Shipping Modes
Open Top Container
A container with a removable tarpaulin roof instead of a solid one, allowing cargo to be loaded from above by crane.
In depth
An open top has standard walls and doors but an open roof covered by a tarpaulin over removable roof bows. It suits cargo that is too tall to stand inside a closed box or that must be craned in vertically because it cannot be pushed through the doors. If the load sits below the roof line the container can be sheeted and stacked normally; if it protrudes, the shipment becomes out of gauge with the associated surcharges. The tarpaulin gives weather protection but not the security of a hard-top box.
Key points
- Removable tarpaulin roof over standard walls and doors
- Allows vertical loading by crane
- Stays standard-rated if the cargo does not exceed the roof line
- Weather-resistant but less secure than a hard-top container