Flat rack shipping
Flat rack shipping for machinery
A flat rack takes cargo too wide or tall for a container door: Hapag-Lloyd’s 40′ high cube rack is rated 54 US tons (49.1 t) when the load spreads over its full length[1], but only 56,400 lb (25.6 t) on a 6 ft 7 in (2 m) footprint[2], and anything past the corner posts ships out of gauge[3].
Flat rack dimensions and weights
One series per size from Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet; other series differ by a few centimetres and several tonnes of payload, as the notes say.
| Figure | 20' flat rack[4] | 40' high cube flat rack[1] |
|---|---|---|
| ISO size-type code | 22P3 | 45P3 |
| Inside length | 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m) | 38 ft 3 in (11.65 m) |
| Inside width (flat racks: floor) | 7 ft 2 in (2.19 m) | 7 ft 8 in (2.35 m) |
| Inside height (flat racks: floor to top of end walls) | 7 ft 4 in (2.23 m) | 7 ft 5 in (2.27 m) |
| Floor height above ground | 1 ft 3 in (0.37 m) | 2 ft 2 in (0.65 m) |
| Maximum gross weight | 99,200 lb (45,000 kg) | 61 US tons (55,000 kg) |
| Tare weight | 6,390 lb (2,900 kg) | 13,000 lb (5,900 kg) |
| Maximum payload | 92,800 lb (42,100 kg) | 54 US tons (49,100 kg) |
| Rating per lashing point | 11,000 lb (5,000 kg) | 11,000 lb (5,000 kg) |
- 20' flat rack: Strongest 20′ series; other series carry 68,900 lb to 81,700 lb (31,260 to 37,060 kg). The full payload applies only when the load rests on the whole length of the main beams: on 6 ft 7 in (2 m) it is 55,600 lb (25.2 t).[2]
- 40' high cube flat rack: Series range from 97,100 lb to 60 US tons (44,050 to 54,200 kg) payload. The weight must reach the two main beams, directly or through cross timbers; on a 6 ft 7 in (2 m) resting length this rack takes 56,400 lb (25.6 t).[2]
Payload by resting length
The rated payload assumes the load bears on the whole length of the two main beams. A shorter footprint lowers it; half the rated payload can be loaded on any footprint[2]. Timber or steel beams can lengthen the footprint by up to 3 ft 3 in (1 m) at each end[2].
| Resting length | 20′ flat rack (92,800 lb / 42.1 t series) | 40′ high cube flat rack (54 US tons / 49.1 t series)[2] |
|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 7 in (2 m) | 55,600 lb (25.2 t) | 56,400 lb (25.6 t) |
| 13 ft 1 in (4 m) | 69,400 lb (31.5 t) | 64,800 lb (29.4 t) |
| 19 ft 8 in (6 m) | 92,800 lb (42.1 t) | 72,100 lb (32.7 t) |
| 26 ft 3 in (8 m) | – | 81,100 lb (36.8 t) |
| 32 ft 10 in (10 m) | – | 92,800 lb (42.1 t) |
| 39 ft 4 in (12 m) | – | 54 US tons (49.1 t) |
A tracked excavator rests on its tracks, a wheel loader on four tyres: measure the length that actually bears on the beams, not the machine’s overall length.
In gauge and out of gauge
A flat rack sits in the same stack as containers, so the carrier only charges extra for cargo that blocks a neighbouring slot. Cargo is over-wide only where it or its lashings pass a line between the outer edges of the corner posts; because the floor is narrower than the container’s 8 ft (2.44 m) outside width, a load can overhang the floor and still count as in gauge[3].
Over-height starts at the top of the end walls: 7 ft 4 in (2.23 m) above the floor on the 20′ rack and 7 ft 5 in (2.27 m) on the 40′ high cube[4][1]. The declared measurements must include the lashing equipment; a wrong declaration can mean a re-rating or the cargo being left at the terminal[3].
Flat rack or another method
| Method | Use it when | Avoid it when |
|---|---|---|
| Flat rack | The machine is wider than 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) or taller than 8 ft 6 in (2.60 m), so it misses a container door[5], and its weight is within the payload for its resting length[2]. | A RoRo ship calls the destination and the machine drives: RoRo blocks no container slots. |
| Container | Removing the bucket, cab or counterweight brings it under the door opening[5]. | Reassembly at destination costs more than the flat rack premium. |
| RoRo or roll trailer | The destination has a RoRo call. A machine that cannot drive goes on a roll trailer[6]. | The only RoRo option needs a transshipment and the flat rack sailing is direct. |
| Breakbulk | The piece is heavier than the rack takes on its footprint, even with beams to spread it[2]. | Two racks side by side, or a roll trailer, can take it as liner cargo. |
Container, flat rack, RoRo or breakbulk?
We quote in this order because it is usually cheapest first. Most machines that look too big for a box fit once our crew takes off the bucket, boom, cab or wheels; larger ones are taken further apart across several containers, and pieces too big or heavy for a flat rack or roll trailer go breakbulk.
01Container
- Work needed
- We partially disassemble when needed (bucket, boom, cab, wheels), or take larger machines further apart across several high-cubes and open-tops, then crate, block and lash every part.
- Destinations
- Widest: almost every port worldwide, plus inland delivery by rail.
- Typical cost
- Usually the lowest, with no out-of-gauge surcharges.
- Protection
- Sealed steel box; loose parts and attachments travel locked inside.
- Best for
- Most machines: compact ones as they are, others after partial disassembly, and large ones split across several containers.
02Flat rack
- Work needed
- Ships assembled, blocked and lashed. Surcharges apply when wider than 2.4 m or taller than about 1.95 m.
- Destinations
- Most container ports, on the same vessels as containers.
- Typical cost
- Moderate; rises with every centimetre out of gauge.
- Protection
- Open to the weather; we protect cabs, electronics and hydraulics.
- Best for
- Excavators, dozers and loaders too wide for a container door.
03RoRo
- Work needed
- Drives on assembled; non-runners go on a roll trailer.
- Destinations
- Fewer destinations: regular lanes to Europe, West Africa, the Middle East, Oceania and parts of Latin America.
- Typical cost
- Often competitive for large self-propelled machines where a lane exists.
- Protection
- Below deck, but loose items and attachments cannot ride inside the cab.
- Best for
- Running machines going to a port with regular RoRo sailings.
04Breakbulk
- Work needed
- Lifted aboard piece by piece by ship’s or shore cranes, on its own skids or cradle, then stowed and lashed in the hold or on deck.
- Destinations
- Ports with breakbulk berths and heavy-lift cranes; sailings are booked voyage by voyage.
- Typical cost
- Usually the highest for a single small machine; often the only option for the largest pieces.
- Protection
- In the hold or lashed on deck; we crate, wrap and protect exposed parts.
- Best for
- Pieces too large or heavy for a flat rack or roll trailer: transformers, process modules, mining trucks, crane sections.
Machines that usually ship on flat racks
Manufacturer figures for each model, linked in the first column, and the method our fit check gives for it.
| Model | Weight | L × W × H (transport) | Best method | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 336Hydraulic excavatorSpec source | 82,000 lb (37,200 kg)operating weight | 36 ft 9 in × 11 ft 3 in × 10 ft 5 in (11.2 × 3.44 × 3.17 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (3 ft 5 in / 1.04 m over width, 4 ft / 1.22 m over height). |
| CAT D6Track-type tractor (dozer)Spec source | 48,800 lb (22,130 kg)operating weight | 17 ft 10 in × 8 ft 4 in × 10 ft 6 in (5.44 × 2.54 × 3.19 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (6 in / 0.14 m over width, 4 ft 1 in / 1.24 m over height). |
| Komatsu WA470-8Wheel loaderSpec source | 53,700 lb (24,350 kg)operating weight | 29 ft 7 in × 9 ft 11 in × 11 ft 6 in (9.01 × 3.01 × 3.5 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (2 ft / 0.61 m over width, 5 ft 1 in / 1.55 m over height). |
| Volvo A40GArticulated haulerSpec source | 67,700 lb (30,700 kg)empty weight | 36 ft 11 in × 11 ft 3 in × 11 ft 10 in (11.26 × 3.43 × 3.6 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (3 ft 5 in / 1.03 m over width, 5 ft 5 in / 1.65 m over height). |
| CAT 140Motor graderSpec source | 43,100 lb (19,531 kg)operating weight | 33 ft 9 in (10.3 m) × n/a × 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) | Measured before quoting | The manufacturer does not publish the transport width, so we measure the machine at pickup and confirm the method before you book. |
| John Deere S780Combine harvesterSpec source | 45,700 lb (20,750 kg)base weight | 29 ft 10 in × 13 ft 1 in × 13 ft 1 in (9.1 × 3.99 × 4 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (5 ft 3 in / 1.59 m over width, 6 ft 9 in / 2.05 m over height). |
How a machine is loaded and secured
- 01
- 02
Bed the load onto the main beams
Timber bedding is laid across the rack and must reach the main beams; heavy weight may not rest on the wooden floor alone. The centre of gravity goes in the middle of the rack, lengthwise and across[3].
- 03
- 04
- 05
Weigh and declare
A verified gross mass for the loaded rack goes to the carrier before the stowage plan is made[8], with the out-of-gauge dimensions measured over the lashings.
Rules that apply
- SOLAS verified gross mass (VGM)IMO
Since 1 July 2016 the shipper must give a signed verified gross mass for each packed container, found by weighing the packed unit or by adding the weighed cargo, lashing and dunnage to the container tare. The carrier needs it before the stowage plan is drawn up; without it the container is not loaded.[8]
Applies to: Every packed container, flat rack and open top
- ISPM 15 wood packagingIPPC, administered in the U.S. by USDA APHIS
Wood packaging and dunnage must be heat-treated to a core temperature of 56 °C for at least 30 minutes, or fumigated, and carry the IPPC mark with the US country code, the facility number and HT or MB. Marked wood can be reused; repaired or remanufactured wood must be treated and marked again.[7]
Applies to: Crates, skids, blocking and dunnage
- Federal truck size and weight limits (23 CFR 658)FHWA
On the Interstate system a truck may gross 80,000 lb, with 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem; on the National Network the load may be 102 in wide. There is no federal height limit: states set 13.6 to 14.6 ft. A load over any of these needs an oversize or overweight permit from every state on the route.[9]
Applies to: Every road move to and from the port
- Used self-propelled vehicles: 72-hour ruleU.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. regulations count self-propelled construction and agricultural machinery as vehicles. A used one must be filed in AES at least 72 hours before export, whatever its value or destination, and the ITN, the VIN or serial number and the ownership documents go to CBP at the port of export. Filing after departure is not allowed.[10][11][12]
Applies to: Used machines that drive: excavators, loaders, dozers, tractors, trucks
Questions about flat rack shipping
What is the maximum weight on a 40 ft flat rack?
Hapag-Lloyd’s 40′ high cube flat racks are rated from 97,100 lb to 60 US tons (44,050 to 54,200 kg) payload depending on the series. The rating applies only when the load bears on the full length of the main beams; on a 6 ft 7 in (2 m) footprint the 54 US tons (49.1 t) series takes 56,400 lb (25.6 t).
How wide can cargo be on a flat rack?
There is no single limit: cargo past the corner posts ships out of gauge and the carrier charges for the slots it blocks beside it. Each carrier accepts a maximum per sailing, so the width is confirmed at booking.
Can a flat rack go inland by truck?
Yes, on a chassis, but the loaded rack must stay within U.S. road limits: 80,000 lb gross on the Interstate and 102 in wide on the National Network. Wider or heavier loads need a permit from every state on the route.
Is a 20 ft or a 40 ft flat rack better for an excavator?
Length decides first: a 20′ rack has about 18 ft 4 in (5.6 m) between the corner posts. Most excavators over 44,100 lb (20 t) are longer than that in transport position and go on a 40′ rack.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the documents below, each checked on the date shown. Carriers and authorities revise them, so we confirm the current figure when we book.
- [1]Hapag-Lloyd, 40′ High Cube Flatrack, checked October 18, 2026
- [2]Hapag-Lloyd, Weight distribution in containers for safe transport (guideline), checked October 18, 2026
- [3]Hapag-Lloyd, A Guide for the Loading and Lashing of Cargo on Hapag-Lloyd Flatracks, checked October 18, 2026
- [4]Hapag-Lloyd, 20′ Flatrack, checked October 18, 2026
- [5]Hapag-Lloyd, Container Specification (2024 update), checked October 18, 2026
- [6]Wallenius Wilhelmsen, Cargo handling equipment, checked October 18, 2026
- [7]USDA APHIS, Export ISPM 15-compliant wood packaging material, checked October 18, 2026
- [8]IMO, SOLAS verified gross mass requirement enters into force (1 July 2016), checked October 18, 2026
- [9]FHWA, Commercial Vehicle Size and Weight Program (23 CFR 658), checked October 18, 2026
- [10]eCFR, 19 CFR 192.1 Definitions (used self-propelled vehicles), checked October 18, 2026
- [11]U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Exporting used self-propelled vehicles, checked October 18, 2026
- [12]U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Regulations FAQs, checked October 18, 2026
Send us the machine and the destination
Give us the model or the measured dimensions and weight. We come back with the method, the sailing and a price, and the figures behind them.