What’s the maximum permissible weight for containers?

If you are new to exporting, surely there will be doubts about the maximum amount of cargo that you can load into a shipping container.

The maximum container weight is a very important detail to take into account. An excess of cargo weight could lead to extra costs because the cargo will need to be stripped and re-stuffed into two containers, inland costs, etc.at the expense of the shipper’s account.

With the SOLAS Convention currently in force, the measures taken against containers overweight have become stricter.

SOLAS amendments say the shipper has the responsibility to provide the proper weight verification in order to load the packed container abroad a vessel.

The maximum container weight varies depending on the manufacturer and material. The capacity and dimension details can be found in container’s doors and CSC plate.

The most common type of dry containers is the 20´and the 40’ made of steel or aluminium. According to the logistics and transport company DVS, the maximum weight for these is approximate:

– 20’ DV Container:

• Tare Weight (Empty shipping container): 2.300 kg/5.071 lb
• Payload (Maximum cargo weight that acontainer can carry): 25.000 kg/ 55.126 lb

– 40’ DV Container:

• Tare Weight: 3.750 kg/8.268 lb
• Payload: 27.600 kg/ 61.200 lb

High Cube Containers (HC) are used when an extra foot in height is necessary. These are ideal containers to transport light and voluminous cargo. The maximum weight is:

-Contenedor de 40’ HC:

• Tare Weight: 3.940 kg/8.687 lb
• Payload: 28.560 kg/ 62.974 lb

– 45’ HC Container:

• Tare Weight: 4.820 kg/10.628 lb
• Payload: 27.860 kg/ 61.431 lb

To comply the SOLASregulation, the shipper must provide the verified actual gross mass of the container, which is the total weight of the cargo plus the tare weight of the container.

Sources:

http://www.dsv.com/

http://www.aralits.com/