Lifting a Shipping Container from a Trailer

Shipping containers are the staple to moving goods around our economy. Behind the 6 walls of each shipping container lies products that could supply the households of several families for weeks. While they do hundreds of moves throughout their lifespan, they do wear out over time. Eventually, a shipping container needs to be removed from its trailer and find a new purpose – either in storage or as recycled scrap metal.

At Abrams, we had the opportunity to work with our client on this task. The client had a container attached to a trailer located in Toronto, Ontario. They wanted the container lifted from the trailer and set on the ground.

This task would require two heavy duty rotators and two skilled tow operators. Abrams Dispatch sent John Allen and Chad Grenier for the job. Both are seriously experienced heavy-duty operators who have performed complex tows both, on and off the road.

After the tractor trailer set itself up for the lift, Chad and John positioned their trucks beside the tractor trailer. John’s rotator was parallel to the tractor trailer, while Chad’s rotator was perpendicular. This parallel-perpendicular setup is due to the limited amount of space they had to work in.

After positioning their trucks, Chad and John set their outriggers against the loose rock ground. This provided greater stability and prevents either truck from tipping over from too much wind or from the weight of the containers. Then they extended the arm of their rotators and unwound the hook to meet the level of the container’s pocket. John tried to insert the hook directly into the pocket, but the pocket was too small. He would have to use an anchor shackle to serve as an external connector between the hook and the container’s pocket.

Once the container was secured to the hooks, John and Chad lifted each side making sure they were in line with each other. Once the container was high enough, the tractor trailer reversed out of the way so the container could be set on the ground. John and Chad then slowly unwound the rotator’s cable to set the container down on the ground.

Container lifting jobs are part of Abrams’ heavy rigging specialty. Our team of heavy-duty tow operators are the most experienced in the industry and have performed heavy moves on a regular basis. If you require a team of heavy duty operators for your next job, get in touch with us at Abrams to make your operation a success. Abrams provides service across Ontario, and has offices in Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Oakville, Hamilton, Burlington, Markham, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Newmarket, Windsor, and Ottawa.