Shipment planning guide
Container Street Turns & Flip Fees: A Practical Guide
Plan authorized container street turns and flips, with clear equipment responsibilities, approval and handling requirements.
By SP Logistics · Reviewed
What is a street turn in shipping container logistics?
A street turn reuses an import container for a subsequent export without first returning it empty to the usual depot or terminal. It can remove an unnecessary empty leg when the equipment owner approves the reuse and both shipments fit the plan. It is not an instruction a driver or customer can authorize alone.
Confirm the container owner’s permission, export booking, equipment type, condition and location. The import empty must suit the export cargo and loading requirements. The parties also need a clear record of when responsibility changes, how free time is treated, whether a different carrier is taking the equipment and what documentation the equipment provider requires. IANA’s street-interchange process concerns documented equipment interchange; it does not replace ocean-carrier authorization for the proposed use.
Send both shipment instructions when asking SP to review a street turn. Identify who can secure the equipment owner’s written approval and the fallback empty-return location if approval is denied or loading changes. Do not cancel an existing return plan simply because a nearby export is available. A successful street turn is a confirmed equipment plan, not just a shorter route on a map.
References: IANA street interchange application · IANA UIIA equipment interchange information
What is a container flip fee and who pays it?
A container flip is a lift that transfers a container between chassis or between a chassis and an approved ground position. A flip fee pays for the handling service. It is different from the truck’s line-haul, chassis rental or a chassis split, although several can occur in the same equipment plan.
A flip may be needed when the available chassis is unsuitable, a container must move onto a private chassis or a staging plan involves grounding. The lift location must accept the container, weight and equipment combination. Confirm who arranges the lift, any appointment, the chassis supplied on each side and whether the container stays loaded throughout.
Who pays depends on the agreed scope, equipment arrangement and reason for the extra work. Do not assume it belongs to the customer simply because the cargo is theirs, or that a terminal includes it in another charge. Ask for the issuing party, the service performed, authorization and the supporting record. Send SP the container size, loaded weight, present chassis and desired end configuration so the lift, truck legs and equipment time can be reviewed together before anyone dispatches.
References: IANA UIIA equipment interchange information
Operating information was checked November 8, 2026. Confirm current terminal, railroad, equipment-provider and agency instructions before dispatch.