Transportation of oversized cargo requires careful preparation. We have collected the rules for transporting oversized cargo, traffic regulations and safety tips
Transportation of cargo weighing hundreds of tons or over 50 meters long is always a real challenge. Because here you need to take into account all the nuances that may arise on the road: the strength of bridges, the height of tunnels, the location of power lines, weather conditions. As logisticians say, oversized cargo is not just transported, but planned, coordinated and accompanied. And each movement here is a whole operation.
Oversized cargo: what does it mean
From the very definition it is clear that this is not just cargo, but very large, the dimensions or weight of which exceed the standards established for conventional vehicles. To transport such goods, special equipment and permits are required. So, what are the signs of oversized cargo? Its dimensions reach: width – more than 2.55 m, height – more than 4 m, length – from 12-16 m, depending on the type of vehicle and country). The weight of the cargo should not exceed the standard norms – more than 40 tons. It can be of non-standard shape: it can have protrusions, corner elements or structures that complicate safe transportation.
What are oversized cargoes
This type of cargo is divided into several categories, depending on the scope of application and the features of their structures.
- Construction equipment and machinery: cranes, excavators, road rollers, bulldozers and other machines that, due to their size, cannot be transported by standard trucks.
- Agricultural equipment: combines, harvesters, tractors, seed drills and other equipment.
- Industrial equipment and metal structures: generators, turbines, boilers, tanks, transformers, as well as large metal beams and frames for construction.
- Energy equipment: blades and towers for wind power plants, solar panel elements, large power plants.
- Vehicles: military equipment, aircraft, yachts or boats that require special platforms for transportation.
- Other non-standard cargo: for example, entire wooden log cabins, water or gas tanks, modular houses.
As you can see, oversized cargo is very diverse, and its transportation often requires various engineering solutions. And the transportation of special equipment requires a special approach to the matter.
Transportation rules
Transportation of such cargo belongs to the category of special and highly dangerous transportation, because due to their size and weight they exceed the permissible parameters of standard transport. Accordingly, the legislation establishes strict rules and requirements for the transportation of such cargo. For transportation, it is necessary to have a permit for the transportation of oversized cargo from the relevant authorities – the police, Ukravtodor, which indicates the route of movement, permissible transportation time, escort requirements and speed limits. In addition to the permit, documents for the cargo, a scheme for its fastening, and an insurance policy are required.
Before transportation, a detailed study of the route is carried out, the strength of bridges, the height of tunnels, the location of power lines, and turning radii are checked. Where necessary, temporary traffic restrictions are established for other vehicles.
Oversized transport is often accompanied by the police. The cargo must have signal signs, reflective elements, and flashing beacons. In bad weather conditions and at night, movement may be prohibited.
The rules for transporting oversized cargo are established in order to guarantee safety on the roads.
Transport for transporting oversized cargo
Transport that transports oversized cargo also has certain requirements: for this purpose, special trawls, low-frame platforms, spreader semi-trailers that can withstand large masses and dimensions of non-standard objects are used.
Trawls are the most common type of transport due to their lowered platform to the ground at a height of 30-90 cm. Due to this, it is possible to transport high loads without violating the permitted height of 4 m. There are also models with sliding platforms that allow transporting loads up to 50 m in length.
Telescopic semi-trailers are used for long loads. They are well suited for metal structures, pipes, wind blades, bridge beams. Their design extends up to 50 m. Maneuverability on turns is ensured by swivel trolley systems.
Modular platforms are high-tech transport that moves due to dozens of wheel axles with independent control.
A lot of things are also transported by rail, because special railway platforms make it possible to evenly distribute the weight. The only thing is that there is not always railway infrastructure everywhere, cargo is often delivered to the final destination by road.
River and sea transport is used for very long and very heavy objects that cannot be delivered by road. Airplanes are not used so often, because the cost of such transportation is considerable, but if delivery is required within a limited time, it is a good option.
The traffic rules clearly regulate the transportation of goods, taking into account the maximum permissible dimensions and weight that cannot be exceeded without special permits.
International transportation of oversized cargo
If in the country the carrier must take into account uniform national rules and requirements, then abroad he faces different laws, road infrastructure, technical and customs barriers.
The EU has basic dimensional restrictions, but each country has its own additional rules. For example, in France, police escort is required even for slight excess dimensions, in Germany it is necessary to adhere to transportation times, in Poland – permits are required for individual sections of the route.
Currently, the delivery of oversized cargo from China is particularly in demand, since most equipment and machinery is manufactured there.
How much does delivery cost
International transportation of oversized cargo costs two to five times more than domestic transportation. Most of the money is spent on coordination, support and technical work.
Delivery of oversized cargo does not have a single tariff – it is always calculated individually. The price depends on a number of factors, including:
- Dimensions and weight: the larger and heavier the cargo, the more expensive it is to transport.
- Distance and route: transportation over long distances is more expensive.
- The need to obtain permits.
- Type of transport: the use of low-bed platforms, trawls, road trains or multimodal solutions (a combination of road and rail transport) affects the final amount.
- Urgency of delivery: if the cargo needs to be delivered in a short time, the price will be higher due to additional organizational costs.
The cost of delivering oversized cargo should always be clarified directly with the transport company. A preliminary calculation is usually made after analyzing the dimensions, weight and route, which allows the customer to avoid hidden costs.
Conclusion
Oversized cargo is an object whose dimensions and weight exceed standard cargo standards. And transporting it is not the usual delivery of goods from one place to another. This is a complex logistics operation, taking into account every detail: from the type of platform to coordinating the route with road services. And it will be successful only when the carrier has the experience, equipment and a team of specialists who can calculate all the risks in advance and fulfill the order on time and without problems. Here you need to trust companies with real practice in the field of oversized transportation.
