Shipping containers by rail, and the CSC plate

Interstate container moves in Australia usually run by rail, with a truck at each end. FlowState Logistics books the rail leg and both trucks, so you deal with one point of contact start to finish. To travel by rail a container needs a current CSC plate, and this page explains what that is and how we check it.

How a rail move runs

1. A truck collects the container from your site and delivers it to the rail terminal.
2. The container travels interstate by rail. We book the rail leg with the rail operator.
3. A truck at the other end collects it from the terminal and delivers it to the door.

On the main interstate lanes, rail is the reliable way to move a container and keeps the price sharp. You get one price for every leg and one person to talk to.

The CSC plate, in plain words

A CSC plate is the metal safety approval plate fixed to a shipping container under the International Convention for Safe Containers. It shows the container was approved for transport and its inspection status.

The plate is usually on the left hand door. A container needs a current plate to travel by rail, so before we book we ask for a quick photo of it and confirm it is good to go.

No plate, or an expired one

If your container has no CSC plate, or the plate has expired, it needs a survey to get one. That is an extra cost and we can organise it for you. Rail prices are for a standard shipping container with a current plate.

What else rail needs

• A sound container. It must be structurally sound and able to be lifted from the top.
• Secured doors. Doors and any external fittings are secured with a rated padlock or a seal, loaded or empty, and any contents are secured so nothing shifts.
• An accurate weight. The gross weight of the container and its contents is declared accurately. A container over its declared weight, or over the maximum allowed, may be refused travel.
• Anything on the outside declared. Tell us about any modification, attachment or fitting on the exterior. Rail corridors have fixed clearance limits, and a container outside them needs a Provisional Load Approval from the rail operator, which takes at least five working days and may attract extra charges.
• Dangerous goods declared when you enquire. They need separate approval.

Road moves do not need a plate

A container travelling by road on a tilt tray or by side loader does not need a CSC plate. Within a city and to nearby regional areas the move usually runs by road. Interstate moves, and longer runs up the Queensland coast, usually go by rail and need the plate. Your quote says which way your container is travelling.

Timing and the fuel surcharge

Timing is estimated in your quote. Rail operators and carriers do not guarantee arrival times, so we tell you what to expect for your lane and keep you posted. The rail fuel surcharge, which the rail operator sets, is included in your price at the current rate, and your quote states the travel window it applies to. If the job travels in a different surcharge period, the price is adjusted and confirmed in writing before booking.

What is included

• Every leg of the move and the standard terminal lifts in one price. If a third party fee such as Container Chain applies, it is shown in your confirmed rate.
• Goods in transit insurance, plus public liability. If you are moving vehicles, machinery or anything unusual, tell us and we will sort the cover for it.
• One point of contact start to finish, who books the trucks and the rail, tracks the move and keeps you updated.

Get a rail price

Enter both suburbs in the calculator and it prices the rail move door to door on the spot between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and to many regional centres on the rail network. Other regional and remote moves are priced by hand within one business day. If you own the container, see transport your own shipping container. For the whole service, see interstate container transport.