Note: Rasp International no longer offers project cargo handling work. This page stays online as a reference guide. For current export incentives, see RoDTEP and UP export subsidy schemes.
Project Cargo Handling in India: ODC Permits, Heavy Haulage and Breakbulk Shipping
How to move oversized or overweight machinery legally on Indian highways and onto a ship: the MoRTH online ODC permit, hydraulic trailer classes, route surveys, lashing and the vessel choice. Rasp International coordinates project moves through vetted heavy haulage, forwarding and customs broker partners across India.
Project cargo is equipment too large, too heavy or too valuable for standard containers: transformers, turbines, boilers, presses and plant modules.
Each move needs a permit, a trailer matched to the load, a surveyed route and a ship that can lift and secure it. Miss one and the cargo waits at the roadside or the quay while penalties run.
Verified as on 24 September 2026 against the MoRTH circular RW/NH-35072/01/2010-S&R(B)PT-2 dated 27 October 2025, GSR 414(E) dated 26 June 2020 and the Project Imports Regulations 1986.
The Short Answer on Project Cargo
An over dimensional consignment (ODC) is a single indivisible load that exceeds the road dimension limits in Rule 93 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989. An overweight consignment (OWC) exceeds the permitted weight. Moving either on a National Highway on a modular hydraulic trailer needs online permission from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) through its ODC portal.
The rule that decides everything: the permit covers one declared load, one trailer class and one route. Change any of the three and the move is no longer covered.
| Item | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Road permission | Online on the MoRTH ODC portal (morth-owc.nic.in) for single indivisible ODC and OWC loads on National Highways |
| Governing circular | MoRTH circular dated 27 October 2025, which replaced the circulars of 17 January 2024 and 12 June 2024 |
| Trailer classes | Modular hydraulic trailer combinations HT-1 to HT-13, with no more than 18 tonnes per axle row |
| Road dimension rule | CMVR Rule 93, amended by GSR 414(E) dated 26 June 2020 |
| Lashing standard at sea | IMO Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code), resolution A.714(17) of 1991 |
| Import side | Project Imports Regulations 1986 and heading 98.01 of the Customs Tariff |
Why Project Cargo Punishes Small Errors
Under the 27 October 2025 circular, a trailer found with more than 18 tonnes on an axle row, or with dimensions much larger than declared, is held for 7 days. The applicant pays a fine of twenty times the permit fee and the transporter is barred from the portal for at least a year.
Rasp International does not own trailers or cranes. We brief the heavy haulage and forwarding partners in our network, check the declared dimensions against the drawings and track the permit, route and vessel booking together.
What Makes Cargo Over Dimensional
A load becomes ODC when the loaded vehicle would exceed the Rule 93 limits. GSR 414(E) dated 26 June 2020 set the current figures, as summarised by PIB on 1 July 2020.
| Dimension | Normal limit under Rule 93 | What it means for project cargo |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 2.6 m | Indivisible loads may project 200 mm on each side, with conditions. Beyond that the load is ODC |
| Height, goods vehicle | 4.0 m | Measure the loaded trailer, not the machine alone |
| Height, indivisible load | Up to 4.75 m | Above 4.75 m the route must avoid overhead structures, road over bridges and underpasses |
| Height, container semi-trailer | 4.52 m | Out of gauge cargo on a flat rack can cross it |
| Trailer length | 18.75 m | Pneumatic trailers can extend up to 50 m for long items such as wind turbine blades |
Who Needs Project Cargo Planning and Who Does Not
- Machinery exporters shipping presses, boilers, gensets or fabricated structures wider than 2.6 m.
- EPC contractors and plant builders sending modules for overseas projects on a fixed delivery date.
- Importers of capital goods bringing in plant under the project imports scheme or EPCG.
- Anyone moving a single unit that cannot be dismantled, which is the only kind of load the ODC permit covers.
Who Does Not Need It
Machinery that fits a standard box or an open top within road limits moves as normal container cargo. Loads that can be split into road-legal pieces do not qualify, since the permit covers single indivisible units only.
Project Cargo Services Through Our Partner Network
Specialist partners do the lifting and hauling. Our team keeps permit, route, customs and vessel in step.
EPCG for Imported Machinery
Zero duty import of capital goods against export obligation.
Hydraulic Trailer Classes HT-1 to HT-13
The circular groups modular hydraulic trailer combinations into 13 classes. Gross vehicle weight below excludes the puller tractor, which is taken as a three-axle unit of 25 tonnes with ballast.
| Class | Axle rows | Gross vehicle weight | How permission is given |
|---|---|---|---|
| HT-1, HT-2, HT-3 | 4, 6, 8 | 72 t, 108 t, 144 t | Permission and fee generated in real time once the route is accepted |
| HT-4 to HT-9 | 10 to 20 | 180 t to 360 t | Regional officers review bridges on the route within 7 days |
| HT-10, HT-11 | 8+8, 10+10, turn table bolster | 288 t, 360 t | Review within 7 days, attachment weight declared |
| HT-12, HT-13 | 14+14, 16+16, girder | 504 t, 576 t | Review within 7 days. Not allowed on bridges other than simply supported types built for special vehicle loading |
If the regional officers do not review within 7 days, the portal treats the chosen route as feasible and asks for the fee. Unpaid fees lapse after 7 days and the application starts again.
ODC Permission Process, Stage by Stage
This is the sequence on the MoRTH portal for a National Highway move. Stages 1 and 4 cause most rejections.
Stage 1: Drawings and Route Survey
Confirm length, width, height, weight and centre of gravity from the manufacturer’s drawings. Survey bridges, curves, overhead lines and underpasses on the intended route.
Stage 2: Portal Registration
Consignor, consignee and transporter each register once. The registered email becomes the login.
Stage 3: Cargo Upload
The consignor or consignee uploads the dimensions, origin and destination, signs the declaration and nominates the transporter.
Stage 4: Trailer, Driver and Route
The transporter adds the trailer, puller tractor and driver, which the portal checks on VAHAN and SARATHI. The route needs a station every 100 km and an AIS 140 tracking device.
Stage 5: Review, Fee and Permit
The fee is charged per 50 km of National Highway by trailer class. Once paid, the portal issues the single-trip permission letter.
Stage 6: Movement and Closure
Start within 7 days or extend on the portal. After delivery, the transporter declares trip closure within 15 days.
Planning to move a unit wider than 2.6 m or heavier than a normal trailer can carry? Send us the drawing on WhatsApp for a permit and route check.
Conditions on the Road
Annexure VI of the circular sets the conditions every permitted ODC move must follow.
- Pilot and markings. A pilot vehicle, danger flags, yellow and black zebra stripes, reflective stickers and red lamps at the extreme edges.
- Bridge crossings. 5 km/h or less, no braking on the bridge and no other vehicle on it. The transporter’s staff inspect the bridge before and after.
- Centre line. Keep the load within 300 mm of the carriageway centre line on a bridge.
- Coupling. Trailers may be coupled end to end, never side by side.
- Weather. No movement during earthquakes or high wind, with extra care in the monsoon.
The portal covers National Highways only. State highways and city roads fall under the state or local authority, and the transporter arranges those permissions separately.
Choosing the Vessel: Breakbulk, RoRo or Flat Rack
At the port, the choice depends on weight, whether the unit can roll and the lifting gear at both ends.
| Option | How it works | Use it when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat rack container | Cargo lashed to a container base with end walls | Out of gauge units within the line’s weight limit on container routes | Out of gauge surcharges and limited slots |
| Breakbulk | Loaded piece by piece into the hold or on deck | Units too large or heavy for flat racks | Port handling time and weather exposure |
| RoRo | Rolled on and off the ship on wheels or trailers | Vehicles, wheeled machinery and units on roll trailers | Height and deck load limits |
| Heavy lift vessel | The ship’s own cranes lift very heavy units | Ports without shore cranes of the needed capacity | Limited sailings and longer planning |
Stowage and lashing at sea follow the IMO CSS Code. The lashing plan is checked against the ship’s cargo securing manual by the attending surveyor.
Documents for a Project Move
Road, port and customs read these against each other. The third column is where the move stops.
| Document | What is checked | The mismatch that causes a hold |
|---|---|---|
| General arrangement drawing | Dimensions, weight and centre of gravity | Drawing shows the unit without packing or saddles |
| ODC permission letter | Route, trailer class and declared dimensions | Measured load larger than declared |
| Vehicle and driver records | Fitness, permit, insurance and licence on VAHAN and SARATHI | A document expires during the trip |
| Lashing plan | Securing points and forces | Plan not approved by the surveyor |
| Shipping bill and packing list | Description, weight and package marks | Weight differs from the permit or the bill of lading |
Where Project Cargo Goes Wrong
Most failures come from a figure that changed between the drawing, the permit and the ship.
| Failure | What you see | What actually broke |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong trailer class on the permit | Movement stopped and the permit refused or voided | The load needed more axle rows than the HT class applied for |
| Bridge not surveyed | Route objected to by the regional officer | A distressed or unsuitable bridge was on the chosen route |
| Dimensions larger than declared | 7-day hold, fine and a transporter ban | The drawing ignored packing, saddles or the trailer deck |
| Lashing plan not approved | Cargo not loaded on the planned vessel | The plan was not prepared to the ship’s securing manual |
| Project contract not registered | Imported plant assessed item by item | The contract was not registered before import under the 1986 Regulations |
Illustrative Example: The Transformer That Grew
This is an illustrative composite, not a named client. A transformer maker applies for an HT-4 permit using the bare unit’s drawing. On loading, the transport saddles add height and weight beyond what was declared. The move needs a fresh application, and the vessel slot is lost. Measuring the loaded unit on its saddles before applying would have saved the booking.
The Import Side: Project Imports
For plant coming into India, the Project Imports Regulations 1986 let all goods for an eligible project be assessed under one tariff heading, 98.01. CBIC’s taxpayer guide lists industrial plants, irrigation, power, mining and oil or mineral exploration projects.
- Register first. The contract, with an itemised list attested by the sponsoring authority, must be registered before import.
- Spares have a cap. Spares, raw materials and consumables are covered up to 10% of the value of the main goods.
- Some units are excluded. Hotels, hospitals, studios, laundries, garages and workshops do not qualify, nor does a single or composite machine.
What Project Cargo Handling Will Not Do
- A permit does not make a bridge safe. Distressed bridges coded red or orange on the portal are closed to all HT classes, and detours add days.
- A national permit does not cover state roads. The factory to highway and highway to port stretches may need separate local permissions.
- Carrier liability will not cover a transformer. Sea carrier liability is capped per package, so high value units need their own marine policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ODC cargo?
ODC means over dimensional consignment: a single indivisible load whose width, height or length on the vehicle exceeds the limits in Rule 93 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989. Overweight loads are called OWC.
How to get ODC permission in India?
For National Highways, apply on the MoRTH ODC portal. The consignor uploads the cargo details and nominates a transporter, who adds the trailer, driver and route. Permission is issued online after the fee is paid.
How long does ODC permission take?
HT-1 to HT-3 permissions are generated in real time once the route is accepted. For HT-4 to HT-13, regional officers have up to 7 days to review the bridges on the route.
What is HT-1 to HT-13?
They are the modular hydraulic trailer classes in the MoRTH circular, from HT-1 with 4 axle rows and 72 tonnes to HT-13 with 16+16 axle rows and 576 tonnes. No axle row may carry more than 18 tonnes.
What happens if the cargo is heavier than declared?
The vehicle is held for 7 days and a fine of twenty times the fee is imposed. It may then move only by detouring all bridges, and the transporter is barred from the portal for at least a year.
Do state roads need a separate ODC permit?
Yes. The MoRTH portal covers National Highways only. Stretches on state highways or city roads need permission from the state or local authority that controls them.
What is breakbulk shipping?
Breakbulk means loading cargo piece by piece into a ship’s hold or onto its deck instead of in a container. It suits units too large or heavy for a flat rack.
What is the difference between flat rack and breakbulk?
A flat rack is a container base with end walls that travels on container ships and uses container terminals. Breakbulk is loaded directly into the ship without a container and suits heavier units.
Can imported plant be cleared under one tariff heading?
Yes, under the Project Imports Regulations 1986 and heading 98.01, if the project is eligible and the contract was registered before import. A single machine does not qualify.
Does Rasp International move ODC cargo itself?
No. Heavy haulage, cranes and vessels are provided by specialist partners in our pan-India network. We brief them and check the permit, route and documents. We stay accountable to you.
How Rasp International Handles Project Cargo
Rasp International is an ISO 9001:2015 certified EXIM and DGFT advisory firm that has served 500+ exporters since 2019. For each project move we check the drawings against the permit, match the trailer class to the load and keep the vessel booking and customs filing in step.
See the full partner network on our customs house agent services page.
Get Your Project Move Checked Before You Apply
Send the drawing, weight and origin. We will flag permit class, route and vessel issues before booking.
Sources
- MoRTH circular on online permission for single indivisible ODC and OWC loads on HT-1 to HT-13, dated 27 October 2025.
- Amendment of CMVR Rule 93 by GSR 414(E), PIB, 1 July 2020.
- Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code), IMO.
- Project Imports Scheme, CBIC Directorate General of Taxpayer Services.
- Rule 93 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 and the Project Imports Regulations 1986, with the Regulations on the CBIC website.
This page is general guidance. Circulars, portal screens and bridge restrictions change. Verify against the current MoRTH circular and the ODC portal before you apply or move.
Related: container transportation and flat racks, freight forwarding and Incoterms, EPCG for capital goods and the logistics hub.