Chassis

What is a chassis?

A chassis is a special trailer or undercarriage used to transport ocean containers over the road.

A chassis will be necessary for a shipment traveling by truck and will incur a chassis fee.

A tri-axle chassis will be used for overweight FCL shipments traveling by truck. Generally, a tri-axle chassis is required for a 20’ container above 36,000 lbs, or a 40’ container above 44,000 lbs. See Overweight Cargo for more information.

How do chassis work?

Chassis are intended to securely attach to the container so that the container fits snugly onto the chassis, preventing excess movement. Chassis come in both 20’ container sizes and 40’ container sizes to fit an FCL container appropriately.

Who provides the chassis for your container?

Truckers usually supply the chassis, often renting it from a chassis pool, and they pass the cost to you as a chassis fee. Availability varies by port and time of year, and shortages can delay container pickup. If your container is overweight, tell your forwarder early so the trucker arranges the right equipment.

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