OOCL - Operational Restrictions (2023)

United States and Canada- Regulatory Requirements

Background Information

All cargo shipments moving overland within North America are governed by weight restriction laws established by both federal and local government agencies. The consequences of exceeding the legal limit are fines, liability claims, equipment damage and/or extra costs such as transloading.

Safe Container Act

Beginning April 9, 1997 all containers moving by truck over US highways exceeding 29,000 lbs. of gross cargo weight must be certified. Certification must be passed to the carrier prior to tender of the load for intermodal transport. The certificate must include the following items:

Certifying party

Date of certification

Commodity

Container number

Gross cargo weight including pallets and dunnage

Failure to comply with federal law can result in the delay of the shipment. The law now gives the trucker, if fined for an overweight violation due to incorrect or missing information from the issuing party of the container, the right to lien the load to collect the amount of the fine. The liable party is the party that provides false or erroneous certification information, violates state highway weight law or fails to pass on certification information.

Maximum Payload (USA & Canada)

To prevent the stressing of Federal Highway Bridges, the Federal Bridge Formula uses the spacing of axles on vehicles to help identify the maximum allowable gross vehicle weight. Various factors such as type of cargo, distribution of cargo within the container and different types of equipment (e.g. steel vs. aluminum containers, flush vs. slider chassis, tractor weight/type, gensets for reefer) will affect the determination of an absolute maximum cargo payload.

Due to the variety of variables that factor into the bridge formula calculation, we offer the following recommended guideline for the average maximum container payload weights.

NOTE: Strict adherence to reefer weights. Limit of tare weight shown on container may never be exceeded.

In the U.S.
March 1 - May 1
Suggested WeightMaximum Weight Spring Thaw
20' dry container39,500 lbs. (17.92MT)Maximum varies by state N/A
40' dry container44,500 lbs. (20.19MT)Maximum varies by state*N/A
45' dry container42,000 lbs. (19.05MT)Maximum varies by stateN/A
20' reefer cntr36,500 lbs. (16.56MT)Maximum varies by stateN/A
40' reefer cntr41,500 lbs. (18.82MT)Maximum varies by stateN/A

*Montreal gateway to/from USA maximum = 42,000 lbs (or 19.05MT)

In Canada
20' dry container40,000 lbs. (18.14MT)46,000 lbs. (20.87MT) 42,000
40' dry container44,500 lbs. (20.19MT)55,000 lbs. (24.95MT) 52,000
45' dry container43,000 lbs. (19.50MT)53,500 lbs. (24.20MT) 50,500
20' reefer cntr37,000lbs. (16.89MT) 43,000 lbs. (19.50MT) 39,000
40' reefer cntr41,500 lbs. (18.82MT)52,000 lbs. (23.59MT) 48,000

Intermodal Loading Guide
Click here

Refrigerated Container Loading Guide
Click here

Weight Limitations by State/Province

Special equipment is available in some North American locations for overweight containers to be handled legally.

Some states have higher weight limitations with permits. See grid below:

Additional weight permits are for 40s only where available.
All states are 80,000 G.V.W. except those where Permits are available up to a specified weight limit. Note - G.V.W. means Gross Vehicle Weight and is the weight of the container, cargo and tractor.
Any Permit requests are required to be submitted through the Exception Handling Process and an SSR secured for additional costs and special handling.

State/Province	G.V.W. *	G.V.W. w/ Permit	Single Axle	Tandem Axle
Alabama	80,000	100,000	20,000	34,000
Alaska	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Alberta	86,000	n/a	56,000	86,000
Arizona	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Arkansas	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
British Columbia	86,000	n/a	56,000	86,000
California **	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Colorado	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Connecticut	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Delaware	80,000	90,000	22,000	34,000
Florida	80,000	95,000	20,000	34,000
Georgia	80,000	100,000	20,000	34,000
Idaho	80,000	105,000	20,000	34,000
Illinois	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Indiana	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Iowa	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Kansas	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Kentucky	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Louisiana	80,000	n/a	n/a	40,000
Maine	80,000	99,000	20,000	34,000
Manitoba	82,700	n/a	20,000	35,000
Maryland	80,000	90,000	22,000	40,000
Massachusetts	80,000	99,000	20,000	34,000
Michigan	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Minnesota	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Mississippi	80,000	95,000	20,000	34,000
Missouri	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Montana	80,000	105,000	20,000	34,000
Nebraska	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Nevada	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
New Brunswick	97,000	n/a	19,900	39,700
Newfoundland	97,000	n/a	19,900	39,700
New Hampshire	80,000	99,000	20,000	34,000
New Jersey	80,000	90,000	20,000	34,000
New Mexico	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
New York	80,000	88,000	20,000	34,000
North Carolina	80,000	94,000	94,500	34,000
North Dakota	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Nova Scotia	97,000	n/a	19,900	39,700
Ohio	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Oklahoma	80,000	95,000	20,000	40,000
Ontario	97,000	n/a	19,900	39,700
Oregon	80,000	105,000	22,400	36,000
Pennsylvania	80,000	90,000	20,000	34,000
Prince Edward Island	97,000	n/a	20,000	40,000
Quebec	90,961	n/a	39,682	46,296
Rhode Island	80,000	99,000	20,000	34,000
Saskatoon	86,000	n/a	56,000	86,000
South Carolina	80,000	100,000	20,000	48,000
South Dakota	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Tennessee	80,000	90,000	20,000	34,000
Texas	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Utah	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Vermont	80,000	99,000	20,000	34,000
Virginia	80,000	90,000	20,000	34,000
Washington	80,000	105,500	20,000	34,000
West Virginia	80,000	88,000	20,000	34,000
Wisconsin	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
Wyoming	80,000	n/a	20,000	34,000
* Gross Vehicle Weight in lbs.
** see the chart for Long Beach/Los Angeles Maximum Weight

Export Intermodal cargo moving over Los Angeles/Long Beach Gateway

In order to ensure over the road safety on OOCL export containers, rail billing requests received that exceed the following cargo weight limitations will be subject to rejection:

a) 20' (general purpose) in excess of 44,000 cargo weight lbs
b) 20' (reefer) in excess of 41,500 cargo weight lbs
c) 40' (general purpose) in excess of 44,500 cargo weight lbs
d) 40' (reefer) in excess of 41,500 cargo weight lbs
e) 45' in excess of 41,500 cargo weight lbs

Rail billing request must be made at least two business hours prior to delivery to rail ramp. Please email rail billing request containing cargo weight details as follows:

For dry cargo email: railbill@oocl.com
For hazardous cargo: hazbill@oocl.com
For refrigerated cargo: rfrbill@oocl.com

Any rail bill request received in excess of OOCL’s allowable weight limit will be rejected and message sent back to sender within one hour of email receipt advising of our inability to process.

Should you have any questions or require assistance with regards to this advisory or your shipment needs, please do not hesitate to contact OOCL Customer Service in USA or Canada at 1-888-388-6625.

Prohibited Hazardous Intermodal ShipmentsPlease be advised that BNSF has a new listing of prohibited commodities that cannot be accepted by BNSF. The listing includes poisonous gas, flammable, non-flammable tank commodities that will no longer be accepted with or without Department of Transportation exemption or Federal Railroad Administration approval. There are different categories for Trailers and Containers, and Tank Containers. This new ruling is effective July 1st, 2008.

Please find below a link to the BNSF site showing the list of prohibited hazardous Intermodal shipments: Click here

BNSF Container Blocking and Bracing Guidelines

When shipping intermodal on the BNSF, the shipper has certain obligations to safely load contents, as stated in BNSF Intermodal Rules & Policies Guide.

BNSF Container Blocking and Bracing guidelines may be found at: BNSF loading-and-shipment-safety

For Canada, the guideline may be found at: CP Rail Intermodal

Shipment Weight Limitations Within Canada - Rail Specific

Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPRR)

20’ maximum cargo weight: For CY service only, Maximum cargo weight is 47,900 lbs (44,900 lbs for 20' Tank) or Maximum gross weight of 52,900 lbs for a 20-foot container. Any container, including a Tank container, with gross weight exceeding 52,900 lbs, will not be moved.

40/45’ maximum cargo weight: For CY service only, cargo heavier than 60,000 lbs. but not more than 65,000 lbs in a 40-foot or 45-foot container may be subject to a surcharge by the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Maximum cargo weight is 58,000 lbs for a 40-foot or 45-foot container. Any container loaded with more than its marked carrying capacity will not be moved.

Canadian National Railroad (CNRR)

20’ maximum: For CY service only, cargo heavier than 47,900 lbs. (44,900 lbs for 20' Tank) but no more than 55,000 lbs (53,000 lbs for 20' Tank) may be subject to a surcharge by the Canadian National Railroad. Maximum cargo weight is 55,000 lbs for a 20-foot container (53,000 lbs for 20' Tank). Any container loaded with more than its marked carrying capacity will not be moved.

40/45’ maximum: For CY service only, cargo heavier than 60,000 lbs. but not more than 65,000 lbs in a 40-foot or 45-foot container may be subject to a surcharge by the Canadian National Railroad. Maximum cargo weight is58,000 lbs for a 40-foot or 45-foot container. Any container loaded with more than its marked carrying capacity will not be moved.

Quebec Spring Thaw

Please see the Provincial Website for more information.

DURING THIS PERIOD, THE MAXIMUM PAYLOAD MUST BE REDUCED FOR ALL SHIPMENTS MOVING BY TRUCK

a) CPRR & CNRE also restrict acceptance of rail shipments with Montreal destination to the maximum highway weight limit during the spring thaw period.

Between Quebec and Ontario (Intra-Canada Truck Moves) (NOTE 1)

20'GP	42,000 lbs
20'RF	39,000 lbs
40'GP	52,000 lbs
40'HQ	52,000 lbs
45'HQ	52,000 lbs
40'RQ	48,000 lbs

BETWEEN QUEBEC AND UNITED STATES (TRUCK MOVES) (NOTE 1)

20'GP	36,000 lbs
20'RF	33,000 lbs
40'GP	38,000 lbs
40'HQ	38,000 lbs
45'HQ	38,000 lbs
40'RQ	35,000 lbs

NOTE 1: Above are cargo weight limits for truck moves ex-Montreal. Loads exceeding the above weights may incur extra costs that will need to be guaranteed prior to the delivery. The additional costs may include extra miles driven, partial de-vanning to reduce load to legal weight limits and/or fines. Also note that delays may be experienced should weight exceed legal limits.

Note: The following cargo weight can be handled by Highland Transport (HITD) during the Quebec Spring Thaw period:

BETWEEN TORONTO AND MONTREAL (INTRA-CANADA)

20'GP	43,000 lbs
40'GP	54,000 lbs
40'HQ	54,000 lbs
40'RQ	48,000 lbs

Intra-Canada, Refrigerated shipment cargo weightneeds to be reduced to 48,000 lbs to accommodate the weight of clip-on genset (w/fuel) equipment.