Home / Logistics Knowledge / Container Types & Sizes / 40ft Flat Rack Container (40FR)
The 40FR is the larger, stronger flat rack, with a gross of up to about 45,000 kg — built for long and heavy large equipment, construction machinery, yachts, steel fabrications and over-dimension items.
The 40FR is the larger, stronger flat rack, with a gross of up to about 45,000 kg — built for long and heavy large equipment, construction machinery, yachts, steel fabrications and over-dimension items. The floor is longer with denser cross-members and higher load capacity.
It carries shield machines, gantry-crane parts, large generators, transformers, wind blades and bridge steel — cargo a dry box simply cannot take. It follows the same OOG declaration and lashing-approval process, with heavy items secured by multiple chains and chocks and the lashing plan approved by the carrier before sailing.
Full name: 40-foot Flat Rack Container
The floor is about 12,190 mm long × 2,400 mm wide with end frames about 2,140 mm high; cargo may overhang the frame as OOG — declare the over-dimensions and check the route.
| Dimension | mm | cm | m | ft & in | in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 12190 | 1219.0 | 12.190 | 39 ft 11.9 in | 479.9 |
| Width | 2400 | 240.0 | 2.400 | 7 ft 10.5 in | 94.5 |
| Height | 2140 | 214.0 | 2.140 | 7 ft 0.3 in | 84.3 |
| End door | Flat-rack: no end doors — cargo is lifted in from above or the side. | ||||
| Dimension | mm | cm | m | ft & in | in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 12192 | 1219.2 | 12.192 | 40 ft 0.0 in | 480.0 |
| Width | 2438 | 243.8 | 2.438 | 7 ft 12.0 in | 96.0 |
| Height | 2591 | 259.1 | 2.591 | 8 ft 6.0 in | 102.0 |
| End door | Flat-rack: no end doors — cargo is lifted in from above or the side. | ||||
| Item | Tonnes (t) | Kilograms (kg) | Pounds (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tare weight (empty) | 5.00 – 5.80 | 5,000 – 5,800 | 11,023 – 12,787 |
| Maximum payload (net cargo) | 40.00 | 40,000 | 88,185 |
| Maximum gross weight (box + cargo) | 45.00 | 45,000 | 99,208 |
New (one-trip) 40FR containers have just left the factory or carried a single load: flat panels, tight door seals and no corrosion, which makes them the right choice for food, precision goods and long-term leasing. Used (multi-trip) 40FR boxes have years of ocean service behind them and may show dents, light rust and worn flooring, but a structurally sound unit that passes a cargo-worthy survey still ships perfectly normally.
On a flat-rack the structural parts do the work: the steel floor, the lashing rings, the corner castings and the end frames. Inspect the rings for corrosion and the floor for distortion, and ask for the lashing certificate if the previous cargo was heavy plant.
For a 40FR, most exporters simply take the carrier’s “cargo worthy” unit, because the shipping line is responsible for the box being fit for carriage at the moment it is picked up. If you buy your own container instead, pricing is graded by age and condition: CW (cargo worthy), WWT (wind and water tight) and AS-IS (sold as seen).
40ft flat racks cost more and are scarcer: new / one-trip units about USD 7,000–12,000.
Cargo-worthy used units about USD 3,500–7,000; supply is limited — confirm live.
Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, OOCL, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE and Evergreen all build to the same ISO standards, so the external dimensions of a 40FR match the standard exactly and the box can be stacked and interchanged on board and on the chassis without adaptation.
Across carriers, the practical differences for a 40FR are in box age and condition (new units are assigned to the mainline services), the builder (CIMC, Singamas, CXIC, Maersk Container Industry and others), small variations in the tare and payload figures stamped on the plate, and the configuration of special equipment — reefer unit brand, tarpaulin type on an open-top, folding versus fixed end walls on a flat-rack. Mention heavy, over-height or specialised cargo at booking so the carrier allocates the right unit.
Flat-racks are pooled rather than owned in volume, so confirm the exact rack and its rating with the line and not only with the depot.
The 40FR carries over-long and over-heavy engineering equipment: shield machines, gantry-crane parts, large generators, transformers, yachts, wind blades and bridge steel — cargo a dry box cannot take at all.
The 40FR has a high payload, so heavy items sit directly on the floor cross-members over steel plates to spread the pressure; tension with chains or wire rope, chock hard, and keep the centre of gravity low and central to avoid an uneven load.
Lash heavy items to the floor rings at multiple points, chock the base hard, mark over-width and over-height clearly, declare OOG, and get the lashing plan approved by the carrier before release.
The 40FR suits over-long, over-heavy and over-dimension items: large construction machinery, shield machines, transformers, generators, yachts, wind-power parts, bridge steel and over-long beams.
Measure the over-dimensions and centre of gravity first, declare OOG, check every route height and width, port crane capacity and ship stow; the carrier approves the lashing plan, with heavy items secured by chains and chocks.
A large transformer to the Middle East at 38 tonnes and over 12 m long ships bare on a 40FR with multiple chain lashings and an OOG declaration — the classic 40FR use case.
External dimensions are 12,192 x 2,438 x 2,591 mm. The loadable platform is about 12,190 mm long and 2,400 mm wide, with end walls around 2,140 mm high on the fixed version. There is no roof and no side wall.
Payload is about 40,000 kg on a maximum gross mass of 45,000 kg, by far the highest of any standard container. That is what makes it the default unit for heavy machinery, transformers and steel fabrications.
Heavy and out-of-gauge cargo: excavators and attachments, buses, yachts, industrial plant, transformers, long steel beams and prefabricated structures. It is also used when a piece is too heavy for the floor of a dry box.
Timber dunnage spreads the load, then web lashings, chains and turnbuckles tie down to floor rings and corner castings. The carrier requires a securing plan, and heavy or high-value pieces usually need a surveyor's attendance before the vessel sails.
No. Nothing on a flat-rack keeps water out, so the shipper must crate, tarp or shrink-wrap the cargo. Machinery is often shipped on a skid under a tarpaulin, and electronics need a sealed case.
Out of Gauge cargo exceeds the container's standard dimensions. Carriers charge for the space it blocks beyond the container footprint, and add approval, survey and special stowage costs. Get the dimensions agreed in writing before booking.
An open-top keeps its side walls and end doors and opens at the roof, so it is cheaper for over-height cargo within the footprint. A flat-rack has no sides at all and carries the heavier loads, up to about 40 tonnes.
Most carriers require a lashing survey for heavy or high-value flat-rack cargo, and some ports insist on it. The surveyor checks the securing plan, the lashings and the dunnage, and issues a certificate that travels with the shipment.
Loaded flat-racks cannot take another container, and they are usually stowed on deck or in the top tier. Empty collapsible flat-racks nest several high for repositioning, which is why they disappear from a depot quickly when demand rises.
New and one-trip units run about USD 7,000-12,000 and cargo-worthy used units about USD 3,500-7,000. Supply is limited and usually tied to a specific trade, so confirm availability rather than assuming a depot has stock.
42P1: 42 identifies a 40-foot container and P a platform-based unit. The 20ft equivalent is 22P1.
Yes. Flat-rack cargo is often very heavy, so the verified gross mass is critical and is checked closely by terminals. Weigh the loaded unit rather than adding up the pieces, and submit the VGM before the cut-off.
Our team ships batteries, chemicals, and general cargo worldwide. Get a tailored rate within 24 hours.
