Granite is a widely used natural stone across the globe. The main producers of granite are Brazil, China, India, and Italy. For granite suppliers, shipping containers are the most convenient means of transferring slabs of granite from one location to another. Due to the heavy weight of these slabs, it is not possible to take them by airplane. If you importing granite from India, it is necessary for you to know how many slabs of the stone would fit in a container.
The Size of A Shipping Container
Shipping containers are available in various sizes, with the most commonly selected options being 20ft and 40ft in length. Both sizes adhere to a standard width of 8ft. Typically, the height of a standard container measures 8ft 6”, while a high cube variant extends this by an additional foot to reach 9ft 6”.
Nearly all shipping containers feature corrugated inner walls, with the corrugation depth typically around 1 inch (25mm). This means that approximately 2 inches (50mm) should be deducted from the outer width dimension. Additionally, the back panel follows suit with corrugation, and the doors, being nearly 2 inches (50mm) thick, result in approximately 3 inches (75mm) being subtracted from the length.
Slab Holding Capacity of A Shipping Container
To achieve a full container load (FCL), one must select between 6 to 8 bundles, depending on the specified weight limit. Granite slabs commonly come in two thicknesses: 2 cm and 3 cm. For clarification, consider the following scenario: loading 2 cm gangsaw slabs of granite into a container would yield 75 slabs, distributed across 7 bundles. Conversely, if the slabs are 3 cm thick, the container would accommodate 50-52 granite slabs.
It’s important to note that each bundle of 3 cm thick granite slabs typically comprises 5 to 7 slabs, or 8 to 11 slabs in the case of 2 cm slabs, considering the total weight of the slabs.
- Granite Slab Thickness (CM)
- 2
- 3
- No. of Slabs in Each Container
- 75
- 50-52
Below is general information about the storage capacity of a 20 feet container.
- Thickness (mm)
- 10 mm (3/8″) thick tiles
- 20 mm (3/4″) tiles
- 20 mm (3/4″) slabs
- 30 mm slabs
- Sq.Metre
- 780 sqm
- 432 sqm
- 310 sqm
- 210 sqm
- Sq. Ft.
- 8400 sft
- 4650 sft
- 3336 sft
- 2260 sft
The standard weight limitations for shipping containers on US roads, typically set at 44,000lbs (19,900kg) for a tri-axle truck, apply to customers who reside farther from shipping ports or prefer direct delivery to their location by the shipping company or granite suppliers.
The weight allowance established in your area dictates the number of granite slabs that suppliers can load into a shipping container. For instance, if the approved weight limit is 19,900kg, the selection would range between 6 to 7 bundles. However, with a higher weight allowance, such as 21,500kg, the options expand to 7 to 8 bundles. Moreover, if the weight limit extends to 27,000kg, the container can accommodate 8 to 9 bundles (up to 56 3cm slabs). Each 20’ container can hold a maximum of 8 bundles, with 4 positioned at the rear and 4 at the front. In cases where a container carries up to 9 bundles, the slabs from the 9th bundle are typically comprised of the remaining slabs from the previous 8 bundles. For transporting granite, only 20’ containers are permissible.
Why choose a reliable granite slabs supplier?
When considering importing granite slabs from Brazil, it’s essential to select a trustworthy supplier with years of experience in exporting granite slabs worldwide. Given the weightiness of these items, proper packaging is crucial to prevent damage during transportation. We will keep photographic and video evidence of packing if you are unable to carry out your own inspection.
Moreover, timely and dependable delivery of the ordered granite slabs is paramount. This underscores the significant role of the supplier in the process. Therefore, it’s advisable to thoroughly evaluate all available options before making a final decision.