The honest answer is that it depends almost entirely on how the container was packed.
Palletised
If it is on pallets and you have a forklift and clear access, a 40ft container moves quickly. The constraint is usually the forklift and where the pallets are going, not the container.
Hand-stacked or floor-loaded
Every carton handled individually. This is where a crew earns its money, and where an optimistic estimate turns into an afternoon of overtime.
The other variables
- Distance from the container to the final storage position.
- Whether stock needs scanning, sorting or checking as it comes out.
- Heat — a steel container in a Perth summer is brutal inside and crews need rotation.
- Whether the truck is waiting, which sets a hard deadline.
Plan the window
If demurrage applies, book enough people to comfortably beat the deadline rather than exactly meet it.
Need this done in Perth?
Tell us the job and we'll give you a straight answer on what it takes.