Not all cargo is equal. At Hapag-Lloyd, we take extra care of your extra-demanding shipments. We draw from more than six decades of experience in special cargo delivery and utilize a global network of dedicated experts and trusted partners. This way, we handle your Out of Gauge goods with maximum attention to individual requirements and safety, while providing a seamless operational flow.
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Special Cargo
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Open Top
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Hardtop
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Flatrack
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Platform
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Breakbulk
David Piel, Senior Manager Special Cargo
“Every piece of special cargo brings a new challenge - and another opportunity to help write our customers’ success stories. By combining expertise, precision and teamwork, we turn even the most complex transport requirements into reliable solutions.”
Open Top
Sometimes you just can't load your machinery the normal way. Our Open Tops allow you to load by crane quickly and efficiently. Our special steel floor editions provide you with more lashing points than traditional Open Tops, allowing for even more secure options for the transportation of your cargo.
Hardtop
A Hapag-Lloyd invention. The Hardtop container gives you multiple options to make your loading faster and easier while still providing you with all safety features that you expect from Hapag-Lloyd. We've even found a way to ensure that the steel roof is water tight so that your cargo is dry upon arrival.
Flatrack
Our Flatrack containers are built to carry your heaviest cargo. They are able to accommodate all forms of prelashed as well as breakbulk cargo.
Oversized machinery, heavy equipment and complex project cargo require careful planning. Our special cargo experts help you assess your shipment’s dimensions, weight and handling requirements to identify suitable transport options. From out-of-gauge cargo on flatracks to breakbulk shipments, we combine technical knowledge with practical experience to support equipment selection and stowage planning - giving you a clear foundation for your shipment.
Our global shipping network connects more than 600 ports across all continents, bringing international reach to your special cargo planning. Regional experts combine local knowledge with specialist support to help assess suitable routes and equipment options. Whether you are shipping oversized cargo or coordinating a project cargo shipment, we help align transport planning with your cargo’s requirements and destination.
Safe special cargo transport starts with the details. Our teams review dimensions, total weight, lifting and lashing points, and available technical documentation to assess your shipment’s requirements. Guidance on load distribution, cargo securing and stowage helps you prepare heavy and out-of-gauge cargo for ocean transport. This careful preparation supports safe handling and helps reduce the risk of damage and avoidable delays.
Hapag-Lloyd owns a modern fleet with high strength side wall standard containers which are very suitable for flexitank shipments. The container owner association (COA with Code of Practice ) and the British Standard Institute (BSI with PAS1008) have established industry standards for transport and production of flexitanks. Hapag-Lloyd has an active roll in developing these standards and is accepting only transport following these standards. We evaluate every shipment and collect information in a database.
Over-length does not affect the lost slots. Only the over-height and over-width affect the lost slot calculation for platforms. Cargo with higher weight might cause more lost slots because the platfrom must be loaded in a lower tier on deck than a light weight cargo.
The width of an ISO container is 244cm. Cargo with a width of 245cm has already 1cm over width....0,5cm each side.
No, not in a wooden floor container. The spreaded load per running meter is too high (15.000kg/2,00m = 7.500kg/m). In a 20'GP/OT/HT with wooden floor you can load 4,8t, in a 40'GP/OT/HT you can load 3,0t per running meter. Using a steel floor container extent the possible load per running meter to 7600kg/m in a 20' and 6000kg/m in a 40' container.