What are project and exhibition cargo services?
Exhibition logistics means getting stand material, machinery and products for display, and promotional material to the fairground before build-up begins, handling what is needed during the show, and bringing everything back — or sending it on — once it closes. Project cargo is the movement of out-of-gauge (OOG) and heavy-lift items whose dimensions or weight exceed the limits of standard vehicles and containers, using special equipment, permits and planning.
What the two have in common is a fixed date and non-standard cargo: a fair does not open late, and an installation team on site is waiting for the delivery. That is why we run both as projects with a timetable rather than as one-off shipments.
Trade-fair and exhibition shipments
Timing and delivery
Organisers set strict build-up and dismantling slots, and many venues only admit vehicles by appointment. We plan the shipment backwards from that timetable so that your cargo reaches the stand before build-up starts. For small or last-minute exhibition items we also look at express minivan and lorry van transport.
ATA Carnets and temporary admission
Goods that are shown at a fair and then brought back often travel on an ATA Carnet. An ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows exhibition goods, commercial samples and professional equipment to enter participating countries temporarily without paying import duties or lodging a deposit. In Türkiye (Turkey), carnets are issued through the chambers of commerce and are valid for up to one year. Where no carnet is used, temporary export from Türkiye and temporary admission at destination can be arranged instead.
One point to watch: items to be handed out or consumed at the fair (catalogues, brochures, food for tasting) and goods you plan to sell are generally not put on the carnet and travel under a definitive export instead. If an item that went out on a carnet is sold at the fair, it is cleared for import at destination and the duties are paid. We agree which item travels under which procedure before loading.
On the fairground and after the show
On most fairgrounds, forklift work, empty-case storage and on-site movements are handled by contractors appointed by the organiser. We coordinate with them on your behalf and plan the return to Türkiye — or the move to your next fair — well in advance.
Out-of-gauge and heavy-lift project cargo
Machinery and production lines, energy equipment, steel structures, tanks and construction machinery often exceed the dimension or weight limits of a standard truck or container. With this kind of cargo, success depends on planning done long before loading day:
- Technical data: dimensions (length × width × height), weight, centre of gravity and lifting points.
- Route survey: bridge and overpass clearances, bridge load limits, tunnels, turning radii, roadworks and overhead lines are checked.
- Permits and escorts: special load permits are obtained from the General Directorate of Highways (KGM) in Türkiye and from the competent authorities abroad, and escort vehicles are planned where the dimensions require them.
- Equipment and loading plan: the right trailer or container is selected, and the crane, lashing and securing plan is drawn up.
- Transport and on-site coordination: loading, transit and discharge on site are managed from one operations desk.
Which equipment for which cargo?
| Equipment | Used for |
|---|---|
| Lowbed (low-loader) trailer | Tall machinery and construction plant, keeping the overall height within road limits |
| Extendable trailer | Long loads such as beams, pipes and tower sections |
| Open Top container | Cargo that must be crane-loaded from above or is taller than a standard container |
| Flat Rack container | Heavy cargo wider or taller than container dimensions, loaded from the side or top |
| Curtain-side (tilt) trailer | Exhibition material and in-gauge machinery and equipment |
We choose the equipment with you, based on the cargo’s technical data and the route. For sea-linked project cargo, the Open Top and Flat Rack equipment of our sea freight service comes into play, while heavy but in-gauge loads can often travel as a standard full truckload.
How is the price built up?
Project and exhibition cargo is priced for each load and project. The main factors:
- The cargo’s dimensions and weight, and the type of equipment required
- The route survey, special permits and any escorts
- Lifting and handling services such as cranes and forklifts
- Port, terminal and fairground service charges
- Timing: build-up slots, waiting time and the return shipment
- The customs procedure: ATA Carnet, temporary or definitive export and import
Documents and customs
Exhibition shipments need an ATA Carnet or temporary export and admission documents, a pro forma or commercial invoice, a detailed packing list showing the dimensions and weight of every package, and a transport document (CMR or bill of lading). For project cargo, special load permits, lifting and securing plans and any certificates of origin or movement certificates the destination requires are added. For more on customs formalities, see our customs clearance page.
Why Multitransport?
- Planning around your deadline: from fair build-up slots to installation schedules on site, we plan backwards from the target date.
- Customs and on-site coordination: ATA Carnets, temporary admission and discharge on site are managed at one desk.
- The right equipment: lowbed and extendable trailers, Open Top and Flat Rack containers, planned to suit the project.
- Every mode at one desk: road, sea and, where needed, air options are assessed together.
- Certified processes: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 and, for occupational health and safety, ISO 45001 management system certificates.