You need a special container when a machine will not fit through a standard door or cannot be lifted in by forklift. Use an open-top when the problem is height or crane loading. Use a flat rack when the machine is too wide, too tall and wide, or too concentrated in weight for a closed box.
Start with the crated dimensions and weight, not the machine's catalogue size. Crates add height and width, and the forklift or crane needs room to work.
Why standard boxes run out
A standard 20-foot or 40-foot dry container has an internal width of roughly 2.35 metres, and its door opening is slightly smaller in both width and height. High-cube boxes give extra height but no extra width. Exact figures vary by owner and build, so get them from the shipping line for the equipment you are booked on.
Weight is a second limit. Each container has a maximum payload, and the floor has limits on concentrated loads. A heavy press or lathe bed on a small footprint can exceed what the floor can carry even when the total weight is within payload. Spreading the load on timber beams helps, but the line or your forwarder should confirm it.
Open-tops and flat racks
An open-top has a removable tarpaulin roof and often a swinging door header. The machine is lowered in by crane, so it suits tall items and machines that cannot be pushed in on rollers. The load may stand above the side walls, in which case it ships as out-of-gauge cargo.
A flat rack is a strong floor with end walls and no sides or roof. Machines can be loaded from the top or sides and may overhang the width or height. It suits wide machines, heavy items and long fabricated frames. The cargo is exposed, so it needs weatherproof packing and careful lashing.
Flat racks and out-of-gauge open-tops cost more than standard boxes and have fewer sailings. Overhanging cargo takes up neighbouring slots on the ship, and terminals charge extra handling. When a machine exceeds what a flat rack can take, the next option is break-bulk shipping.
Can the machine be split?
Before booking special equipment, ask the factory whether the machine can be shipped in sections, such as removing a hood, a coolant tank or a conveyor. Splitting can bring a machine back into a standard box. It adds reassembly work at site, so weigh that against the freight saving.
Whichever box you use, the load must be properly secured. See how machines are lashed in containers.
Next step
We collect crated dimensions and weights from the factory early, so your forwarder can book the right equipment in time. To plan this for your order, book a free sourcing review.