Everything You Need to Know About Moving Your Shipping Container

Planning

Proper planning prevents problems. If you are about to move your shipping container, you will first need to plan out details concerning the necessary services involved and the regulations you must abide by.

Services

To move your shipping container to its new destination, you will need to first lift it from wherever it is currently resting and place it onto a suitable vehicle. In most cases, your container should be transported on a flatbed truck and you will need either a crane or a powerful forklift to lift it. Planning out who you will hire for these services before proceeding is essential to your big move's success.

Regulations

Among a number of regulations you will need to account for if you are planning to move a shipping container in Australia are those set in place by the Australian Department of Agriculture, as well as the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). The former poses strict sanitation and quarantine rules for all freight coming into or leaving the nation.

The NHVR specifies that all standard shipping containers must have a container weight declaration (CWD) that accurately describes its weight, number and an owner who can be contacted, etc. This applies to road transportation using heavy vehicles. If your container is to travel by sea, it will also need to meet requirements specified in the Navigation Act of 2012.

Costs

The costs you incur when moving your shipping container depend on a variety of factors, including whether or not you need it moved between nations or territories and how large your container is. To get an accurate estimate of transportation costs from a freight forwarder or moving services provider, you should first ask yourself the following questions:

- How far does your container need to be transported?
- How much does your container weigh once it is full?
- Do you need special machinery to move your container off of your property?

Procedure

The actual procedure for moving a shipping container is fairly straightforward, though it may vary, depending on your location and situation.

Size and weight differences

Moving a fully loaded container can involve very different machinery than an empty or otherwise lightweight container might require. Smaller containers may also be unsafe to use with excessive loads. 

For instance, our 8ft rent container is rated to handle up to 6,000kg. Anything over this amount may require bringing your container back to be loaded up again or hiring another container altogether. Larger containers, such as our 40ft options, will require more powerful machinery to move.

Picking up your shipping container

When your container is picked up, a crane or forklift is used to move it from its original position to the bed of a suitable truck for transporting. If your container is located in a dangerous environment or is only accessible via difficult terrain, this process may become more complicated (and costly). Unless you are certified to operate a crane, you will need to hire a professional to handle this step for you.

Transporting your shipping container

Once your container has been secured to a truck, it is driven to its destination. Whether you are moving your container within the country or having it delivered to a port for international shipping, it will likely be done by truck.

Dropping off your shipping container

Your shipping container will need to be removed from the truck in much the same way that it was initially installed. A crane or a forklift can pick it up and set it down wherever it needs to be placed.

To learn more about moving shipping containers and procuring your own at a reasonable rate, reach out to our team of experts here at CBOX, today.