How do I book container haulage from a UK port?
Give your haulier the container number, the port and terminal, the delivery address with opening times, the equipment you need, the cargo weight and the release details. Book a few days before the vessel arrives, so the container is collected and returned within its free time.
Getting your container from the port to your door is the part of the journey that most often goes wrong, and when it does it gets expensive quickly. A container that can't be collected starts running up port storage and demurrage within days. This guide covers what you need to book container haulage properly and how to avoid the usual pitfalls.
What your haulier needs from you
| Information | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Container number and size (20ft, 40ft, 40ft high cube) | Identifies the box and the equipment needed |
| Port and terminal, vessel name and ETA | Lets the haulier plan collection and book a terminal slot |
| Gross weight of the loaded container | Decides the trailer type and whether the load is legal on UK roads |
| Delivery address, contact name and phone number | The driver needs to know exactly where to go and who to call |
| Site opening times and booking requirements | Many warehouses need a pre-booked delivery slot |
| How you'll unload | Dock door, forklift, hand unload or side-loader drop |
| Access restrictions | Weight limits, low bridges, narrow lanes or residential streets |
| Empty return instructions | Shipping lines nominate where the empty must go back to |
| Hazardous goods details, if any | Dangerous goods need ADR-qualified drivers and documents |
Step by step: from vessel arrival to empty return
- Five to seven days before arrival: confirm the vessel ETA and give your haulier the delivery details. In busy periods, book even earlier.
- Before discharge: your customs entry should be lodged, ideally before the vessel arrives, so clearance doesn't hold up collection.
- Shipping line release: freight and any destination charges must be paid so the line releases the container to your haulier.
- Check for holds: customs, port health or carrier holds will stop collection. Your forwarder or agent can check the container's status.
- Terminal slot: the haulier books a collection slot through the port's vehicle booking system.
- Delivery: the container arrives at your site at the agreed time and is unloaded.
- Empty return: the haulier takes the empty back to the return location before the line's detention free time runs out.
Choosing the right equipment
| Equipment | How it works | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Standard skeletal trailer | The container stays on the trailer while you unload it at a dock door or with a forklift | You have a loading bay or a forklift and can unload within the free waiting time |
| Side-loader | Cranes on the trailer lift the container onto the ground, where you unload it in your own time | You have no loading bay, or unloading will take hours or days |
| Tri-axle trailer | An extra axle spreads the weight for heavy loads | Heavy 20ft containers, such as stone, tiles, metals or liquids |
| Drop and collect | The haulier leaves the trailer and container with you and collects later | Unloading takes longer than a normal delivery allows |
Read more in our guide to side-loaders.
Weight limits on UK roads
The maximum gross weight for an articulated lorry on UK roads is normally 44 tonnes, including the tractor unit, the trailer, the container and the cargo. Once the vehicle's own weight is taken off, a 40ft container on standard equipment can usually carry around 26 tonnes of cargo. Heavy 20ft containers often need a tri-axle trailer to stay within the axle limits.
You must give your haulier the real gross weight. The shipping line will have the verified gross mass (VGM) declared at origin, but check it against your packing list. An overweight container can be refused at the port or stopped on the road.
What container haulage costs include
A container haulage quote usually covers the trip from port to door and back with the empty. Some charges are added separately, so check what's included:
- Fuel surcharge, often a percentage that changes monthly
- Port or terminal charges for vehicle booking slots
- Waiting time, usually after one or two hours free at your site
- Side-loader or tri-axle supplements
- Drop and collect, charged per day the trailer is left with you
- Out-of-hours or weekend deliveries
- ADR supplements for dangerous goods
- Failed collections, if a container can't be collected because of a hold or an unpaid release
How long does unloading take?
A pallet-loaded 40ft container can often be unloaded with a forklift in under an hour. A floor-loaded container of loose cartons can take three or four people two to four hours by hand. If your load is floor-loaded, either plan for the waiting time or book a side-loader or drop and collect, so you're not paying a driver to wait.
Booking in busy periods
In peak season, around Christmas and after holidays, haulage capacity at the big ports gets tight. Containers can wait days for a truck while free time runs out. The fix is simple: book as soon as you know the vessel's ETA, keep the delivery details accurate, and don't leave customs clearance until the container has landed.
How we can help
Through our sister haulage company, which runs its own fleet, we arrange UK container haulage from Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway and other UK ports, with side-loaders and tri-axles available. We're based in Felixstowe, so read about our Felixstowe container haulage in particular.
Written by the 365 Freight team · Last reviewed . General guidance only, so check the specifics for your shipment.