Bell Equipment Shipping
A Bell B30E articulated dump truck is 32 ft 8 in (9.95 m) long and 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m) wide over the mudguards, too big for a container, so it ships whole by RoRo or on a flat rack. It weighs 46,600 lb (21,155 kg) empty.
How each Bell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell B30EArticulated dump truckSpec source | 46,600 lb (21,155 kg)empty weight | 32 ft 8 in × 9 ft 10 in × 11 ft 3 in (9.95 × 2.99 × 3.43 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (1 ft 11 in / 0.59 m over width, 4 ft 10 in / 1.48 m over height). |
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
- 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
Best fit- 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 Bell machines for export
- The body is lowered and secured, the articulation lock fitted, and the chassis and tyres washed of soil.
- Mirrors are folded, batteries disconnected and the truck lashed through its tie-down points.
- A B30E is 32 ft 8 in (9.95 m) long in the transport position and 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m) wide over the mudguards, wider and longer than a container.
- It ships whole by RoRo or on flat racks; at 46,600 lb (21,155 kg) empty it is within a single flat rack’s payload.
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 Bell machines go from the U.S.
The destinations we see most for Bell equipment, with the import rule that most often catches buyers out.
GuyanaTransit 7-11 daysArticulated trucks for mining and road work, by RoRo or flat rack to Georgetown.
Quote to Guyana
ChileTransit 16-32 daysArticulated trucks for mines and quarries, by RoRo to San Antonio.
Quote to Chile
AustraliaTransit 28-35 daysStrict biosecurity cleaning; the body, chassis and tyres are washed of soil before loading.
Quote to Australia
Equipment Types We Ship
Irvine Bell founded Bell Equipment in 1954 as an engineering and agricultural repair service in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It builds its machines in Richards Bay, South Africa, and Eisenach, Germany, and is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange with the Bell family as its largest shareholder.
- Articulated dump trucks
- Forestry machines
- Sugar cane equipment
Why Ship Bell with Us
- RoRo and flat-rack plans checked against Bell’s transport figures
- Pickup from contractor yards, dealer lots and auctions across the US
- Ramp loading planned from the published approach angle
Bell shipping questions
How do you ship a Bell B30E?
Whole, by RoRo or on a flat rack. The B30E is 32 ft 8 in (9.95 m) long without the tailgate, 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m) wide over the mudguards and 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) high in the transport position, and weighs 46,600 lb (21,155 kg) empty. Bell prints a 25° approach angle, which we check against the ramp.
Where are Bell trucks built?
In Richards Bay, South Africa, which is also Bell’s head office, and in Eisenach, Germany.
Bell 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 Bell.
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