OOG containers · Flat rack · Open top · Vietnam

OOG Cargo in Vietnam: Flat Rack & Open Top Handling

OOG cargo through Cat Lai, Cai Mep and Hai Phong, from acceptance to delivery, with our own lowbeds, permits and lashing crew.

Send dimensions for an OOG plan

For freight agents and shippers moving over-width, over-height or over-length units. · What to send us

Booking OOG cargo is rarely the hard part. The trouble starts when the carrier rejects the dimensions after the cargo is packed, or when the truck at the terminal gate has no permit for a 3.1 m wide unit. This page shows how we handle flat rack and open top shipments in Vietnam, and which numbers decide your cost.

What counts as OOG cargo in a container?

OOG means out of gauge. A unit is OOG cargo when it does not fit inside the outline of a standard 20′ or 40′ box. It sticks out to the side, above the top or past the ends.

Such units travel on special equipment. A flat rack has a floor and two end walls, no roof and no side walls. An open top keeps its side walls but has a removable roof, closed with a tarpaulin.

In short, OOG cargo is about the gauge of the box, not the weight. A 10 t unit that is 2.9 m wide is OOG; a 25 t unit that fits inside a 40′ box is not.

Flat rack or open top: which one for your OOG cargo?

Choose by the direction the cargo exceeds and by how it must be loaded. The table below is the short version we use with agents on the first call.

For inside dimensions and payload by size, see our guide to flat rack container dimensions and the companion page on the open top container.

When the open top wins

If the unit is only too tall, an open top is often the cheaper and cleaner choice. The side walls protect the cargo, and the cargo usually loses fewer slots on board than on a flat rack.

On the job shown here, the cabinets were lashed to the floor rings with ratchet straps. Two other units of the same shipment travelled on flat racks.

How OOG acceptance works before you confirm

Every shipping line approves OOG cargo case by case. The vessel planner checks the dimensions, weight and stowage position. Only then does the line confirm the booking and the OOG surcharge.

We obtain this OOG acceptance before you confirm to your customer. You get the approved dimensions in writing, so a later rejection at the terminal is not your risk alone.

• Dimensions in mm: length, width, height and the overhang on each side, not only the crate size.
• Weight and centre of gravity, so the line can check the floor load of the rack.
• Lifting and lashing points on a drawing or clear photos.
• Lost slots: an over-width unit blocks the slots beside it; an over-height unit blocks the slot above. The line prices these slots into the OOG surcharge.

Ports we use for flat rack and open top shipments

We book special equipment out of Cat Lai, Cai Mep and Hai Phong with our carrier contracts. The container lines we work with include ONE, Yang Ming, Evergreen, CMA CGM, OOCL, ZIM, Maersk, MSC, COSCO, Wan Hai, Namsung and IAL.

Port details, terminal codes and the free-time rules that matter for an OOG box are on our Vietnam ports guide. Local charges by shipping line are on the Vietnam local charges hub.

Trucking OOG cargo in Vietnam: permits and lowbeds

The road leg is where most OOG cargo gets stuck. In Vietnam the rule looks at the loaded truck, not the box. A permit is needed when the vehicle with its load is wider than 2.5 m, taller than 4.2 m (4.35 m for container vehicles), longer than 20 m or heavier than 48 t, under Circular 12/2025/TT-BXD.

• Standing permit: our own trucks already hold a permit for over-width flat racks of about 3.3 m, so the most common OOG width moves without a permit wait.
• Own lowbeds: a 6-axle lowbed with a 14.5 m deck and up to 62 t payload, plus two 4-axle lowbeds up to 44 t. A lower deck keeps tall units under bridges and power lines.
• Wider or heavier units: route survey and a specific permit. Plan 3–5 working days on a known route and 5–10 when a field survey is needed.
• Night moves: Ho Chi Minh City restricts heavy trucks in daytime, so many OOG moves run at night with the site ready to receive.

For units above flat rack size, or moves that need modular trailers and escorts, see heavy haulage in Vietnam and our project cargo page.

Lashing and securing on flat rack and open top

Our in-house lashing team works on flat racks, open tops and Mafi trailers. We issue our own lashing and securing certificates, so you do not wait for a third party on sailing day.

Photos at pick-up, after lashing and at gate-in go straight to you. You can update your customer before they ask.

Recent flat rack and open top jobs

A few jobs from our files. Customer names are withheld; routes, dates and equipment are as recorded.

Factory to Cat Lai on 3 flat racks (August 2026)

Equipment

2 × 40′ and 1 × 20′ flat rack

Route

Binh My, Ho Chi Minh City → Cat Lai port

Our scope

Trucking from the factory to the port

6 cable reels, Cat Lai to Khanh Hoa (July 2026)

Cargo

6 large cable reels

Equipment

2 lowbeds

Route

Cat Lai port → Khanh Hoa, central Vietnam

Our scope

Transfer at the port, long-haul OOG trucking

What to send for an OOG cargo quote

Send what you have; we ask for the rest. With these items we can usually confirm equipment and trucking on the first reply.

FAQ: OOG cargo in Vietnam

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Last updated: October 2026 · Vietnamese version