A container ramp is an essential tool for providing safe and efficient access for a forklift into a shipping container. Additionally, the ramp enables a forklift to load and unload items. Moreover, the forklift shipping container ramp is available for sale in Australia in different styles to suit various applications, whether the container is resting on the ground or elevated on a truck or trailer.

Yellow coloured Forklift Container Ramp sitting at the end of an open shipping container.

Space Rescue offers seven (7) different styles of shipping container ramps for sale in varying sizes and capacities. Specifically, please find these options outlined below.

i) Compact: 7-tonne capacity
ii) Standard: 8-tonne capacity
iii) Guide: 8, 10, or 12 tonne capacity
iv) Long: 8, 10, or 12 tonne capacity
v) Reefer (or Refrigerated): 8-tonne capacity
vi) Portable: 500 kg to 2500 kg capacity
vii) Yard/Truck: 8-tonne capacity

Click here for features and selection advice.


1. Compact Ramp (CCR)

Our Compact Ramp is the most cost-effective and popular forklift container ramp for sale. Furthermore, it provides forklift access to shipping containers by bridging into standard 10 ft, 20 ft, and 40 ft containers from ground level. Additionally, moving this ramp is easy with a forklift, thanks to the tine pockets located at the front of the ramp.

Orange coloured Compact Forklift Ramp with fitted chains and lifting cut-outs.

Specifications

  • 2200mm wide overall
  • 2100mm wide ramp surface
  • 1260mm long overall
  • 180kg unit weight (approximate)
  • 7000kg (7-tonne) safe working load

2. Standard Container Ramp (SCR)

Designed with a flip-over extension footing, our Standard Ramp is used for bridging into standard shipping containers from ground level. Furthermore, you can easily relocate it by forklift using the tines placed in the forklift holes on the ramp. When folding over the extension footing, the forklift pockets are revealed.

Yellow Standard Forklift Ramp for sale with folding extension footing.

Specifications

  • 2200mm wide overall
  • 2000mm long overall
  • 275 kg unit weight
  • 8000 kg (8-tonne) safe working load

3. Guide Container Ramp (GCR)

Our Guide Ramp features safety side guides to keep the forklift on the ramp. Additionally, it offers the advantage of quick and easy positioning in confined areas, thanks to the fork pockets on either side and front flip-ups. This flexibility also allows movement into areas with limited space.

Grey coloured guide shipping ramp for sale with side guides.

Specifications

  • 2320mm wide overall
  • 1800mm long overall
  • 440kg unit weight
  • 8000kg (8-tonne) safe working load… Option 1
  • 12,000kg (12-tonne) safe working load… Option 2

4. Long Container Ramp (LCR)

The Long Container Ramp, an important member of our range, measures 3 metres in length. Moreover, it features a 1.5-metre-long flat horizontal area directly in front of the shipping container opening, facilitating easy placement and removal of front pallets from a level surface. Additionally, fork pockets on both sides and front flip-up tine pockets provide options for lifting the ramp with a forklift.

Grey coloured long forklift shipping container ramp with side guides.

Specifications

  • 2320mm wide overall
  • 3000mm long overall
  • 600kg unit weight
  • 8000kg (8-tonne) safe working load… Option 1
  • 12,000kg (12-tonne) safe working load… Option 2

5. Reefer Container Ramp (RCR)

Refrigerated or Reefer Shipping Containers with a raised ribbed floor require a Reefer Container Ramp. Moreover, the raised floor facilitates cold air circulation beneath the items within the container. Additionally, to ensure proper closure of the doors, the ribbed floor finishes short of the container opening. Consequently, this poses an extra challenge for a forklift container ramp since the lip must extend further into the container, up to the edge of the ribbed floor. This aspect is crucial, as it enables a smooth transition for the forklift when traversing this section.

Furthermore, the extra height of the Reefer Shipping Container creates an additional challenge. To get around both of these issues, Space Rescue offers a Reefer Infill Ramp (Piece #1; refer to sketch below) with an extended lip that joins onto the ‘Standard’ Container Ramp (Piece #2; refer to sketch below). Consequently, this infill bridging piece maintains a reasonable slope up on the combined ramp pair system.

Dimensioned and labelled elevation of Reefer Ramp set showing Piece 1 and Piece 2.

Therefore, the Reefer Container Ramp (RCR) consists of two pieces. Piece #1 is the Reefer Infill Ramp (pictured below), and Piece #2 is the ‘Standard’ Container Ramp (pictured and detailed above in Section 3). This two-piece ramp is necessary to access the higher 235mm stepped Reefer Shipping Container, whereas standard 20-foot and 40-foot-long containers only have a step height of approximately 145mm.

Yellow coloured Reefer infill piece for forklift

Specifications for Piece 1

  • 2000mm wide overall
  • 1454mm long overall
  • 8000kg capacity (safe working load)

6. Portable Container Ramp (PCR)

The portable shipping container ramp for sale is essentially all aluminium. Moreover, it has two handles on each side, making it very easy to carry and move into position. Additionally, they are designed to provide easy access into the standard 20-foot and 40-foot-long shipping containers with a pallet truck or trolley.

Grey Aluminium Portable unit with anti-slip tape strips.

Specifications

  • 1200mm wide overall
  • 1800mm long overall
  • 500kg to 2500kg capacity safe working load options
  • 30 kg approximate unit weight (for the 500kg capacity option)

7. Yard Container Ramp (YCR)

In some instances, a shipping container is not unloaded from a truck and is left on top of the trailer. In this elevated position, a yard container ramp is used to unload and access the shipping container by forklift. Consequently, this ramp not only removes the need for a side loader but also the extra space required for it to park next to the container.

Benefits

The benefits are listed below.

  1. Manual hydraulic lifting makes it quick and easy to get the ramp operational in the yard without the need for electrical power.
  2. With manual hydraulic lifting, it is quick and easy to get the ramp operational in the yard without the need for electrical power.
  3. Large pneumatic tyres make it easy to move this ramp into position.
  4. Folding the ramp tail makes the ramp shorter and more compact.
  5. Flat deck area to make it easier to unload pallets closest to the door.
Yellow and grey coloured forklift yard unit for trailer.

Specifications

  • 2100mm wide overall
  • 10,300mm long overall
  • 1,100mm high
  • 8000 kg capacity (safe working load)

8. Features of our Forklift Container Ramps

There are various aspects and elements within different container ramps for sale.

a) Gussets 

Welding gussets on the underside of the ramp to specifically improve the strength of the tread surface plate

b) Raised Side Plates 

Raised side plates prevent a forklift from driving off the side of the ramp. Furthermore, welding the plates to the ramp secures them in position.

c) Securing loops 

Welding the securing loops at the container end of the ramp enables the use of safety chains to prevent the ramp from being dislodged or slipping away from its position, particularly against the container edge.

d) Lifting Points

Lifting points enable a forklift to lift, transport, and place the ramp into position at the entrance of the container. Various types of lifting points are also available, including flip-up tine brackets, front cut-outs, and side entry channels. Additionally, some ramps have multiple lifting points for added convenience and flexibility.

e) Two-Piece Folding 

The two-piece folding feature makes it possible to fold the ramp and reduce the length. This makes it more compact for easier transport and storage. Folding the front footing piece is easy with hand grip loops. These are located on the sides of the front footing for the operator.

f) Angled Top Entry Lips

Transitioning from a straight ramp plate to the container floor is more problematic with a flat plate ramp surface. This is because there is usually a gap or small drop from the ramp to the container deck. However, it is possible to remove this problem by using a ramp with an angled top entry lip. This angled top entry lip indeed provides a smoother transition from the ramp to the internal base of the container.

g) Horizontal Sections 

Accessing pallets close to the doors of a container is harder with a sloped ramp. This is because the tines often clash with the top and bottom pallet boards upon entry. However, using a forklift with a mast tilt does not always provide a solution. To overcome this challenge, we offer a longer ramp that includes a horizontal section.

h) Self-levelling lips

Loading a ramp to full capacity may not be possible if the ground is not level. However, a way around this is to use a ramp with a self-levelling lip.


9. How to Select a Forklift Container Ramp

When it comes to selecting a forklift container ramp for sale, there are several key points to consider.

a) Capacity for Container Ramps

Firstly, it is important to assess the capacity of the ramp, taking into account the weight of the forklift and the maximum weight of the loads to be moved. Additionally, Space Rescue offers a range of forklift ramps for containers with capacities ranging from 7 tonnes to 12 tonnes.

b) Length

Next, the length of the forklift ramps for shipping containers plays a crucial role in determining the slope. Additionally, a gentle slope may be necessary for easy placement and retrieval of equipment in the container.

c) Width

On the other hand, the width of the ramp is also significant. If the ramp is too narrow, for example, it may require repositioning to access products placed close to the sides of the container. However, Space Rescue provides forklift ramps for shipping containers with widths ranging from 2000mm to 2320mm. These ramps suit most 20-foot and 40-foot shipping containers with a clear door opening width of 2340mm.

Blue shipping container with both doors open ready for ramp placement.

d) Portability

Most container ramps are too heavy to move by hand when considering the portability aspect. However, forklift tine pockets, front cut-outs, and flip-up hooks are typically included in the design to facilitate easy lifting and placement using a forklift. While most ramps are picked up from the front only, there are versatile options available that allow for picking up the ramp from either side, such as the ‘Guide’ Ramp.

e) Storage of Container Ramps

Storage can be a challenge due to the size and weight of container ramps. However, Space Rescue offers two options to address this concern. The ‘Compact’ Ramp is the shortest ramp available, measuring 1260mm from front to back. Additionally, the ‘Standard’ Ramp features a hinged deck with a flip-up leading edge, reducing its overall length.

f) Safety

Safety is of utmost importance, and Space Rescue incorporates various safety features into their container ramps. Firstly, safety chains and hooks are supplied to securely tie the ramp to the container, preventing accidents and slips. Additionally, non-slip surfaces, usually chequer plates, provide traction for forklifts on the sloped steel ramp, especially in wet or icy conditions. Furthermore, side guide plates are included in two ramp styles, the ‘Guide’ Ramp and the ‘Long’ Ramp, to prevent forklifts from driving off the sides of the ramp.

g) Functionality

Functionality is another aspect to consider. Most forklift ramps for shipping containers consist of a flat deck, providing a continuous slope up to the container entrance. However, with a forklift on a sloped ramp, it can be difficult to fully insert the forklift tines into the pallet without striking the top boards of the pallet itself. On the other hand, Space Rescue offers a ramp with both a sloped and flat section. This design allows forklifts to be horizontal and level before entering the container, which is beneficial when dealing with pallets or skids stacked near the doors.

h) Durability

Durability is crucial due to the heavy loads that forklift ramps for shipping containers support. Steel is commonly used in their design to provide the necessary strength, while strengthening ribs beneath the deck offer rigidity and minimise excessive bending and fatigue of the steel.

i) Height

Most of our forklift container ramps for sale are designed for shipping containers and have the ability to span up to a height of 200mm from ground to container deck. This height caters to most shipping containers, such as ‘General Purpose’, ‘High Cube’, ‘Hard Top’, and ‘Open Top’, which have a deck height of approximately 170mm. We have a special ramp that spans up to a height of 235mm for the ‘Reefer Container’ (or ‘Refrigerated Container’) deck.


In conclusion, when selecting a forklift container ramp for sale, it is essential to consider factors such as capacity, length, width, portability, storage, safety features, functionality, and durability to ensure optimal performance and suitability for loading shipping containers.


10. Availability of Forklift Container Ramps for Sale

We distribute our forklift container ramps for sale to all corners of Australia, including regional areas and towns, from our capital city warehouses.


11. Other Products of Interest

In addition to our shipping container ramps for sale, you may also be interested in our forklift slippers, storage compactors, pallet racking, pallet rack workbenches, dunnage racks, cantilever racking,and mezzanine floors.