Bitumen Supplier in Bolivia: Grades, Specs and Delivery
Pro-Road Global supplies penetration-grade bitumen to Bolivia, with PEN 60/70 and 85/100 delivered to Arica, Chile in 10 days.
Pro-Road manufactures PEN 60/70 and 85/100 penetration-grade bitumen in its own plants. Container sailings deliver to Arica, Bolivia’s main transit port on the Pacific. Every grade ships with its technical datasheet. Below you will find the grade table, delivery details for Arica, and the documentation Bolivia projects ask for.
Product range
Which penetration grades are available in Bolivia?
The grades available for Bolivia are PEN 60/70 and PEN 85/100. Grade codes that link through open that grade’s datasheet.
| Grade | Type | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| PEN 60/70 | Penetration-grade bitumen, medium | General hot-mix paving in lower, hotter zones |
| PEN 85/100 | Penetration-grade bitumen, soft | Hot mix in cooler or high-altitude areas |
Delivery
How does delivery to Bolivia work?
Delivery works by container sailings to Arica, Chile. Sea transit takes 10 days.
The 10 days covers sea transit to Arica only. Arica is Bolivia’s main port of transit under a treaty dating to 1904. Onward carriage from Arica to La Paz or Santa Cruz is inland road or rail transport. It is arranged separately and is not included in that figure.
Your quote confirms the sailing schedule and door-to-site timing for your order.
Penetration-grade bitumen and asphalt cement ship in big bags of 1000 to 1300 kg, or in drums. The minimum order is 24 MT, one full 40-foot container.
Melting
How do you melt bitumen from big bags?
You melt bitumen by heating the whole bag in a melting unit. Cutting or shovelling solid bitumen by hand is slow and unnecessary. Uneven heat is what damages a binder, scorching it at the point of contact.
Handling the bag safely comes before melting it:
- A big bag holds 1000 to 1300 kg and is lifted by its four lifting loops.
- A forklift, telehandler or crane with a spreader handles it.
- The site needs lifting capacity for up to 1.3 tonnes.
- Bags are lifted level, one at a time.
- No special decanting equipment is needed to move a bag from the container to the melter.
A melting unit heats the whole bag evenly, through oil-heated coils around the tank. The ASMELT bitumen melter and decanter loads big bags whole, by crane, onto a receiving platform inside the unit. Its 40-foot model processes up to 10 m³ of bitumen an hour. If you already run a melting unit, the big-bag format loads straight into it.
Applications
Which penetration grade suits Bolivia’s climate?
Hotter, lower-altitude zones call for a harder grade, such as PEN 60/70. Cooler, high-altitude zones call for a softer grade, such as PEN 85/100. Your quote confirms the grade against your project specification. Bolivia’s road network crosses sharp climate differences over short distances, from the hot lowland llanos to the cold, high-altitude Altiplano.
Bolivia’s Administradora Boliviana de Carreteras (ABC) manages the country’s Fundamental Road Network, 17,000 km of highway. ABC’s 2026 budget allocates Bs 313 million for network maintenance. A further Bs 28 million covers emergency repair on the Santa Cruz to valles corridor after rain damage.
Big bags are stored on level, drained ground, kept off the surface on pallets or dunnage. Cover them against prolonged sun and rain. Solid bitumen holds its composition through sun and rain exposure. Protect the bag fabric from sun and rain.
Why Pro-Road
Why buy bitumen for Bolivia from Pro-Road Global?
You should buy from Pro-Road Global because it controls quality, price and logistics from plant to port:
Documentation
What documentation ships with the container?
Each shipment ships with the technical datasheet for the grade supplied. It also includes the commercial invoice, the packing list and the bill of lading. Every batch traces back to our own plants.
Datasheets for each grade are on our datasheets page. Ask for the datasheet of any grade with your quote request.
Commercial terms
What commercial terms does Pro-Road offer?
Pro-Road supplies Bolivia on CIF or CFR terms to Arica, Chile. Your quote states the incoterm, freight and delivery window.
Standard payment is in advance. Qualifying buyers can request 50% in advance and 50% against the bill of lading. Approval depends on the company profile and credit record. Pro-Road accepts third-party inspection by SGS, Bureau Veritas or a similar body at your request, quoted and billed separately.
FAQ
What do buyers ask most about bitumen supply to Bolivia?
Buyers most often ask about big-bag handling, storage, melting and documentation.
How are big bags lifted and handled on site?
Big bags are lifted by their four lifting loops, using a forklift, telehandler or crane with a spreader. Each bag holds 1000 to 1300 kg, so the site needs lifting capacity for up to 1.3 tonnes. Bags are lifted level, one at a time.
Can big bags be stored outdoors, and for how long?
Yes, big bags can be stored outdoors on level, drained ground, kept off the surface on pallets or dunnage. Cover them against prolonged sun and rain. Solid bitumen holds its composition through sun and rain exposure. Protect the bag fabric from sun and rain.
How do we melt the bitumen?
You melt bitumen by heating the whole bag in a melting unit. Heat is applied evenly around the tank so the binder does not scorch at any single point. The melted bitumen is then drawn off to the distributor truck or the plant.
What is the minimum order quantity?
The minimum order is 24 MT, one full 40-foot container. This applies to all penetration grades supplied for Bolivia.
Which penetration grade suits Bolivia’s climate?
Hotter, lower-altitude zones such as the llanos call for a harder grade, such as PEN 60/70. Cooler, high-altitude zones such as the Altiplano call for a softer grade, such as PEN 85/100. Your quote confirms the grade against your project specification.
What documentation ships with the container?
Each container ships with the technical datasheet for the grade supplied. It also includes the commercial invoice, the packing list and the bill of lading. Datasheets for every grade are on our datasheets page.
How long does delivery to Bolivia take?
Sea transit takes 10 days to Arica, Chile, with weekly sailings. That figure covers sea transit only. Onward carriage to La Paz or Santa Cruz is arranged separately. Your quote confirms the schedule and door-to-site timing.
Can we appoint our own inspector?
Yes. Pro-Road accepts third-party inspection by SGS, Bureau Veritas or a similar body at your request. The inspection is quoted and billed separately.
Do you supply cold mix asphalt?
Yes. Pro-Road produces cold mix for patching and road maintenance. Supply is in container volumes for contractors and municipalities. State your volume and destination port in your request.
Ready to order bitumen in Bolivia?
Tell us your grades, quantities and delivery timeline through our contact page or email info@proroadglobal.com. Pro-Road Global will respond with availability and freight for Arica.
Contact us to get to work
We have a talented team, the best materials, tools, and equipment at your disposal.