How Container Delivery Works

From the Port Macquarie to your site

AAD Logistics delivers Australia-wide from the Port Macquarie. Every order follows the same path. We process it, book the right vehicle for the container size and your site, and a driver places the unit where you have prepared. This guide explains each vehicle, what it needs from the site, what delivery costs and how long it takes.

The short version: 6ft to 20ft containers go on a tilt tray. 40ft containers go on a side loader, Hiab, crane truck or semi trailer. The site decides which.

Delivery cost and timing

• Cost: AUD 745 per unit within the standard service area, shown at checkout before you pay.
• Remote, restricted or multi-unit deliveries: quoted individually. Contact us with the address and a site photo.
• Processing: 1 to 3 business days after payment is confirmed (bank transfer or card).
• Delivery: typically 4 to 7 business days after processing.
• Hours: our office is open Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 3 pm for bookings and questions.

Prices are in AUD and include 10% GST. Delivery is charged per unit, so two containers to the same address are two charges unless quoted together as a multi-unit delivery.

Tilt tray

A tilt tray truck carries the container on a flat deck that tilts and slides backward. The driver reverses to the final position, tilts the deck, and winches the container off so it slides onto the ground on its own rails. No crane is involved.

What it suits

Tilt tray is the standard method for 6ft, 8ft, 10ft, 12ft and 20ft containers, including 20ft high cube, double door, open side and the container garages. It is the most economical vehicle and the one most drivers can supply anywhere in Australia.

What it needs from the site

• A straight run. The truck reverses in a straight line, then the container slides off behind it. Typical requirement is about 2.5 times the container length plus the truck. For a 20ft that is roughly 15 m of container run plus the length of the truck itself.
• Clear overhead height. As the deck tilts, the front of the container rises. Branches, eaves, awnings and cables above the run must clear it.
• Firm, level ground. The truck has to stand on it fully loaded, and the container has to slide off onto it.
• A place to stop. The container ends up where the back of the truck was. It is not swung sideways.

Because the container lands in line with the truck, tilt tray is the least flexible about final position. If your spot is sideways to the only approach, a Hiab may be the answer.

Side loader

A side loader is a semi trailer with two hydraulic cranes mounted along one side. The cranes lift the container off the trailer and set it down beside the truck. The container moves sideways, not backwards.

What it suits

Side loader is the usual method for 40ft containers, including 40ft high cube, double door and open side. It also handles 20ft containers on sites where a tilt tray cannot make the straight run.

What it needs from the site

• Clear space along one side. The truck parks parallel to the final position and the container is lowered beside it. Allow room for the crane legs to extend on that side.
• Room for a semi trailer. The vehicle is long. Access roads, turning areas and gates need to accept it.
• Firm ground for the crane legs. Soft ground under a stabiliser leg is the most common cause of a failed delivery.
• Overhead clearance beside the truck, because the container is lifted over the trailer edge.

Side loader places the container within about a metre of the truck. It cannot reach over a fence or down a slope.

Hiab and crane truck

A Hiab is a truck with a folding crane behind the cab. A crane truck is the larger version with more reach and capacity. Both lift the container off the deck and place it at a distance from the truck, including over low obstacles.

What it suits

Hiab and crane truck are the answer when the final position is not in line with the approach, when a fence or garden bed sits between truck and spot, or when the container has to go on a footing, a slab or a stack. Weight and reach limit what a given crane can do, so tell us the distance from where the truck can stand to where the container goes.

What it needs from the site

• Firm ground for the stabiliser legs on both sides of the truck.
• Clear overhead above the truck and along the swing path.
• A parking spot within the crane’s reach of the final position. Reach falls quickly as load increases, so a 40ft at approximately 3,800 kg reaches less far than a 20ft at approximately 2,200 kg.

Hiab and crane deliveries are quoted rather than charged at the standard rate, because the vehicle and time on site vary with each job.

Flatbed and semi trailer

A flatbed or plain semi trailer carries the container but has no way to unload it. These are used when the site has its own forklift, crane or reach stacker, which is common in industrial yards and depots. If you have unloading equipment rated for the container’s tare, tell us and we can quote flatbed transport.

Which vehicle for which container

Container	Usual vehicle	Alternative
6ft, 8ft, 10ft, 12ft	Tilt tray	Hiab
20ft, 20ft HC, DD, OS, garages	Tilt tray	Side loader or Hiab
40ft, 40ft HC, DD, OS	Side loader	Crane truck or semi trailer with site unloading
Portable offices, cabins, ablution blocks, crib rooms	Tilt tray or Hiab, by unit	Crane truck

The vehicle is chosen when we process your order, using the site access details you give at checkout and any photos you send. If the site changes the vehicle, we contact you before booking.

What happens on delivery day

1. The driver calls ahead. Have a phone contact on site who can take the call.
2. The driver inspects the approach and the final position before unloading. If the ground, run or overhead is not as described, the driver may refuse to unload. A failed delivery is re-charged, so preparation matters.
3. The container is placed. Bearers, blocks or a slab need to be in position before the truck arrives. Drivers do not level sites.
4. You check the container with the driver. Doors open and close, seals present, no transit damage. On a used unit, cosmetic wear is expected and is not transit damage.
5. Sign the delivery docket and keep your copy. Warranty starts from delivery: 18 months on new units, 6 months limited on used.

For the full site checklist, read preparing your site for container delivery. Council approval may be needed for placement on some properties, so check with your local council beforehand.

Australia-wide delivery

The standard service area is priced at AUD 745 per unit. Outside it, AAD delivers by quotation to regional Queensland, interstate and remote sites. Longer distances add transport time to the typical 4 to 7 business days, and remote sites may need a different vehicle from the one used in the city. Send the delivery address and a description of the site access and we will quote before you commit.

Browse the shipping container range or compare sizes in 10ft vs 20ft vs 40ft containers.