Special cargo container shipping stowage

Special Cargo Container Sea Transport - Over-Height Cargo

In container transportation, there are many special types of cargo, such as over-height, over-length, and over-weight cargo, bulk cargo, liquid cargo, refrigerated cargo, dangerous goods, and animals and plants, each of which has its own different requirements when being shipped in containers.

Loading of Over-Height Cargo in Container Sea Transport

Over-height cargo in container sea transport refers to cargo whose height exceeds the height of the container door. Its transport must be carried out using open-top containers or flat-rack containers.

The loading and transport of over-height cargo poses many issues for inland transport, stations, terminals, handling machinery, and ship stowage.

(1) Road Capacity Restrictions. When over-height cargo is transported by land, roads generally have height restrictions for such cargo. Although these height limits vary by country, they are specified in road traffic regulations. The safe passing height in major cities abroad is around 4.5 m. For example, Japanese government regulations state that the height from the ground must not exceed 3.8 m. The height of international standard containers is 2438 mm (LAA type, LBB type, and 1CC type are 2591 mm). Within this height range, land transport is generally not a problem. If the height exceeds by about 20 cm, it can usually pass, but if it exceeds 20 cm or more, permission from relevant authorities must be obtained. For road sections or tunnels with height restrictions, specially designed low-bed chassis trailers must be used, or water transport by barge should be arranged instead. Before loading over-height cargo, a thorough and detailed survey of the transport route must be conducted.

(2) Handling Machinery Operation Restrictions. Handling equipment used in container terminals and stations, such as gantry cranes, straddle carriers, and yard cranes, is designed based on standard container dimensions and does not consider the special circumstances of loading over-height cargo. Therefore, to handle over-height cargo, temporary auxiliary tools must be attached to the handling machinery. For example, steel wire ropes can be installed at the four corners of the container spreader on the quay crane to lift over-height container cargo.

(3) Ship Stowage Restrictions. When container ships carry over-height containers, they can only be stowed in the hold or on the top tier on deck. However, the ship's height is generally designed in multiples of the 2.6m container height. Therefore, when loading over-height containers in the hold, there will be a certain vertical void space. Additionally, a very large over-height will inevitably raise the overall center of gravity of the cargo, affecting the ship's stability height and introducing safety risks for maritime cargo transport.

Domestic Container Sea Transport Door-to-Door Inquiry and Booking Hotline: 13075678958 Manager Huang

Bofeng Logistics specializes in providing one-stop logistics services including domestic container sea transport, international sea transport (FCL/LCL), Hong Kong and Macau logistics routes, as well as trucking, customs clearance, and warehousing. Contact number: 130-7567-8958 (Manager Huang). Call now for a customized quote!