Project Cargo & ODC Logistics, Engineered End to End
Route surveys, multi-state permits, escort convoys and engineered lifting for plant machinery and over-dimensional loads — planned and executed by a 75-year-old, debt-free operator with 2,700+ owned vehicles.
Project cargo and ODC (over-dimensional cargo) logistics is the planned movement of loads that exceed standard vehicle dimensions or weights — transformers, boilers, pressure vessels, plant machinery, fabricated structures — requiring route surveys, state permits, escort vehicles and engineered lifting and lashing. Safe & Secure Logistics runs these moves end to end across 27 states, drawing on 2,700+ owned vehicles, 320+ locations and 75 years of operating history since 1951. One operator holds accountability from feasibility study to proof of delivery.
What project cargo & ODC logistics covers
A standard truckload moves on published corridors with no special clearance. An over-dimensional or overweight load does not: it must be measured, its route physically surveyed, permits obtained from every state it crosses, bridges and overhead structures verified, and the cargo itself lifted, positioned and lashed to an engineered plan. Miss any of these steps and the consequence is not a delay — it is a load stopped at a state border, a bridge that cannot be crossed, or a multi-crore machine damaged in transit.
Our ODC scope covers the full sequence: feasibility and trailer selection (low-bed, semi-low-bed, hydraulic-axle configurations as the load demands), physical route survey with clearance measurements, permit and escort coordination, supervised loading with certified lifting gear, lashing and securing to plan, convoy movement with trained pilots, and supervised offloading at site. Because the group also holds in-house maritime and customs expertise and operates 700+ owned 40ft containers, imported project cargo can be handled from vessel to foundation without a handover between vendors. Where a project involves hazardous consumables alongside the machinery, our DG tanker capability keeps that flow inside the same contract.
How Safe & Secure runs an ODC move
Route survey first
Every corridor is driven and documented before commitment: bridge load ratings, culverts, overhead cables and gantries, toll plaza widths, turning radii at junctions, and safe night-halt points. The survey report becomes the operating plan, not a formality filed away.
Permits and escorts
State transport permits, structure-crossing clearances and escort requirements are processed in parallel with cargo readiness, so the corridor is legally open before the load leaves the works. Escort vehicles and coordination with local authorities are part of the scope, not an extra arranged at the last minute.
Engineered lifting & lashing
Lifting points, sling angles, spreader requirements and lashing patterns are worked out against the cargo’s weight and centre of gravity, then executed under supervision. The securing plan is documented so insurers and site engineers can verify it before wheels turn.
Movement itself is tracked continuously — the group operates GPS-monitored fleets as standard practice across its 2,700+ owned vehicles — and every halt, crossing and authority interaction on an ODC convoy is logged so the consignor sees the same picture the operations team sees.
ODC versus standard trucking
| Factor | Standard FTL | Project cargo / ODC |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Standard container or open body | Low-bed, semi-low-bed or hydraulic-axle trailer, matched to load |
| Route | Any serviceable highway | Physically surveyed corridor with verified clearances |
| Permits | Standard national permit | Per-state ODC permits plus structure-crossing clearances |
| Escort | Not required | Pilot / escort vehicles where dimensions or rules demand |
| Loading | Dock or ramp loading | Crane lifting to an engineered plan, supervised lashing |
| Lead time | Hours to book | Days to weeks, driven by survey and permit cycle |
If your consignment fits a standard vehicle, our full truckload service is the faster, cheaper route. ODC engineering exists for the loads that genuinely need it.
Who uses this service
Manufacturing & capital projects
Plant relocations, new production lines, press shops, boilers and furnaces — moves where the machinery is the project’s critical path and a transit failure stalls commissioning.
Power, energy & infrastructure
Transformers, generator sets, turbine components and fabricated steel for substations, plants and infrastructure works, often to sites with difficult last-kilometre access.
Engineering & EPC contractors
Contractors who need one accountable logistics partner across multiple consignments, sites and states — with the documentation discipline their principals and insurers demand.
Planning a heavy or over-dimensional move?
Share dimensions, weight and the origin–destination pair. We will tell you honestly whether it needs ODC treatment or a standard vehicle — and what each would cost.
How pricing works
Project cargo is priced per move, not per rate card, because no two loads impose the same requirements. The honest cost drivers are: cargo dimensions and gross weight (which determine trailer type and axle configuration), route length and terrain, the number of states and structure crossings (which drive permit cost and time), escort requirements, crane and rigging scope at both ends, and any civil works or clearance modifications the survey reveals. Idle time — a trailer waiting for site readiness — is typically chargeable, so a realistic delivery window protects your budget.
For standard-dimension consignments you can get an instant estimate from our freight rate calculator. For ODC, use the calculator as a baseline for the corridor, then speak to our projects desk for a surveyed quotation. We quote what the survey supports; we do not quote optimistically and renegotiate mid-corridor.
Coverage
The group operates across 27 states through 320+ locations, with 70+ warehouses available for staging, pre-assembly storage or in-transit holding when site readiness slips. Port-connected moves are supported by our container and ocean freight operation and in-house customs clearance, so imported equipment clears and moves under one roof. Check whether your origin and destination pincodes are serviceable with our serviceability tool — for project sites beyond mapped coverage, the route survey establishes feasibility directly.
Why Safe & Secure for project cargo
Project cargo punishes thin operators. A move can hold equipment and permits across weeks; a transporter under financial strain cuts corners on exactly the steps — surveys, certified gear, escort discipline — that prevent losses. Safe & Secure is debt-free, family-owned and professionally run, with Rs 1,354 Cr (US$160M+) in group consolidated revenue in FY26. The asset base is owned, not aggregated: 2,700+ vehicles, 700+ 40ft containers, 70+ warehouses. Seventy-five years of continuous operation since 1951 means the permit offices, port terminals and state corridors involved in your move are ones we have worked before. India’s leading FMCG, pharma and industrial enterprises trust the group with freight where failure is expensive — project cargo is where that institutional discipline matters most.
Process: enquiry to proof of delivery
- Enquiry and feasibility. You share dimensions, weight, drawings or photographs, origin, destination and timeline. We confirm whether the load needs ODC treatment and propose a trailer configuration.
- Route survey. The proposed corridor is physically surveyed; the report documents clearances, structures, halts and any modifications required.
- Quotation and plan. A surveyed quotation with the movement plan, permit schedule, lifting and lashing method, and delivery window.
- Permits and mobilisation. State permits, structure clearances and escorts are secured while the trailer and rigging are mobilised to the loading point.
- Loading and securing. Supervised crane lifting, positioning and lashing to the documented plan, with insurer or site-engineer inspection where required.
- Movement. Escorted, GPS-tracked transit with logged halts and crossings; you receive progress against the plan, not silence.
- Delivery and POD. Supervised offloading at site, joint inspection, and proof of delivery with the trip’s documentation set closed out.
For recurring project flows, staging through our warehousing and 3PL/4PL network or combining road with rail and multimodal options can reduce corridor cost — the projects desk will model both.
Put 75 years of heavy-move experience on your project
One operator from route survey to proof of delivery — owned assets, in-house customs, and a permit process that starts before your cargo is ready.
Frequently asked questions
What qualifies as ODC (over-dimensional cargo) in India?
Cargo is classified as ODC when it exceeds the dimensions permitted for a standard vehicle under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules — typically anything wider than 2.6 metres, taller than the prescribed limit once loaded, or longer than the trailer deck. Transformers, boilers, pressure vessels, wind-turbine components and large fabricated structures usually fall in this category and require special permits, route clearance and, in many cases, escort vehicles.
How long does it take to get ODC movement permits?
It depends on the states the route crosses, the load’s dimensions and whether structures such as bridges or toll plazas need clearance from their controlling authorities. Single-state moves with modest oversize can clear in days; multi-state moves involving railway crossings, electricity boards or bridge assessments can take several weeks. We begin permit work in parallel with the route survey so the corridor is cleared before the cargo is ready.
Do you carry marine or transit insurance for project cargo?
Transit insurance for project cargo is normally taken by the cargo owner, as policy value and terms must reflect the equipment’s declared value. We support the process with the documentation insurers require — route survey reports, lashing plans, lifting method statements and trip records — and our engineered securing practices are designed to satisfy surveyor inspection before the move begins.
Can you handle the port leg and customs for imported project cargo?
Yes. Safe & Secure operates 700+ owned 40ft containers and maintains in-house maritime and customs expertise, so an imported machine can be cleared at port, transferred to suitable trailers and delivered to the project site under one accountable operator. This removes the common failure point where a customs broker, a port handler and a road transporter each disclaim responsibility at the handover.
What information do you need to quote a project cargo move?
Dimensions (length, width, height), gross weight, centre of gravity if available, lifting points, packing condition, origin and destination with site access details, and the required delivery window. Photographs or GA drawings help us select the trailer configuration and price accurately. With these inputs we can typically return a considered estimate; complex corridors may first require a paid route survey.
Do you provide escort vehicles and route surveys?
Yes, both are standard components of our ODC scope. The route survey is conducted physically along the proposed corridor, recording bridge capacities, overhead clearances, turning radii and night-halt points. Escort vehicles accompany loads where regulations or the survey demand it, managing traffic around the convoy and coordinating with local authorities at sensitive crossings.
Can you move dangerous goods as part of a project scope?
Yes. The group operates DG-capable tankers and handles dangerous goods under the applicable licensing and driver-training requirements. Where a project involves both oversize equipment and hazardous consumables — a plant relocation with its chemical inventory, for example — we can plan both flows under one contract rather than splitting the scope across vendors.
Proof of Scale · Since 1951
Backed by numbers, not promises.
India's largest privately-held heritage logistics platform — asset-backed, technology-enabled, and operating at national and international scale.
