Container transport resources
The truck waits while you unpack. Convenient, sometimes cheaper, and expensive if your unpack runs long.
4 min read · Updated 2026-08-29
A live unload means the truck and driver stay on site while your team unpacks the container, then take the empty straight back for dehire. It is the simplest option to arrange and the easiest to get wrong on cost.
The container arrives on the trailer at the agreed window. Your team unloads it where it stands — normally by forklift from the rear, or by hand for loose-loaded cargo. When the box is empty the driver departs with it and returns it to the nominated container park.
There is no second trip, no container sitting on your yard, and no hire days accruing while it waits to be collected.
Carriers allow a free waiting period, commonly around an hour, then charge waiting time in increments. That structure is fair to both sides but it punishes optimistic estimates. Be realistic about how long your team takes to strip a full 40ft container, including forklift availability and where the pallets actually go.
If the unpack will exceed the free period by much, compare a drop-and-swing (the box is left with you and collected later) or a sideloader placement on the ground. Both let your team work at their own pace and pay a fixed collection fee rather than open-ended waiting time.
Live unloads shine when the cargo is palletised, the dock is free, and the whole job takes under an hour.
CCE Express moves containers through Brisbane and the Port of Brisbane every day. Send the job details and we'll price it.
FAQ
Common follow-up questions on this topic.
Tell us your pickup, delivery and container size — our Brisbane dispatch team replies with a competitive price, usually within 2 business hours.