Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2024-03-25 Origin: Site
Whether you need to move shipping containers for the purposes of shipping, storage, or construction, moving these heavy units —even when empty is not easy. But rest assured you don’t always need complicated heavy machinery for transportation. In instances where you have to move a container locally, you can even make use of a pickup truck as long as you’re well aware of the necessary tools and knowledge required.
There are a few things you should keep in mind before you transport a shipping container. Let’s explore them in detail.
One of the most important factors to consider before moving a container is the shipping container weight. Standard empty 20-foot shipping containers usually weigh over 5,000 pounds. Meanwhile, empty 40-foot shipping containers can often weigh over 8,200 pounds. The weight of the container also increases once you put the cargo inside it.
To know how much weight your delivery truck can carry, you’ll need to calculate the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). GVWR describes how much weight a truck can carry including its native weight. For example, a GVWR-rated truck with a limit of 10,000 pounds can only carry a trailer with a total weight of less than or equal to 10,000 pounds.
Forklifts are used to load containers onto trucks. It’s important to choose the right type of forklift or it can cause damage to both your container and truck. You should not use standard warehouse forklifts as they’re not equipped to handle the container weight. The forklift should be outfitted to lift at least 15,000 pounds. This ensures that the forklift’s arms are wide and strong enough to lift the container without incurring any container damage.
An easier way to load containers onto trucks is through the use of cranes as they’re equipped to handle more weight than a forklift. However, cranes require special licenses or operators. Unless you use one of these for your job, you’ll need to hire a professional to do the crane lifting for you—even if you drive the shipping container from place to place.
Before moving a shipping container, assess the destination’s accessibility. Ensure enough space for truck entry, check for any height or width restrictions, and confirm the availability of a flat surface for easy and safe container placement.
Now that you know the most important things to keep in mind before moving a container, let’s understand how you can move containers with different types of trucks.
Trucks offer a great option for moving containers across long distances. It’s a straightforward and reliable way to move goods efficiently. Different types of pickup trucks can be used for different purposes. Read on to find out more.
If you’re moving a container for short distances (under 200 miles), opt for a tilt-bed truck. The bed of this pickup truck can be tipped at an angle to let the cargo slide off with ease. This means that you will be able to arrive on-site and set the container on the ground with no additional equipment. Just ensure there’s enough room and the ground is dry and level when using a tilt-bed truck.
For a long distance (over 200 miles), opting for flatbed trucks is often cost-effective. Tilt beds are pricier per mile, making flatbeds more economical. These trucks have an open platform, requiring a crane or forklift for loading and unloading containers.
A container chassis is a trailer specifically designed to transport shipping containers. The chassis has built-in container locks that have corner castings to keep the container secure for long distances. You will need a crane to offload the container from the chassis.
A step deck truck, also known as a drop deck or lowboy trailer, has two levels—a higher deck and a lower one, creating a “step.” This design allows it to transport high cube containers that exceed the height limits of standard flatbeds while providing stability during transport. Also like a flatbed, a step-deck pickup truck requires a crane or forklift to move the container on and off the truck bed.
Despite so many ways to move a container, trucking companies are struggling with the freight recession in the US. However, there are ways you can make the most of this situation.
The cost of moving a shipping container depends on a variety of factors. Moving a 40ft container costs more than a 20ft container. Distance also plays a crucial role with longer routes incurring higher transportation costs.
The cost of moving a container via truck also depends on the fuel costs. The higher the fuel costs, the more it will cost to move your container. Another thing to consider is the cost of renting a forklift or crane to load the container on your truck. This can cost around $500 per day.
Shipping containers have standard dimensions making it easier for them to be lifted by cranes. They’re also stackable, and can easily be transported via truck, rail, or vessels.
20ft shipping containers can be lifted using a forklift or crane. They can then be loaded onto flatbed or tiltbed trucks for further transportation.
You should use a crane to lift a 40ft shipping container onto a truck. 40ft containers can be moved using a flatbed truck. If it’s a high cube container, you can choose a step deck truck as it provides additional height space.
You can lift a shipping container using a forklift or a crane. Forklifts should only be used to lift empty 20ft containers as forklifts are not equipped to lift higher weights. However, cranes are the most common lifting equipment used for shipping containers as they can handle containers of various sizes and weights.
