The transport of heavy goods, due to its complexity, requires superior precision, finesse and attention to achieve the required safety standards.
Heavy cargo transport is all transport that, due to its weight, cannot be moved in conventional cargo units, e.g. containers. The transport of heavy cargo has its tricks, whether by land, sea or air, and requires specific handling, equipment and storage.
In order to regularise this type of cargo, the Ministry of Public Works has established the obligatory conditions that these goods and their transport must comply with. All of this, with the intention of carrying out these movements in complete safety.
Heavy road transport
The special road transportsThe shipping process is complex, as it requires impeccable handling throughout the entire shipment. One small failure can be responsible for enormous damage. So transporting heavy cargo by road is an endeavour characterised by precision, delicacy and attention. Despite its difficulty, it is the most widely used way of transporting heavy loads.
But before going into what heavy goods transport consists of, it is necessary to address the definition of the means of transport that carry out these movements. Vehicles carrying heavy goods transport are defined as "motor vehicles intended for the carriage of goods and having a maximum authorised mass exceeding 3,5 tonnes"..
Types of vehicles, according to the DGT classification:
- Truck: This is a means of transport with four or more wheels and whose cab is not integrated with the rest of the bodywork. In addition, it is specifically designed for the transport of goods and is considered a heavy goods vehicle if its Maximum Authorised Mass exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
- Towing: This vehicle is not self-propelled, which means that it is designed to be towed by a motor vehicle.
- Semi-trailer: This is also a non-self-propelled vehicle, i.e. it is designed to be coupled to a car. Like the lorry, it is considered a heavy goods vehicle when its Maximum Authorised Mass exceeds 3,500 kilos.
- Trailer: This is an articulated vehicle, consisting of a motor vehicle which, in turn, is coupled to a semi-trailer. Like the previous ones, its load is considered to be heavy if its Maximum Authorised Mass exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
The type of heavy load, above the above tonnage, that can be carried:
- Heavy machinery: In many cases, this heavy load service is used to transport machinery such as cranes, tractors, engines, hydraulic forklifts or heavy industrial tools. These are particularly delicate, as a knock can affect their operation.
- Goods: This typology includes any type of heavy load, e.g. building materials.
Vehicles according to their load capacity
Based on their size, vehicles can be classified as follows:
- Semilivians: In this case, its load capacity ranges from 3.5 to 4.5 tonnes.
- Medium: The weight it can carry is between 4.5 and 5.5 tonnes.
- Semi-heavy: The load capacity of this vehicle ranges from 5.5 to 7.5 tonnes. This type is the most commonly used in road freight transport.
- Heavy: This category can carry between 7.5 and 9 tonnes. It also features larger wheels and a 7- or 8-speed diesel engine to make driving safer.
- Extra heavy: This type increases its load capacity to 9 and 11.5 tonnes.
- Megapesados: This case has the same capacity as the extra heavy duty, however, it has a higher power system.
- Tera heavy: The weight that these vehicles can carry is between 16 and 20 tonnes. This type, in turn, can be divided into two vehicle versions, the 6×2 model (with 6 front axles and 1 rear axle), and the 6×2 II model (arranged with 1 front axle and 2 rear axles).
- Untra heavy: These have a capacity of 20 to 23 tonnes.
- Heavy Giga: Finally, there are the giga-heavies, which are the highest capacity vehicles on the market, with a load capacity of between 23 and 26 tonnes.
Each and every one of these vehicles will require the most precise and careful driving possible to meet the required safety protocols.
Top quality machinery, a fundamental requirement
When it comes to shipping heavy loads, it is essential and mandatory for companies to use top-quality machinery to ensure safe transport. In this sense, heavy load transport has improved considerably in Spain in recent years. This is due to the specialisation and discovery of the delicacy of this type of transport and, in addition, the great effort on the part of logistics companies to improve the quality of their heavy freight services.
In short, the variety of sizes, weights, types, purposes and structures that exist demonstrate the diversity of logistical and land transport needs. Heavy loads, in any case, will require the utmost care to ensure their transport is safe and efficient.
