Project cargo guide
Heavy and out-of-gauge cargo
A transformer, a turbine or a boiler module cannot simply be booked on a truck. This is how a heavy move is planned, from the drawings to the foundation on site.
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Low-bed trailer for heavy and out-of-gauge cargo
A low well deck keeps tall cargo such as transformers and turbines under bridges and power lines. Several axle lines spread the weight. Each heavy move needs a route survey, permits and, above certain sizes, a police escort.
| Deck height | about 0.4–0.9 m in the well |
| Axle lines | 3 to 8 or more, or modular trailers |
| Capacity | about 40–150 t and more |
| Best for | Transformers, generators, turbines, columns |
Flatbed semi-trailer
An open platform loaded from the side or from above by crane. Steel coils, pipes, beams and machinery are lashed down with straps and chains, and coils sit in wooden cradles or a coil well.
| Deck (L × W) | 13.6 × 2.48 m |
| Deck height | about 1.4 m |
| Payload | about 25 t |
| Best for | Steel, pipes, building materials, machinery |
40-foot flat rack container
The long flat rack for large pieces such as transformers, boats and steel structures. Cargo wider or taller than the rack is possible but needs planning with the carrier.
| Inside length | about 11.6 m |
| Max payload | about 40 t |
40-foot open top container
The long open top, used for long machinery, pipes and bundles that must be lifted in.
| Inside height | about 2.35 m, more with the roof open |
Simplified models with typical dimensions. Exact figures vary by owner, build and country.
What counts as out of gauge
Cargo is out of gauge when it is wider, taller or longer than a standard trailer or container allows, and heavy-lift when a single piece needs special cranes or trailers. On the road, a load usually becomes oversize when it is wider than about 2.5–2.6 m, taller than about 4 m from the road, or longer than a normal trailer. Exact limits depend on each country.
What we need from you
- A drawing of each large piece with length, width, height and weight
- The centre of gravity and the lifting and lashing points
- Whether the piece can be tilted, stacked or exposed to rain
- The site address and any restrictions on the access road
How a heavy move is planned
- Port and shipHeavy-lift discharge with the ship's gear, port cranes or mobile cranes, and a lay-down area at the port.
- Route surveyThe road is driven and measured: bridges and their load limits, overhead lines, tunnels, toll gates, roundabouts and tight turns.
- Trailer choiceLow-bed, extendable or modular trailers (including self-propelled modular transporters) chosen to spread the weight on the road.
- Permits and escortOversize permits from Iran's Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization and police escort where required, then the same in each transit country.
- SecuringLashing and blocking planned to the cargo weight, following good practice such as the IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code.
- DeliveryNight or weekend moves where traffic rules require it, and unloading at the foundation on site.
Insurance and time
Heavy moves are slow: a few hundred kilometres can take several days because of escorts and speed limits. Insurance should cover the whole route, including port handling and the lift on site.
General guidance, last reviewed November 2026. Rules change often; ask us to confirm the requirements for your shipment.