In this article
Steel pipe is one of the most common loads we destuff at the Port of Montreal, and one of the hardest. Long, heavy bundles arrive packed tight inside closed 20 ft and 40 ft containers, and they can only come out through the doors. Destuffing steel pipe is a specialty at Double Z: we pick up the container, pull the pipe out safely, reload it on a flatbed and return the empty.
Why steel pipe is hard to unload
In an open top or on a flat rack, a crane lifts the cargo straight up. In a standard closed container, there is no roof to lift through. The pipe has to be pulled out lengthwise, bundle by bundle, from the door end.
- The weight is concentrated. A pipe bundle is very heavy for its size, so the lifting equipment has to be rated for it.
- The lengths are long. In a 40 ft container, pipe can run almost the full length of the box.
- Pipe can roll and shift. Once the blocking is removed, bundles must be controlled at every step.
- Coatings can be damaged. Coated pipe needs protection from chains, forks and rough contact.
How we destuff steel pipe, step by step
1. Before the container arrives. We ask for the packing list (lengths, diameters, number of bundles and weight per bundle), the arrival notice and, if you have them, photos of how the container was loaded. That is what lets us plan the equipment and give you the right price.
2. Pickup. We bring the container on a chassis from the Port of Montreal terminals (MGT Cast and Racine, Termont Viau and Maisonneuve) or from the CN and CPKC rail yards, inside the free time.
3. Unloading. The bundles are pulled out from the door end with a long boom and straps, one at a time, and set down on blocking.
4. Reloading. The pipe is loaded on a flatbed or step deck, secured, and tarped when the delivery calls for it.
5. The empty goes back. We return the empty container to the terminal or the depot named by the shipping line, so detention charges don’t keep running.
20 ft or 40 ft container: what changes
A 20 ft container of steel pipe often reaches its maximum weight long before it is full, so it is very heavy for its size. A 40 ft container usually carries longer pipe, and the length decides which trailer we use for the delivery. Send us both the lengths and the weights: one without the other is not enough to plan the job.
Coated and corrugated pipe
Coated pipe is handled with protection between the pipe and the forks or straps, so the coating arrives intact. Corrugated pipe is lighter but bulky, and it is stacked and strapped so it can’t shift on the road.
Deliver it now or store it
If your site isn’t ready, the pipe can go to our warehouses in Laval or Lachine and be delivered when you need it. We deliver across Quebec and Ontario. See our port drayage and destuffing service and our warehousing and cross-docking.
Questions about steel pipe destuffing
What does destuffing a container mean?
Destuffing means unloading the cargo from a shipping container. At Double Z, it usually goes with drayage: we bring the container from the port, unload it and reload the cargo on a truck for delivery.
Can you destuff steel pipe from a 40 ft container?
Yes. Destuffing steel pipe from 20 ft and 40 ft containers is one of our specialties. Long pipe is pulled out from the door end with a long boom and straps, bundle by bundle.
How is steel pipe unloaded from a closed container?
A closed container has no roof, so a crane can’t lift the pipe out. The bundles are pulled out lengthwise through the doors with lifting equipment rated for the weight, then set down on blocking.
What do you need to quote steel pipe destuffing?
The container number, size and terminal, the packing list with lengths, diameters, number of bundles and weight per bundle, the arrival notice and the delivery address. Photos of how the container was loaded help a lot.
Can you reload the pipe on a flatbed and deliver it?
Yes. After destuffing, the pipe is reloaded on a flatbed or step deck, secured and delivered across Quebec and Ontario.
Do you tarp steel pipe?
Yes, when the delivery calls for it. Pipe can be tarped on the flatbed to protect it from rain, salt and road dirt.
How do you protect coated pipe?
We keep protection between the pipe and the forks, straps or chains, and handle each bundle so the coating is not scratched or crushed.
Can you store the pipe after destuffing?
Yes. The pipe can go to our warehouses in Laval or Lachine and be delivered when your site is ready.
Do you destuff pipe from containers at the CN and CPKC rail yards?
Yes. We pick up containers at the CN and CPKC intermodal yards in Montreal as well as at the port terminals.
How do I avoid demurrage and detention on a pipe container?
Send us the release and the last free day as soon as you have them. We book the pickup inside the free time and return the empty quickly, which keeps the daily charges down.
Is a 20 ft container of steel pipe overweight?
It can be heavy for its size, because pipe reaches the weight limit before the box is full. Give us the gross weight on the packing list and we check it before the pickup.
Fast quote
Steel pipe in a 20 ft or 40 ft container? Send us the packing list and the terminal, and we plan the destuffing.