weight limits in Russia

(1) weight limitations for direct terrain trucks: Russia - Europe, (by land)
21 mt is absolutely safe and ok to be placed inside trailer for all countries.
We can even negotiate within the limits 21,0-21,5 mt which additional spare weight depends on the weight of the trailer itself. If trailer is a bit lighter than we can take 21500 or 21600 kgs. If the trailer is of a 'heavy one' than 21000-21200 is a limit. During winter time truck owners said it can be 100-200 kgs of snow and ice sticked to the bottom of the vehicle. Trucks that operate Russia-Norway-Russia are having bigger fuel tanks which can affect by reducing of payload (not more than 21 mt).

(2) weight limitations for intermodal trucks Russia - Europe, which goes part of the way by ferry.
24 mt is ok for cargo to be placed inside the trailer, if the vehicle is going to leave Russia by ferry.
For example such trucks enter Lubeck, Germany where this weight is also OK to proceed from port of Lubeck to any other place in EC. 

(3) weight limitations for container operations. 

-3.1. Pre-carriage (container staffing in Russia and trucking of loaded container to the St.Pete port)
19-25 mt.
For the last 15-20 years the weight limits up to 25 mt of cargo (inside the container) was normally practised in Russia as precarriage.
But receintly high way police start a practise of hunting for violators and start penalty practise.
According to the law 18-19 mt is max allowed weight of cargo to be placed into the container.
At the same time truckers still used to carry up to 25 mt of cargo inside the container if they know whom to p*** on their route.
Sometimes there happens unexpectedly inspections on the high way road and the most severe penalty can be as much as 400 000 Roubles (equivalent of 10 000 Euro) for a violator.

-3.2. Ocean freight
24-26 mt is Ok.
Ocean or short sea feeder carrier can accept up to 26 mt inside any of container equipment: 20', 40', 45'.
Normally max weight is up to 24 mt, but if bigger weight is needed to be put into container than ocean carrier verify with shore crance and pier limitations (in both ports) and if ok, then 26 mt can be allowed to be loaded into container.

-3.3. On-carriage (final delivery in EC)
24-26 mt is ok
up to 26 mt in some EC countries trucker need to apply for a weight permission (which is not a problem at all).
Last year we shipped 25,0-25,4 mt of cargo inside 45' to the U.K. and Italy without problems and this weight was carried by trucks from the port (or railway station) to the customers door. For heavy weights a vehicle with additional axle is supplied. Pls have a look on pic. Truck and container platform all together are having 6 axles. It was 45' container with approx 24mt. Only 6 axles are suitable for such a carriage in order not to acceed weight limits for a single axle.

-- 
with Kind Regards, 

Andrew Fedorin 
Agency "New Technologies" Co. Ltd.,
+7 961 800 27 36 cell 
skype: andrew.fedorin 
St.Petersburg Russia 
http://rusfreight.ru