22P3
Flat Rack Containers for Sale
A reinforced deck with end frames and no sides or roof — for heavy, wide or over-height cargo that no closed container will take.
- External length
- 6 058 mm
- Internal height
- 2 213 mm
- Payload
- 27 730 kg
A flat rack is a container-framed load platform: a heavy steel deck with corner castings at ISO positions and an end frame at each end. Some have fixed ends; most modern units have collapsible ends that fold flat so empty racks can be stacked and repositioned economically.
It is bought when the cargo defeats a closed box on width, height or point loading. Transformers, boats, structural steel, pressure vessels, cable drums and tracked plant all move on flat racks, secured with lashings to the deck rings and to the end frames.
Technical specifications
| Property | 20ft Flat Rack22P3 | 40ft Flat Rack42P3 |
|---|---|---|
| External dimensions | ||
| Length | 6 058 mm19 ft 10.5 in | 12 192 mm40 ft |
| Width | 2 438 mm8 ft | 2 438 mm8 ft |
| Height | 2 591 mm8 ft 6.0 in | 2 591 mm8 ft 6.0 in |
| Internal dimensions | ||
| Length | 5 638 mm18 ft 6.0 in | 11 660 mm38 ft 3.1 in |
| Width | 2 228 mm7 ft 3.7 in | 2 236 mm7 ft 4.0 in |
| Height | 2 213 mm7 ft 3.1 in | 1 955 mm6 ft 5.0 in |
| Weights | ||
| Tare weight | 2 750 kg6 060 lb | 5 000 kg11 020 lb |
| Maximum gross mass | 30 480 kg67 200 lb | 45 000 kg99 210 lb |
| Payload | 27 730 kg61 130 lb | 40 000 kg88 180 lb |
Construction & fittings
- ISO type codes
- 22P3 / 42P3 (collapsible ends) and related P-series codes
- End frames
- Fixed or collapsible, depending on unit
- Deck
- Steel or hardwood on steel cross-members, reinforced
- Lashing
- Deck rings and end-frame lashing points
- Forklift pockets
- Fitted on many 20ft racks; not on 40ft
- Load rating
- Varies by design — the unit's CSC plate and load diagram govern
Load ratings vary more than on any other type
Flat racks are built to several different ratings. A 40ft rack plated at 45 000 kg maximum gross and one plated at 30 480 kg look similar and are not interchangeable. Nor is the plated figure the whole story: concentrated point loads and the distribution along the deck matter as much as the total, and the permissible load curve is a property of the individual design.
Treat the specification table below as an indicative starting point and work from the actual CSC plate and the builder's load diagram for the unit offered. State the cargo weight, its footprint and its centre of gravity on the RFQ — that is what determines which rack is suitable.
Collapsible or fixed ends
- Collapsible ends — fold flat when empty. Cheaper to reposition, so more widely available; the fold mechanism is a wear point to inspect.
- Fixed ends — rigid A-frame ends, generally stiffer and preferred for heavy point loads and for cargo braced against the end frame.
Out-of-gauge is a freight decision
Cargo on a flat rack routinely exceeds the container envelope in width or height. That is normal, and it is booked and priced as out-of-gauge by the carrier, blocking adjacent or overhead slots. Buying the rack does not secure that booking. If we are arranging the movement as well as the equipment, give us the loaded dimensions early — OOG capacity is finite on most services.
Typical uses
Heavy plant and machinery
Over-width cargo
Boats and vehicles
Structural steel and pipe
