Shipping structural steel in containers

Choosing the container

Door openings are smaller than the internal dimensions, and the actual tare and maximum gross mass are printed on the container's CSC plate – always check them rather than relying on typical values. Members longer than about 12 m need flat racks, break-bulk shipping or a splice designed by the engineer.

Weight and balance

• Respect the maximum payload of the container and road limits in the countries of loading and delivery.
• Keep the centre of gravity close to the middle of the length and low; avoid concentrated loads on the floor by using bearers.
• Load packages needed first on site near the door.

Securing

The IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code sets out good practice for packing cargo transport units: block and brace cargo against the container structure, lash to the lashing points, fill voids, and separate steel from the floor and walls with dunnage. Wooden dunnage and crates for international transport must be treated and marked according to ISPM 15.

VGM and seals

Under SOLAS chapter VI, regulation 2, the shipper must declare the verified gross mass (VGM) of every packed container before it is loaded on a ship – by weighing the packed container (method 1) or by adding the weights of all contents and packing to the tare (method 2, with a certified procedure where required). The container is closed with a high-security seal (ISO 17712, class H) whose number is recorded on the documents.

The document set

Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, mill certificates (EN 10204 3.1), coating or galvanising certificates, ISPM 15 declaration where applicable, and the packing report with photos of the loading and the seal.