Project cargo planning starts with dimensions, not with a price. Before we discuss equipment or routing, we ask for the length, width and height of each piece in centimetres, the gross weight of each piece in kilograms, the position of the centre of gravity, and the location of any certified lifting points. If the cargo is machinery, we ask for a general arrangement drawing. These figures decide everything that follows, and an estimate given at this stage tends to be the single most expensive mistake in the whole move, because equipment booked against the wrong dimensions has to be released and rebooked at a later date.
With measurements confirmed, we test the cargo against the equipment. A standard 40ft container gives roughly 12 metres of internal length, so anything longer moves on a flat rack or as break-bulk. Cargo that fits the footprint but exceeds internal height is a candidate for an open top, loaded through the roof by crane and covered with tarpaulin. Cargo that overhangs the platform on either side is out-of-gauge and is rated on the space it blocks, not only on the space it occupies. Weight is the other constraint: a piece may fit inside a container easily and still exceed the payload limit of the box or the axle limits of the road leg at either end. We handle open top, flat rack and break-bulk work as a matter of routine, and we would rather tell a client early that a piece does not fit than discover it at the terminal gate.
The third step is the route survey, and it runs backwards from the delivery address. We establish how the piece will be lifted off at destination, whether the final road approach can take the vehicle, and what bridges, tunnels, overhead cables, turning circles and weight-restricted sections sit on the inland leg. Restrictions at the destination often dictate the port of discharge, and the port of discharge dictates the loading port and the sailing. This is why we plan the last kilometre first. Our move of 30 tonnes of overweight cargo to India by road was routed around exactly this kind of constraint, using specialised containers and inland transport vehicles selected for the weight and clearance limits on the ground.
Documentation for project cargo carries more weight than it does for general freight, because several parties have to agree on the same figures. The packing list must state per-piece dimensions and weights that match the measurements the terminal takes. Lashing and securing plans may need approval. Oversize road movements usually require permits issued against a specific vehicle, route and date window. If any part of the consignment is classified as dangerous goods, the DG declaration, packaging, marking and segregation requirements apply to that part regardless of how the rest of the cargo moves. We prepare these documents in parallel with the booking rather than after it, so that a permit or an approval is never the item holding up a vessel.
Multimodal project moves also need a defined handover at every interchange. Each time cargo changes mode, someone has to be responsible for survey, lifting, securing and condition reporting, and the responsibility has to be written down before the cargo arrives. On our delivery of more than ten specialised containers to Mexico, the work was in matching equipment to each individual piece of cargo and coordinating documentation across the full multimodal journey, so that no leg waited on a decision that should have been made weeks earlier. The cargo was delivered on time because the plan was complete before the first container was positioned.
If you have a piece that does not fit a standard container, send us the dimensions, the per-piece weights, the collection address and the final delivery address, along with a drawing if you have one. We will come back within one business day with the equipment options, the route constraints we can see, and the questions we still need answered. Cargo insurance is available across all modes, and we would normally recommend it on project work where a single piece carries the value of the whole shipment.
