Open Top Container
An open top container has no fixed steel roof. In its place sits a removable tarpaulin over roof bows, with a swinging or detachable door header, so cargo can be craned or grab-loaded in from above rather than pushed through the end doors. HR Container Service lists full-height open tops in 20ft and 40ft, plus half-height units built for dense bulk material.
Loads that need top loading rather than end loading
- Machinery and plant that exceeds the door opening height but fits within the container footprint
- Timber, pipe, steel sections and other long items lowered in as a bundle
- Aggregate, spoil, scrap and drill cuttings handled with a grab or excavator bucket
- Tall items that would need tipping to pass through a conventional door frame
- Offshore and industrial waste handling, where half-height units keep the load within lifting limits
Half-height variants matter more than most buyers expect. Dense material fills a full-height container by weight long before it fills it by volume, which is why our half height open top containers exist — a shorter box reaches its payload limit at a manageable lift weight and is far easier to load from ground level. For certified offshore handling, the 10ft DNV 2.7-1 half height open top is built to the offshore lifting standard.
For general top-loading duty, see the used 20ft open top container or the larger 40ft new and used open top range. Check tarpaulin and bow condition against our condition guide before you buy.
