Shipping from Ritchie Bros. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

RB Raleigh-Durham at a glance

The Ritchie Bros. Raleigh-Durham yard is at Butner on I-85, north of Durham. Norfolk is the closest main gateway, Wilmington the closest port, and Charleston and Savannah are both within a day's haul for Southeast sailings.

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 Wilmington: 161 road miles, about 3 hours by truck

Closest RoRo port

Port of Virginia (Norfolk): 183 road miles, about 3.5 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

Construction EquipmentEarthmoving EquipmentTrucks & TrailersForestry Equipment

Best export ports from RB Raleigh-Durham

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.

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

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.

After you win at Ritchie Bros.

1. 1Pay the invoice in full within the payment window (usually 7 days). Wire transfers clear fastest; other funds hold the release until they clear.
2. 2Download the invoice and wait for the release. The yard office issues the release ticket our driver needs at the gate.
3. 3Send us the invoice, the lot numbers and the yard. We book the pickup appointment with the yard.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 7We send you the bill of lading and the documents your customs broker needs to clear the machine at destination.

How we work with RB Raleigh-Durham

• 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.

Common destinations from RB Raleigh-Durham

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
Guatemala	10-16 days	Regular sailings
Honduras	10-16 days	Regular sailings
El Salvador	12-18 days	Regular sailings
Saudi Arabia	18-25 days	Regular sailings
Germany	14-21 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