Discharging oversize cargo at Garden City Terminal or Wando Welch Terminal is not the same job as a standard container move — and shippers who treat it that way find out the hard way.
Most freight moving through the Port of Savannah travels in a standard ocean container: a chassis, a TWIC cleared driver, and a direct route from the terminal gate to the distribution center. The process is well defined and repeatable. SLS handles thousands of these moves every month with excellence.
Heavy haul freight operates under a different set of requirements. Discharging an 80,000 pound industrial press, a wind turbine nacelle on a flat rack, or a transformer requiring a multiple axle specialized trailer involves a distinct set of operational steps at every stage. Equipment selection, permit coordination, route planning, and driver qualifications each require specific attention to ensure the load moves on time and in compliance with federal, state, and port requirements.
Shippers experienced in standard drayage who are moving into heavy haul freight for the first time often encounter these requirements without prior preparation. This article explains both disciplines so shippers can plan accordingly before their next vessel calls Savannah or Charleston. For the full breakdown of equipment, Georgia permit thresholds, and terminal handling rules, see our companion guide: Heavy Haul Trucking at the Port of Savannah: The Complete Guide.
Standard container drayage at the Port of Savannah is a defined and repeatable operation, something SLS performs thousands of times each month. Read the full picture in Drayage at the Port of Savannah: The Complete Guide.
A 20 foot or 40 foot ISO container comes off the vessel, is matched to a chassis, and a driver picks it up at the terminal gate. Container dimensions are known in advance, the chassis match is straightforward, the route carries no special restrictions, and the cargo weight falls within standard road limits.
SLS operates more than 80 company owned tractors and 300 plus chassis across three facilities in Pooler, Georgia, 15 miles from Garden City Terminal. Every SLS driver is TWIC cleared and experienced with GPA gate procedures. For standard drayage, the operation is efficient because the variables are controlled and predictable. An asset based operator stages equipment ahead of vessel discharge rather than sourcing capacity as a broker would, after the container has landed, which directly reduces demurrage and detention exposure.
Heavy haul freight, also known as out of gauge (OOG) cargo, refers to shipments that exceed standard container dimensions, weight limits, or both.
Once a shipment crosses those thresholds, every element of the move requires specific planning that does not apply to standard drayage. Equipment type, permit filing, route approval, and driver qualifications each carry distinct requirements.
A heavy haul move typically requires permit lead times of 24 to 72 hours depending on the states involved. Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee each maintain separate permit windows, fee structures, and routing requirements. A permit gap does not necessarily result in a delay, but the load cannot move until the correct permits are in place and the route has been cleared.
What qualifies a shipment as heavy haul: weight exceeding standard road limits or container weight maximums; cargo that is over height (above 13 feet 6 inches loaded), over width (above 8 feet 6 inches), or overlength; equipment requirements such as an RGN trailer, lowboy, step deck, flat rack, or open top container; multiple state over dimensional permits required before the load can move; a route survey to clear bridges, overhead obstructions, and weight restricted roads; and escort vehicles or law enforcement coordination in certain jurisdictions.
| Factor | Standard Drayage | Heavy Haul |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Standard chassis, 20 or 40 ft ISO container | Flat rack, open top, RGN, lowboy, step deck |
| Weight | Within standard road limits | May exceed road limits, requiring specialized axle configurations |
| Permits | None required | Over dimensional permits required, multi state in most cases |
| Route | Unrestricted | Route survey required to clear bridges, clearances, and weight limits |
| Escort vehicles | Not required | Required in many states and jurisdictions |
| Driver qualifications | TWIC clearance, standard CDL | TWIC clearance, CDL, over dimensional transport experience |
| Planning lead time | Same day dispatch available | 24 to 72 hour permit lead time is typical |
| Interim staging | Generally direct port to destination | Often required when permit windows do not align with vessel discharge |
| Cost exposure | Detention charges if pickup is delayed | Permit violations, rerouting costs, and project delays if planning is incomplete |
In heavy haul, equipment requirements are specific enough that brokered capacity carries meaningful risk. A specialized trailer sourced from a third party may not be available when a flat rack arrives at Garden City Terminal. A driver with over dimensional transport experience may not be reliably sourced on short notice. Permits that require 48 hours of lead time cannot be filed after the load is already at the gate.
In standard drayage, brokered capacity functions as a reasonable backup, though demurrage and detention exposure are generally higher than with an asset based operation where equipment availability is tightly controlled. The difference becomes more material as cargo complexity increases.
SLS operates as an asset based provider. Our tractors and chassis, including specialized equipment for flat rack and open top container moves, are company owned. Permit coordination is handled in house. For heavy lift cargo discharging at GPA, equipment is staged before the vessel arrives and permit filing begins when the booking is confirmed. The SLS team operates from facilities minutes from Garden City Terminal, with 25 years of experience handling this category of freight.
Skip the guesswork on your next oversize shipment. Share your cargo specifications and our team will respond within two hours with a quote based on the equipment and permits your load requires. Request a Heavy Haul Quote, or contact Brian Kastick directly, or call (912) 450‑0202.
Over dimensional permit management is one of the more demanding operational requirements in heavy haul freight, and one that shippers without prior experience in this category sometimes underestimate.
Every heavy haul move requires state issued permits that are specific to the cargo and route and are not transferable across state lines. Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee each manage their own permit programs with separate agencies, filing requirements, and rules governing allowable travel hours and dates. A heavy haul shipment moving from GPA to a facility in Tennessee passes through multiple jurisdictions, each of which must be permitted in sequence before the load departs.
SLS handles permit coordination in house. After 25 years of moving OOG and heavy haul freight at Garden City Terminal, the permit pathways for common routes are well mapped. That experience reduces planning time and lowers the risk of filing errors, but it does not shorten the lead time requirements. Shippers planning heavy haul moves through GPA should account for permit lead time when confirming vessel discharge windows with their shipping line.
The following categories represent the most common heavy haul moves at Garden City Terminal.
| Cargo Type | Typical Equipment | Planning Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial machinery | Flat rack, RGN | Weight distribution, lashing plan, permit routing |
| Transformers and switchgear | Lowboy, multiple axle RGN | High weight concentration requires route survey on all moves |
| Wind energy components | Step deck, oversize flat rack | Length and width require escort vehicles in most states |
| Construction equipment | RGN, lowboy | Height profile requires bridge clearance review on standard routes |
| Agricultural machinery | Step deck, open top container | Width and applicable agricultural weight exemptions vary by state |
| Marine and industrial equipment | Custom OD trailers | Irregular dimensions require custom lashing and blocking plans |
Evaluating a heavy haul provider involves a different set of questions than evaluating a standard drayage operator. Based on 25 years of handling over dimensional freight at GPA and Port of Charleston, these are the questions that matter most.
| # | Question to Ask | What the Answer Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do you own the specialized equipment, or is it sourced from a third party? | Owned equipment means availability stays within the operator's control |
| 2 | How is permit coordination handled, and what is the typical lead time? | In-house filing removes an outside dependency from an already constrained timeline |
| 3 | Have you moved this specific cargo type through GPA before? | Cargo-specific experience reduces planning time and execution risk |
| 4 | What is your route survey process? | A route survey should be standard practice, not an afterthought |
| 5 | Is staging available near the port if the project window shifts? | Secure yard space avoids a costly third-party facility handoff |
These are standard questions for any over dimensional move. Operators with relevant experience should answer each one directly and with specifics.
Savannah Logistics Services is a leading asset based logistics partner for reliability and reputation at the Ports of Savannah and Charleston, with 25 years of continuous operation handling heavy haul and out of gauge freight at Garden City Terminal and Wando Welch Terminal.
Our facilities are located at Morgan Lakes Industrial Boulevard in Pooler, Georgia, 15 miles from the port. Our fleet of 80 owned tractors and 300 chassis includes the specialized equipment required for flat rack, open top container, and over dimensional moves. Permit coordination and route surveys are handled in house. The team also maintains in house rigging and millwright capability for cargo that requires it at the point of discharge or staging.
SLS also serves the Port of Charleston as a co market to Savannah. For heavy haul and OOG freight discharging at Wando Welch Terminal or North Charleston Terminal, the operational requirements are identical to GPA: same equipment, same permit discipline, same South Carolina state permit filing that applies to all over dimensional moves originating from that port. The drive time between our Pooler facility and the Charleston terminals is approximately two hours, which means equipment staging and permit coordination timelines remain practical for Charleston calls. Shippers who split vessel calls between Savannah and Charleston, or who are evaluating Charleston as an alternative port of discharge for oversize cargo, can work with the same SLS team on both.
Share your cargo specifications, including dimensions, weight, origin, destination, and required delivery window. Our team will respond within two hours with a quote based on the equipment and permits your cargo requires.
Request a Heavy Haul Quote — or contact Brian Kastick directly, or call (912) 450‑0202 to reach the SLS heavy haul team.
This article reflects Georgia Department of Transportation and Georgia Ports Authority requirements current as of publication. Permit thresholds, fees, and terminal handling rules are subject to change; shippers should confirm current requirements with GDOT and GPA before finalizing a move.