Open Top (OT) container – characteristics and applications

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. We believe that it is in accordance with this proverb that the Open Top container, or in “our” words – an open roof, was created. Thanks to its functionality, it has certainly facilitated many a loading. What exactly are the characteristics of an open top container? What is its application?

As the name suggests, the open top container (with an open roof) is distinguished primarily by a specific roof. To be more precise – its absence. Instead of a roof, this type of container uses a special flexible tarpaulin or cover to secure the cargo. Open top shipping containers are a special type of shipping container. They are designed to transport bulky goods. Such that require loading with a crane or crab from the top, through the roof.

Construction and types of open top containers

As with the most popular shipping containers, the walls of open top containers are made of corrugated steel and set on a steel frame. The floor is usually made of wood or load-resistant plywood. The distinctive feature that differentiates an open top container from ordinary shipping containers is precisely the open roof secured by a tarpaulin. Cargo can be placed inside using a crane, overhead crane, cyclops or crab. The tarpaulin is attached to the container by removable risers located at the rear and front doors. Crossbars above the doors not only secure the tarp, but also increase the stability of the container. The open top container is most often encountered in two sizes: 20-foot and 40-foot. It also comes in a configuration: open top HC (High Cube – raised walls) container.

Container with an open roof – application

We mentioned earlier that an open top container can accommodate bulky goods that are too large or difficult to load in a regular container through a door. The open top container’s design makes it easy to load and unload goods not only with the open roof, but also with the ability to detach the metal supports from above the door, which gives a lot of room for maneuvering during loading.

Open tops are ideal for loading things like scrap metal, wood, cable spools, debris, construction materials or pipes of various sizes. They can just as well be used for transporting large machinery, which can simply be driven inside by detaching the crossbar over the door and then covering the equipment with a tarp. Loading and unloading these containers is much easier than it is with traditional shipping containers.

Open top sea container – a word of summary

Open top containers have been successfully used for decades to transport large, often oversized cargo. They allow us to transport things that we could not transport in ordinary shipping containers. They offer not only greater capacity, but also much more convenient options for loading cargo. Their load capacity (depending on their size) allows them to carry from 20 to about 30 tons. They can easily carry goods such as:

• building materials,
• iron rods,
• Pipes,
• wood,
• heavy machinery.