Containers & Cargo Equipment
Chassis
Also known as: Container Chassis
A chassis is the wheeled trailer frame onto which a shipping container is mounted so that a truck can haul it over the road between ports, rail terminals, and inland destinations. Chassis availability and condition are a persistent operational concern in drayage, since a shortage of chassis at a congested port can strand containers and delay delivery even when trucks are available. The management of chassis pools — who owns, supplies, and maintains them — is a significant logistics and cost issue that directly affects a container's ability to move promptly off the terminal.
The unglamorous constraint that decides whether your container actually moves. Chassis shortages have stranded cargo at ports for weeks, and the availability is not visible anywhere on your ocean booking.
Related terms
Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.