also the most congested |
| Oran | The west, and onward to Saharan routes south | Second commercial port; often faster to clear than Algiers |
| Skikda | The east and the industrial zone | Hydrocarbon and industrial focus |
| Béjaïa | Kabylia and the central-east | Container and general cargo; a practical alternative to Algiers |
| Annaba | The far east and Tunisian border region | Serves eastern projects with a shorter inland leg |
Choosing the port by project location, not by size, is worth real money. Algeria’s distances are continental — a project at Hassi Messaoud is roughly 800 km from the coast, and Tamanrasset around 2,000 km from Algiers. The inland leg from the wrong port can exceed the freight saving many times over.
Packing
| Packing | Per 20′ container | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 180 kg new steel drum | 80 drums ≈ 14.4 MT | Saharan and inland sites without heated discharge. The default for anything going south |
| 200 kg new steel drum | 80 drums ≈ 16 MT | Lower packing cost per tonne where site handling allows |
| 300 kg jumbo bag | Up to 22 MT | Sites with forklift or crane |
| Bulk bitutainer | 20–25 MT | Coastal asphalt plants near the discharge port with heated storage only |
| Membrane rolls | Palletised per specification | APP and SBS membrane as finished product |
Importing into Algeria: the licensing question
This is the part that determines whether a shipment happens, and it deserves more than a line.
Algeria operates an active import control regime. Import authorisation requirements, currency allocation and domiciliation bancaire — the bank domiciliation of the import file — all apply, and the rules have changed repeatedly over the past decade as policy on foreign reserves has shifted.
What this means practically. The licensing position has to be settled by your importer before the order is placed, not after. A supplier cannot resolve it from outside the country: the authorisation, the bank domiciliation and the currency allocation are all in the importer’s hands. What we can do is supply the documentation the file requires, in the form and language it requires, and hold the cargo until the file is clear rather than shipping into a problem. Ask your bank and customs broker for the current position before contracting.
| Document | Issued by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Proforma invoice | Seller | Required to open the bank domiciliation file before shipment |
| Commercial invoice | Seller | Value, parties, Incoterm, HS code. French version advisable |
| Packing list | Seller | Drum count, net and gross weight, container and seal numbers |
| Bill of lading | Shipping line | Title and contract of carriage |
| Certificate of origin | Chamber of commerce at origin | Country of production; determines duty treatment. Often requires legalisation |
| Certificate of analysis | Producer QC or independent lab | Batch conformity against EN 12591 or the named standard |
| Safety data sheet | Producer | Hazard information. French version required |
| Inspection certificate | SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek | Independent quality and quantity verification at loading |
Algeria is francophone and official documentation is handled in French. Commercial documents in English are sometimes accepted but French versions clear faster and avoid queries. We supply the safety data sheet and technical documentation in French as standard. Some documents require legalisation through the Algerian consulate at origin — confirm which with your broker before shipment. The general picture is in our export documentation guide.
Price of bitumen in Algeria
| Cost component | Moves with | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base bitumen price | Crude and vacuum bottom | The dominant component. Tracks crude with a lag of a few weeks |
| Ocean freight | Mediterranean routing | Low — among the shorter crossings from Mersin |
| Packing | Drum, jumbo bag or bulk | Drums for anything moving inland; bulk viable only near the port |
| Import duty and taxes | Algerian tariff | HS 2713.20. Confirm the current rate and any surcharges with your broker |
| Port and clearance | Handling, storage, demurrage | Algiers congestion is the main variable. Free time matters |
| Inland trucking | Distance from the discharge port | Substantial for southern projects. 800 km to Hassi Messaoud, around 2,000 to Tamanrasset |
| Documentation and legalisation | Consular fees, translation | Small in absolute terms but a delay if not planned |
Among grades, 60/70 is the global benchmark and the base others price against. Oxidized grades carry a differential reflecting the blowing process, and cutback prices follow the solvent as much as the bitumen. Indicative CFR levels for Algeria and other markets are on our bitumen price by country page.
Why choose ZUMRUT as your bitumen supplier in Algeria
Payment terms are 30% by TT in advance with the balance settled against a copy of the bill of lading, and an irrevocable letter of credit at sight for repeat contracts. The balance falls due only once the cargo is on the water and documented.
- We say when local supply is the better answer — for bulk paving grades that Algerian refineries produce, import is usually the harder path. We compete on oxidized, modified and membrane products.
- Certification against EN 12591 where your tender names it, with the tests that standard requires actually run and reported — not an ASTM certificate with an equivalence note.
- Batch certificate of analysis before loading, with lot number, production date and each measured result.
- French documentation as standard, including the safety data sheet and technical documentation.
- Proforma issued to suit your domiciliation file, with the detail your bank needs to open it.
- Grade advice for the zone, including the honest point that the hardest grade is wrong in the Tell Atlas and on deep Saharan sections with wide diurnal range.
- Delivery to whichever port suits the project — Algiers, Oran, Skikda, Béjaïa or Annaba — rather than defaulting to the largest.
- Third-party inspection accepted at the load port by SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or the surveyor you name.
Frequently asked questions
Does Algeria produce its own bitumen?
Yes. Algeria has domestic refining capacity producing penetration grade bitumen, so for standard road paving local supply is usually the sensible route. Imports fill specific gaps: oxidized grades for roofing and pipe coating, polymer modified binder, finished membrane, supply shortfalls during refinery maintenance, and specifications domestic production does not certify against.
Does Algeria use EN or ASTM bitumen grades?
EN 12591, a legacy of the French technical tradition and the EU association agreement. Tenders name grades such as 35/50 and 50/70 rather than the ASTM 40/50 and 60/70 used across much of Africa and the Middle East. Quoting ASTM names against an EN specification creates a compliance problem at technical evaluation.
Is EN 50/70 the same as ASTM 60/70?
Not exactly. The penetration ranges overlap, but EN 12591 requires tests ASTM D946 does not — the Fraass breaking point and retained penetration after RTFOT among them. A batch can satisfy 60/70 and fail 50/70 on a test that was never run. If the tender names an EN grade, ask for a certificate reporting against EN.
Which bitumen grade is best for Algeria?
It depends on the zone. 50/70 for the Mediterranean coast and most of the north. 35/50 for the northern Sahara where summer temperatures exceed 45 °C. 50/70 or 70/100 in the Tell Atlas, where winter snow and freeze-thaw make a hard grade crack. Polymer modified binder for airports, heavy freight corridors and deep Saharan sections with a wide diurnal range.
Why is the hardest grade not always right for the Sahara?
Because desert conditions are not simply hot. Clear skies and dry air mean heat radiates away fast after sunset, so the deep Sahara has a wide day-to-night range — surface temperatures well above 60 °C in summer daytime, while winter nights approach freezing in some areas. A very hard binder resists daytime rutting then cracks under nightly contraction. Where both failure modes apply, polymer modified binder handles the range better.
What is the difference between APP and SBS membrane?
The modifier. APP is atactic polypropylene, a plastomer giving higher heat resistance and better UV stability — the dominant choice for most of Algeria. SBS is styrene-butadiene-styrene, an elastomer giving better low-temperature flexibility and elastic recovery, which suits the Tell Atlas and highlands where winter cold and structural movement matter more than peak heat.
What are the import requirements for bitumen in Algeria?
Algeria operates an active import control regime involving import authorisation, currency allocation and bank domiciliation of the import file. The rules have changed repeatedly, so the position must be settled by the importer before the order is placed. A supplier cannot resolve it from outside the country. Ask your bank and customs broker for the current position before contracting.
Do you provide documentation in French?
Yes. Algeria is francophone and official documentation is handled in French. We supply the safety data sheet and technical documentation in French as standard. Commercial documents in English are sometimes accepted but French versions clear faster. Some documents require legalisation through the Algerian consulate at origin — confirm which with your broker.
Which port should bitumen be discharged at in Algeria?
Choose by project location, not port size. Algiers for the capital region, Oran for the west and onward Saharan routes, Skikda for the east and industrial zone, Béjaïa for Kabylia, Annaba for the far east. Algeria’s distances are continental — Hassi Messaoud is roughly 800 km from the coast and Tamanrasset around 2,000 km from Algiers, so the inland leg from the wrong port can exceed any freight saving.
What packing works best for Algerian projects?
Steel drums for anything moving inland, because Saharan and interior sites have no heated discharge facilities. Jumbo bags where a forklift or crane is available. Bulk bitutainer only for coastal asphalt plants near the discharge port with heated storage. For membrane, palletised rolls per specification.
What is the HS code for bitumen in Algeria?
Petroleum bitumen, including penetration and oxidized grades, falls under HS 2713.20. Bitumen emulsion and cutback fall under 2715.00. National tariffs add further digits, so confirm the full code, the current duty rate and any surcharges with your customs broker before contracting.
What are your payment terms?
30% by TT in advance with the balance settled against a copy of the bill of lading, and an irrevocable letter of credit at sight for repeat contracts. The balance falls due only once the cargo is on the water and documented. We also issue a proforma suited to opening your bank domiciliation file.
Related pages
Product specifications: bitumen 60/70, bitumen 40/50, bitumen 50/70, bitumen 80/100, polymer modified bitumen, oxidized bitumen, APP membrane and bitumen membrane. For cross-referencing EN against ASTM, see the grade equivalence chart. For storage limits, see the shelf life and storage guide.
Regional markets we also supply: Tunisia, Mauritania, Togo and Namibia. Indicative pricing for more than forty markets is on our bitumen price by country page, and the full network in our global bitumen supply guide.
Order bitumen for Algeria
Send us the product, the grade as your tender names it, the quantity and the discharge port. Tell us whether the project is coastal, highland or Saharan — the grade answer differs by zone and we would rather say so before you order than after. We will confirm what the certificate of analysis will state, against EN or ASTM as required, and issue a proforma suited to your domiciliation file.
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