How to prepare for container delivery
Before booking, confirm the vehicle can reach and leave your site, arrange suitable unloading equipment and operators, and agree the arrival window and unloading time. Record who handles waiting, failed delivery, storage and rebooking. Share the agreed plan with Cambridge China Bridge.
Confirm the delivery method and site access
Ask whether the container stays on the trailer while you unload, is placed on the ground, or is unpacked at a depot for onward delivery. State whether you need goods left outside, moved into a building or positioned at their final location. Get the haulier's written acceptance of the method and delivery point before booking.
Send an access sketch and photographs showing the approach road, entrance, turning space, overhead obstructions, slopes and unloading area. Give measured clearances rather than saying that large lorries normally fit. Ask the haulier to confirm the proposed vehicle can enter and leave. If the site is unsuitable, use the alternatives in our guide to importing without a warehouse.
Match unloading equipment to the actual load
Obtain packed dimensions, individual package weights, lifting points and the loading layout from the supplier. Check these with the unloading contractor before choosing a forklift, crane or vehicle-mounted lifting equipment. Confirm capacity at the required reach, access to the packages and a suitable surface for the equipment. Do not assume a pallet truck can remove goods from a container on a trailer.
HSE states that lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out safely. Agree who plans and supervises the lift, supplies the equipment and operates it. Ask the contractor to confirm the equipment's inspection status. For cargo that needs specialist handling, use our oversized and heavy imports guide.
Book a receiving window that includes unloading
Agree an arrival window, booking reference, gate opening arrangements and a named receiving contact with a backup. Confirm when the unloading crew and equipment will be available, where an early vehicle can wait and what happens if it arrives late. Ask when the agreed unloading allowance starts and how waiting time is recorded.
Keep the delivery booking provisional until the forwarder confirms the goods are available for collection. For a container unloaded while the vehicle waits, confirm the empty-return arrangements as well. Our shipping guide explains the wider freight process and container charges.
Give the driver and site team the same plan
HSE guidance says delivery safety arrangements should be assessed before orders are placed. Send the agreed site instructions through the booking party to the haulier, and ask for confirmation that the driver will receive them. Include where to report, the route through the site, the unloading position, pedestrian separation and a safe waiting place for the driver.
Name the person directing unloading and agree how the driver and site team signal that work can begin and that the vehicle can leave. Set a stop-and-report procedure for blocked access, unstable cargo or unsuitable equipment. If a load appears to have shifted, pause and contact the haulier and unloading contractor before removing restraints or opening doors further.
Agree failed-delivery costs before dispatch
Ask the booking party to put the commercial responsibilities in writing: who supplies unloading, what counts as a failed attempt, and how waiting, redelivery, storage, cancellation and empty-container return costs are handled. Request separate treatment for buyer unreadiness, unsuitable vehicle allocation and missed arrival windows. Ask what evidence supports a charge and who can authorise an alternative delivery point.
If delivery cannot proceed, record arrival and departure times, photographs, the reason given and the people contacted. Notify the booking party promptly and obtain an agreed storage or rebooking plan. Avoid signing a receipt that says unloading is complete when it is not. Keep the delivery record and any damage notes with the shipment documents.
Frequently asked questions
Will the container driver unload my goods?
Do not assume so. Confirm in writing who supplies the unloading crew and equipment, and whether delivery includes moving goods beyond the vehicle.
Can a container be delivered without a forklift?
Possibly, if a suitable alternative unloading method is agreed. Give the contractor package weights, dimensions and the loading layout before choosing equipment.
Who pays if container delivery fails?
Ask for written terms covering the cause of failure, waiting, storage and redelivery before booking. Record what happened and request the evidence supporting any charge.
What if the delivery lorry cannot access my site?
Contact the booking party before attempting unloading elsewhere. Agree a suitable vehicle, depot unloading or an alternative receiving site, including handling and rebooking costs.