PARAMETERS OF CARGOES AND VEHICLES

Liability of the carrier:

• Liability in case of marine transport: up to 2.00 SDR per 1 kg (gross) or 666.67 SDR per TEU container;
• liability in case of railway transport: up to 6 CHF per 1 kg, if the value of cargo is not indicated;
• liability in case of road transport: up to 8.33 SDR per 1 kg (gross);
• liability in case of air transport: up to 19 SDR per 1 kg (gross);

(SDR(Special Drawing Rights) is a unit of account established by International Monetary Fund, approximately 3.8 LTL).

Pallets:

• Pallet of European standard, size of Euro-pallet: 120×80 cm; 1 EUR pallet = 560 kg (up to 740 kg).
• Pallet of Finnish standard, size of FIN-pallet: 120×100 cm; 1 FIN-pallet up to 925 kg.
• Pallet of British standard (industrial), size of pallet: 120x120 cm.
• Loading meter 1 LDM up to 1850 kg.

Containers

Sizes of vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers:

Council Directive 96/53/EC of the European Commission establishes:

- maximum width: 2.6 m for refrigerators and 2.55 for any other road vehicle;

- maximum authorized length of road vehicles, semi-trailers and vehicle combinations for carriage of cargoes:

• 12 m for motor vehicle;
• 12 m for trailer;
• 16.5 m articulated vehicle (truck) (this does not allow carriage of 45 foot and longer sea containers);
• 18.75 m for road trains.

- maximum load length may be 15.65 meter;

- maximum weight varies from 40 to 60 tones. (40 t in the Republic of Lithuania).

Maximum authorized weights which allow free movement on international routes are as follows:

• 18 t for two-axle trailers;
• 24 t for three-axle trailers;
• 36 t for road trains consisting of two-axle motor vehicle and two-axle trailer;
• 40 t for road trains consisting of two-axle motor vehicle and three-axle trailer;
• 40 t for road trains consisting of three-axle motor vehicle with and two-axle or three-axle trailer;
• 36-38 t for articulated vehicles consisting of two-axle motor vehicle and two-axle semi-trailer, depending on position of the axles and suspension;
• 40 t for articulated vehicles consisting of two-axle motor vehicle and three-axle semi-trailer;
• 44 for articulated vehicles consisting of three-axle motor vehicle and two-axle or three-axle semi-trailer carrying 40 ft ISO container;
• 18 t for two-axle articulated vehicles;
• 25-26 t for three-axle articulated vehicles depending on suspension;
• 32 t for four-axle (two driving axles) articulated vehicles with suspension suitable for the road;
• 28 t for articulated buses.

Maximum authorized axle weights are also established:

• 10 t for single non-driving axle;
• 11-20 t for tandem axles of trailers and semi-trailers, depending of position of the axles;
• 21-24 t for tri-axles of trailers and semi-trailers, depending of position of the axles;
• 11.5 t for driving axle;
• 11.5-19 t for tandem axles of motor vehicles, depending on position of the axles and suspension.

Thus, free movement in entire EU is ensured for the standard 40 tones five-axle motor vehicle provided that weight of the driving axle may not exceed 11.5 tones. Free movement is also ensured for a standard two-axle bus or truck up to 18 tones. But member states may also chose to apply other national values.

The maximum authorized axle weights in Russia:

Since 25th July 2011, the maximum axle weight of two-axle motor vehicle and semi-trailer shall not exceed the following values: