Barko Equipment Shipping
Now part of The Heico Companies (Pettibone)Source
Barko loaders are usually mounted on a truck or trailer, so the shipping method depends on the mount: on a trailer they often go RoRo or flat rack, while a loader removed from its mount can be crated in a container.
How each Barko model ships
Weights and transport dimensions come from the manufacturer's published specifications (linked under each model). The method is worked out from those dimensions against container, flat rack and RoRo limits, in the order we quote them.
| Model | Weight | L × W × H (transport) | Best method | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barko 495MLTruck or trailer-mount loaderSpec source | 29,700 lb (13,472 kg)operating weight | 40 ft 7 in (12.37 m) × n/a × 8 ft 10 in (2.7 m) | Measured before quoting | The manufacturer does not publish the transport width, so we measure the machine at pickup and confirm the method before you book. |
Dimensions vary with shoes, tyres, buckets and options, so we confirm them on your machine before booking. Container limits used: 40 ft high-cube door 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) wide and 8 ft 6 in (2.58 m) high, 39 ft 6 in (12.03 m) long inside.
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.
Preparing Barko machines for export
- Australia and New Zealand reject machines with soil, seeds or plant material. We pressure-wash, open the belly pans and radiator cores, and book the pre-shipment cleaning inspection.
- Measure the full truck or trailer; the loader specification alone does not give the shipping width.
- US-origin export procedures
- Extended boom reach transport
- Forestry grapple securing
- Track vs tire configurations
- Industrial vs forestry spec differences
Containerizing a machine means taking off the parts that stop it fitting, then crating, labelling and lashing them in the same box. See how we containerize heavy equipment
Where Barko machines go from the U.S.
The destinations we see most for Barko equipment, with the import rule that most often catches buyers out.
ChileTransit 21-28 daysForestry demand, flat racks and RoRo from the Gulf.
Quote to Chile
AustraliaTransit 28-35 daysBiosecurity cleaning for forestry equipment.
Quote to Australia
Equipment Types We Ship
Barko Hydraulics is an American manufacturer of forestry and material handling equipment. Known for quality loaders and industrial equipment, Barko serves the forestry industry across North America and globally.
- Forestry Loaders
- Feller Bunchers
- Industrial Loaders
- Material Handlers
Why Ship Barko with Us
- US forestry equipment expertise
- Loader transport specialists
- Midwest manufacturing origin
- Forestry industry relationships
Barko shipping questions
Can a trailer-mounted Barko loader go RoRo?
Yes, where a lane exists. It rolls on as a towed unit; otherwise it ships on a flat rack, or the loader is removed and crated.
Barko and its logo are trademarks of their respective owner, shown only to identify the equipment we ship. Seaway Project Cargo is an independent shipper and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Barko.
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