Abnormal Load & Oversize Cargo Transport

Abnormal Load Transport

Williams Shipping are abnormal load specialists.

When it comes to moving abnormal loads, no two jobs are identical. Handling and efficiently moving loads that are high, wide, long or heavy requires specialist equipment, knowledge of the rules and regulations, superior driving and lashing skills, and exceptional project management.

We have handled thousands of difficult and abnormal loads throughout the UK and Europe. Our clients come from a wide range of industries including construction, civil engineering, oil & gas, renewable energy, defence and the marine sector.

We have an extensive fleet of trucks and trailers to allow us the flexibility to handle a wide range of oversized loads, and a team of highly trained and experienced drivers.

Contact the transport team now on 02380 701314 or transport@williams-shipping.co.uk.

Specialist equipment

Moving abnormal loads requires specialist equipment. We operate a modern fleet of vehicles plated up to STGO Cat 2 (80 tonnes gross) and an extensive fleet of specialist trailers, including:

Extendible all-steer flat trailers
Semi-low and low loaders
Plant trailers

For full details, please visit our fleet page.

At our site in Southampton we have heavy lifting equipment suitable for loading and unloading of heavy or oversized items. We also have open storage and warehousing facilities which can be used to assemble equipment or consolidate shipments before transportation.

Highly trained personnel

We pride ourselves on the expertise and expertise of our entire team. As well as holding the standard qualifications for haulage, our drivers are trained in to the highest standards in the industry including:

ADR – the licence to carry dangerous goods
Aviation Secure – working within airport secure bases
Slinger Signaller – working with cranes to load and offload
SAFED – an advanced safety and efficiency driving course

Our drivers are experienced with a wide range of abnormal loads, including roping, sheeting and securing.

Permits and planning

A significant part of abnormal load haulage is proper preparation. We will conduct route surveys to ensure that the route is feasible and to map out which permits are needed. We will organise all the permits and permissions required, including organising private escorts and police escorts where necessary. We are experienced with end-to-end project management so we can also organise any other related services that you might need.

To discuss your abnormal load requirements, contact the transport team on transport@williams-shipping.co.uk.

What constitutes an abnormal load?

Abnormal loads which require additional permits or planning are those in which:

The length exceeds 18.75m or
The width exceeds 2.90m or
The weight exceeds 44tonne
There is no hard and fast rule regarding height, but as the minimum height of an unmarked bridge is 5.0m, a good rule of thumb is that loads should not exceed an all up height of 4.9m.

Depending on what the load is and how much it exceeds these guides, your abnormal load movement may require some or all of the following:

Specialist trailer / truck
Highways England permits such as VR1 or BE16
Notification of local authorities and/or bridge authorities
2^nd man or private escort
Police escort

The Williams Shipping transport team assesses each project individually to evaluate its requirements as well as organising all required permits and escorts for each load.