How to deal with the problem of container overweight?
 Mar 29, 2024|View:99

How to deal with the problem of container overweight?


1. The weight of the container itself is limited


On the opening door of each container is the information of the maximum weight limit, such as MAX GROSS :30480KGS. It means that your case should not exceed this weight. Tare weight -20GP: 2200KGS,40 :3.720-4200KGS, some HQ will have MAX GROSS: 32000KGS.


This is the maximum strength that the container body can bear. If the loading exceeds this limit, the box body may be deformed, the bottom plate falls off, the top beam bends and other damages may occur. All losses arising therefrom will be borne by the shipper. At present, most professional container terminals in China have installed automatic loadometer, so as long as the container loading exceeds the weight limit of the box, the terminal will refuse to accept the container. Therefore, it is recommended that you see the weight limit on the container body before packing, so as to avoid unnecessary reloading operations.


If the goods are really overweight and can not be divided, then you can choose the overweight case. The general terminal/yard will stack the ordinary dry boxes of the shipping company together. If you want to select a special weighted cabinet (such as the 20 weighted cabinet mentioned above), the terminal and yard must search one by one, and the resulting selection fee is generally the same as the designated cabinet fee. Container transportation is a collaborative operation process involving multiple departments, so in addition to the weight limit of the container itself, there are some other factors to be considered.


2. The shipping company limits the weight


Under normal circumstances, each shipping company has a different weight policy, and the approximate standard is not to damage the container as the standard. Consider the balance between space and weight. Every container ship has a certain space and weight limit, but on a particular route, space and weight are not always just balanced out. The contradiction often occurs in North China where the heavy cargo is concentrated. The weight of the ship has reached, but the shipping space is still much less. In order to make up for the loss of shipping space, the shipping company often adopts the strategy of markup, that is, the extra freight will be charged after the weight of the cargo exceeds how many tons. Some shipping companies do not use their own ships, but buy the shipping space of other shipping companies for transportation. The restrictions on the weight will be stricter, because the shipping space trading between shipping companies is calculated according to the standard of 1TEU=14TONS or 16TONS, and those exceeding the weight will not be put on the ship.


During the period of cabin explosion, according to the heat of the route, the shipping company will reduce the weight limit of each container type accordingly. When booking space, ask the forwarder about the shipping company's weight limit at the latest time of shipment. If there is no confirmation and the goods are heavy, there is a risk. After some shipping companies are overweight, they will not have any room for communication, and they will directly ask the shipper to drag the goods, leave the port, take out the goods and re-weigh them. These costs are hard to control.


3. Weight limit in port area


Mainly look at the mechanical equipment load of docks and storage yards. After the container ship docks, it generally needs the crane of the dock to load and unload, and then towed to the container yard by truck and hoisted down by forklift. If the weight of the container exceeds the mechanical load, it will cause difficulties for the operation of the wharf and yard. Therefore, for some small ports with backward equipment, the shipping company will generally inform the port of the weight limit in advance, and will not accept those exceeding this limit.


4. Supporting feeder boat or highway weight limit


People who have done inland points in the United States have deep experience that the road transport weight limit in the United States is very strict, because many containers need to be unloaded at the wharf and towed to the inland by road with a collection card, so the road weight limit also becomes the reason for shipping companies to limit the weight of containers, of course, only to the wharf is not limited. The cargo to the American line has strict requirements on weight, and the weight limit is mainly affected by the weight limit of the highway to the inland point of the United States, which is generally 17.3 tons for small containers and 19.5 tons for large and high containers. However, according to different ports, there are also different weight limit requirements.


5. Route weight limit


For different routes, the shipping capacity is arranged according to the order of the port of loading and unloading of goods and the types and heat of goods export. In addition, the load of the equipment operation at the destination port is different, so the weight limit of the size of the container on different routes is naturally different.


What if I'm overweight?


1. The shipping company is overweight


Consult with the shipowner, make up overweight charge, other as normal.


2. The port area has its own regulations on overweight


If you find that you are overweight when you enter the port, you need to negotiate with the port area and pay the overweight fee plus manual handling fee or take out the box for reloading.


3. Port of destination is overweight


General destination port overweight in a certain range, pay a fine can be solved; If the weight is serious, the crane can not load along the way and can only be transferred to the nearby port or return to the original way.