Part of RB Global, Inc. (renamed from Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers in May 2023)Shipping from Ritchie Bros. Minneapolis, Minnesota
RB Minneapolis is 1,146 road miles, about 23 hours by truck, from the Port of Houston, the closest port for containers and flat racks; the closest RoRo port is the Port of Baltimore, 1,104 miles away. We collect as soon as Ritchie Bros. issues the release, do any partial disassembly needed to fit a container, and ship by container, flat rack or, where a lane serves your country, RoRo.
RB Minneapolis at a glance
The Ritchie Bros. Minneapolis yard is at Medford on I-35, south of the Twin Cities. Every seaport is more than a thousand road miles away, so containers usually rail from Chicago, and flat racks and RoRo units are routed to the gateway with the best sailing.
- Site type
- Permanent auction yard
- Auction company
- Ritchie Bros. AuctioneersRB Global, Inc. (renamed from Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers in May 2023)
- Closest container and flat rack port
- Port of Houston: 1,146 road miles, about 23 hours by truck
- Closest RoRo port
- Port of Baltimore: 1,104 road miles, about 22 hours by truck
- Removal deadline
- Set per auction (for example, 7 days after the payment date). Lots not in a Ritchie Bros. yard must be removed within 8 business days of the release notice.
- Equipment sold here
- Agricultural MachineryConstruction EquipmentTrucks & TrailersEarthmoving Equipment
Best export ports from RB Minneapolis
Ranked by road distance from the yard gate. We list the closest container port, the closest main gateways with the most direct sailings, Savannah when it is within reach, any rail ramp that is much closer than the coast, and the closest RoRo ports, plus Brunswick, the busiest U.S. RoRo gateway, when it is within reach.
| Port | Road miles | Truck hours | Methods | Why this port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago intermodal rail rampsRail ramp: containers are loaded here and railed to the coastRails to Newark, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston, Los Angeles, and Seattle | 422 | 8.5 | Container | Rail ramp, much closer than the coast |
| Port of BaltimoreBaltimore, MD | 1,104 | 22 | RoRo | Closest RoRo calls |
| Port of HoustonHouston, TX | 1,146 | 23 | Container, Flat rack, RoRo | Main gateway, most direct sailingsClosest RoRo calls |
| Port of New York and New JerseyNewark, NJ | 1,186 | 23.5 | Container, Flat rack | Main gateway, most direct sailings |
Road miles from OSRM (OpenStreetMap), calculated October 2026. Truck hours assume a 50 mph average for a loaded lowboy, including stops.
Methods from this location
Railed from Chicago to the coast
Oversized equipment on flat racks via the best-placed gateway
Via Baltimore or Houston where a lane serves the destination
Domestic transport to any US destination
Container is usually the cheapest option, and we do the partial disassembly needed to make the machine fit. How we containerize heavy equipment
Container, flat rack, RoRo or breakbulk?
We quote in this order because it is usually cheapest first. Most machines that look too big for a box fit once our crew takes off the bucket, boom, cab or wheels; larger ones are taken further apart across several containers, and pieces too big or heavy for a flat rack or roll trailer go breakbulk.
01Container
Best fit- Work needed
- We partially disassemble when needed (bucket, boom, cab, wheels), or take larger machines further apart across several high-cubes and open-tops, then crate, block and lash every part.
- Destinations
- Widest: almost every port worldwide, plus inland delivery by rail.
- Typical cost
- Usually the lowest, with no out-of-gauge surcharges.
- Protection
- Sealed steel box; loose parts and attachments travel locked inside.
- Best for
- Most machines: compact ones as they are, others after partial disassembly, and large ones split across several containers.
02Flat rack
- Work needed
- Ships assembled, blocked and lashed. Surcharges apply when wider than 2.4 m or taller than about 1.95 m.
- Destinations
- Most container ports, on the same vessels as containers.
- Typical cost
- Moderate; rises with every centimetre out of gauge.
- Protection
- Open to the weather; we protect cabs, electronics and hydraulics.
- Best for
- Excavators, dozers and loaders too wide for a container door.
03RoRo
- Work needed
- Drives on assembled; non-runners go on a roll trailer.
- Destinations
- Fewer destinations: regular lanes to Europe, West Africa, the Middle East, Oceania and parts of Latin America.
- Typical cost
- Often competitive for large self-propelled machines where a lane exists.
- Protection
- Below deck, but loose items and attachments cannot ride inside the cab.
- Best for
- Running machines going to a port with regular RoRo sailings.
04Breakbulk
- Work needed
- Lifted aboard piece by piece by ship’s or shore cranes, on its own skids or cradle, then stowed and lashed in the hold or on deck.
- Destinations
- Ports with breakbulk berths and heavy-lift cranes; sailings are booked voyage by voyage.
- Typical cost
- Usually the highest for a single small machine; often the only option for the largest pieces.
- Protection
- In the hold or lashed on deck; we crate, wrap and protect exposed parts.
- Best for
- Pieces too large or heavy for a flat rack or roll trailer: transformers, process modules, mining trucks, crane sections.
After you win at Ritchie Bros.
- 1Pay the invoice in full within the payment window (usually 7 days). Wire transfers clear fastest; other funds hold the release until they clear.
- 2Download the invoice and wait for the release. The yard office issues the release ticket our driver needs at the gate.
- 3Send us the invoice, the lot numbers and the yard. We book the pickup appointment with the yard.
- 4We collect the machine, load it with our own carrier and take it to the port, or first to our facility if it needs partial disassembly to fit a container.
- 5We file the export declaration (EEI) in the Automated Export System. It is required when any Schedule B line is worth more than $2,500 or needs an export license, and its ITN confirmation goes to the carrier at least 24 hours before the vessel loads.
- 6For titled machines and vehicles, the original title and the EEI go to U.S. Customs at the port at least 72 hours before export. Without them the unit cannot sail.
- 7We send you the bill of lading and the documents your customs broker needs to clear the machine at destination.
Ritchie Bros. buyer terms
- Payment
- Due within 7 days of the auction; items cannot be collected until paid in full, and non-certified funds are held until they clear. Source
- Removal deadline
- Set per auction (for example, 7 days after the payment date). Lots not in a Ritchie Bros. yard must be removed within 8 business days of the release notice. Source
- Storage fees
- $25 per day in the U.S. after the removal deadline; items left more than 45 days after the auction may be treated as abandoned. Source
- Release
- The yard office issues a release ticket once payment is received; the driver must show it before loading. Source
- Loading
- Ritchie Bros. does not load or secure equipment and will not load machines that can be driven; loading is in daylight hours only. Source
- Carrier requirements
- Scheduled pickup appointment, and general liability, workers' compensation and cargo insurance. A bill of lading is required for equipment going to another country. Source
- Titles
- Prepared for the state where the lot sits and sent within about 14 banking days of cleared payment; a document fee applies per titled item. Source
- Export
- Sold Ex Works; you may not list Ritchie Bros. as shipper or exporter, and it does not provide certificates of origin or EUR.1 certificates. Source
Checked October 2026. Terms vary by sale, so confirm them on your invoice.
How we work with RB Minneapolis
- We book the pickup appointment with the yard's transport desk; Ritchie Bros. yards do not accept unscheduled pickups.
- Our carriers carry the general liability, workers' compensation and cargo insurance Ritchie Bros. requires, and every driver signs in at the yard office with the release ticket.
- Our driver loads and secures the machine: Ritchie Bros. staff do not load drivable equipment, and loading is in daylight only.
- We use the yard's truck entrance and loading area, and plan the haul so the machine is out before the removal deadline and storage fees start.
- For export, we prepare the bill of lading the yard asks for on international shipments and file the export declaration in our name as forwarder, never in Ritchie Bros.' name.
- When a machine has to be partly disassembled to fit a container, we confirm with the yard whether it can be done on site or move it to a facility near the port.
Why Ship With Us
- Rail routing through Chicago for containers
- Pickup as soon as Ritchie Bros. issues the release
- Experience with large farm equipment and flat rack loading
- Full export documentation
Our Services at This Location
- Equipment inspection and condition reports
- Secure storage pending pickup
- Coordination with auction house for release
- Full export documentation
- Crating and blocking for ocean transport
Common destinations from RB Minneapolis
Container and flat rack services reach all of these. RoRo depends on the lane from the East and Gulf Coast, so it is shown separately.
| Destination | Ocean transit | RoRo from this coast |
|---|---|---|
 Nigeria | 21-30 days | Regular sailings |
 Ghana | 20-28 days | Regular sailings |
 Australia | 28-35 days | Regular sailings |
 Saudi Arabia | 18-25 days | Regular sailings |
 Kazakhstan | 35-50 days | No regular lane: container or flat rack |
 Ukraine | 25-40 days | Regular sailings |
 Guatemala | 10-16 days | Regular sailings |
 Colombia | 12-18 days | Regular sailings |
Transit times are typical port-to-port ranges. Every quote confirms the current schedule.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Booking a truck before the release ticket exists. Without it the driver is turned away at the gate.
- Sending a carrier without the required insurance certificates, or without an appointment.
- Assuming yard staff will load the machine. They will not load anything that can be driven.
- Missing the removal date. Storage at $25 per day adds up quickly while you arrange ocean freight.
- Listing Ritchie Bros. as the exporter on shipping documents, which their terms prohibit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you ship from RB Minneapolis?
Containers usually load near the yard or in Chicago and rail to the coast. Flat racks and RoRo units truck to the gateway with the best sailing for your destination, often Baltimore, Houston or New York/New Jersey.
How soon can you pick up?
As soon as Ritchie Bros. issues the release, which follows cleared payment.
Is Ritchie Bros. the same company as RB Global?
Yes. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers renamed itself RB Global, Inc. in May 2023. The auctions still run under the Ritchie Bros. name at rbauction.com, alongside IronPlanet and GovPlanet.
How long do I have to pick up from a Ritchie Bros. yard?
The removal date is set for each auction and shown on the auction page; it is often about a week after the payment date. After it, storage is $25 per day in the U.S.
Will Ritchie Bros. load the machine onto my truck?
No. Their transport rules say they are not responsible for loading or securing equipment and will not load machines that can be driven across the yard. Our driver loads and secures it.
Can Ritchie Bros. be the exporter on my shipping documents?
No. Their terms of sale say you may not list them as shipper or exporter without written permission. We file the export as your forwarder.
Should I use Ritchie Bros. Logistics or a forwarder?
Either works. A forwarder is usually better value when you buy at more than one auction, want several machines in one shipment, or a machine can be containerized after partial disassembly.
Machines bought at RB Minneapolis that we load in containers
Buyers at RB Minneapolis ship these kinds of machines with us. Each card shows the boxes from our loading records; open a brand for every model.
Motor grader
CAT 12
1 × 40 ft high cube
Caterpillar loading plansExcavator
CAT 206B
1 × 45 ft high cube
Caterpillar loading plansWheel loader
Komatsu 180-1
1 × 20 ft container
Komatsu loading plansWheel loader
Komatsu 180-3
1 × 40 ft high cube
Komatsu loading plansExcavator
Hitachi EX 150
1 × 40 ft high cube
Hitachi Construction Machinery loading plansExcavator
Hitachi EX 370-5
1 × 40 ft open top (1 ft (0.3 m) over the side walls) + 1 × 40 ft high cube
Hitachi Construction Machinery loading plansWheel loader
Volvo 220D
2 × 40 ft high cube
Volvo Construction Equipment loading plansExcavator
Volvo EC 480EL
1 × 40 ft open top (1 ft (0.3 m) over the side walls) + 2 × 40 ft high cube
Volvo Construction Equipment loading plansWheel loader
Kawasaki 95Z VII
2 × 40 ft high cube + 1 × 20 ft container
Kawasaki loading plans
Ready to Ship from RB Minneapolis?
Contact us today for fast pickup and reliable worldwide shipping.