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Hydraulic excavator · Caterpillar

CAT 312 GC: transport dimensions, weight and how it ships overseas

The CAT 312 GC usually goes in 1 × 40 ft high cube, from our loading records for related models (CAT 312 B, CAT 312BL). Shipped whole, it goes on a 40 ft flat rack (4 in / 0.09 m over width, 2 ft 10 in / 0.87 m over height), or RoRo where a lane serves your port.

Transport length
24 ft 2 in / 7.36 m
Transport width
8 ft 2 in / 2.49 m
Transport height
9 ft 3 in / 2.82 m
Weight
25,600 lb / 11,600 kg
Quote my CAT 312 GCCall Specialist

CAT 312 GC transport drawing

CAT 312 GC transport drawingSide elevation, end elevation and plan of the CAT 312 GC, drawn to scale from the manufacturer's transport dimensions: 24 ft 2 in / 7.36 m long, 8 ft 2 in / 2.49 m wide, 9 ft 3 in / 2.82 m high, 25,600 lb (11,600 kg).CAT 312 GC · TRANSPORT DIMENSIONSTHIRD-ANGLE PROJECTION · ONE SCALE24 ft 2 in7.36 m9 ft 3 in2.82 m9 ft 4 in2.85 mTOP OF MACHINEOVER BOOM2 ft 11 in0.89 mCOUNTERWEIGHTCLEARANCESIDE ELEVATION℄40 FT HC DOOR OPENING8 ft 2 in2.49 m9 ft 3 in2.82 m9 ft 4 in2.85 mEND ELEVATION (FRONT)8 ft 2 in2.49 m10 ft 10 in3.31 mTRACK LENGTHR 7 FT 3 IN /2.2 M TAIL SWINGPLANNOTES1. Transport dimensions as published by Caterpillar; machinein transport position with boom, stick and bucketinstalled.2. Height 9 ft 3 in / 2.82 m to the top of the machine; 9 ft4 in / 2.85 m over the boom with the front installed.3. Dash-dot: 40 ft high-cube door opening, 7 ft 8 in / 2.34 mwide by 8 ft 6 in / 2.58 m high. Hatched: 6 in / 0.15 mover the door width, 11 in / 0.27 m over its height.4. On a 40 ft flat rack the machine is out of gauge by 4 in /0.09 m in width and 2 ft 11 in / 0.9 m in height; carriersconfirm acceptance per booking.5. Schematic to scale; not for lifting, lashing orengineering.SCALE0510 ft024 mSEAWAY PROJECT CARGODwg SPC-TD-CAT-312CAT 312 GC transport drawingVIEWSide, end, planSCALETo scale, see barSOURCECaterpillar AEXQ4086-01CHECKEDOctober 2026

Scroll sideways to read the drawing, or turn your phone.

CAT 312 GC transport drawing
Download the CAT 312 GC drawing (PNG)

1920 × 1240 px. Free to use with a link to this page.

Side elevation, end elevation against a 40 ft high-cube door opening, and plan, all at one scale from Caterpillar's published transport dimensions (AEXQ4086-01, checked October 2026). Red hatching marks what stands outside the door opening. Schematic; not for lifting or engineering.

CAT 312 GC transport specifications

SpecificationValueBasis
Transport length24 ft 2 in / 7.36 mboom, stick and bucket installed, transport position
Transport width8 ft 2 in / 2.49 mover the tracks, 20 in (500 mm) shoes
Transport height9 ft 3 in / 2.82 mto the top of the machine
Height over the boom9 ft 4 in / 2.85 mboom, stick and bucket installed
Weight25,600 lb / 11,600 kgoperating weight
Tail swing radius7 ft 3 in / 2.2 msets the clearance behind the swing centre on a flat rack
Track length10 ft 10 in / 3.31 m
Track gauge6 ft 6 in / 1.99 m
Upper frame width8 ft 2 in / 2.49 mwithout the cab handrails
Ground clearance1 ft 5 in / 0.43 m
Counterweight clearance2 ft 11 in / 0.89 munderside of the counterweight to the ground
Machine typeHydraulic excavator
ConfigurationNext Gen 312 GC, the current 312, built for China: short undercarriage, 14 ft 1 in (4.3 m) reach boom, 7 ft 5 in (2.25 m) stick, 0.7 yd³ (0.53 m³) bucket, 20 in (500 mm) shoes and the 3,970 lb (1.8 t) counterweight. Height to the handrails (cab 9 ft 1 in / 2.78 m); the boom in transport stands at 9 ft 4 in (2.85 m).

Manufacturer documents

Links and figures checked October 2026. Linked from the manufacturer; we do not host them.

Published figures for the configuration shown. Shoes, tyres, buckets, counterweights and options change them, so we confirm the dimensions on your machine before booking.

Every way to ship a CAT 312 GC, best first

Loaded by Seaway

How we load the CAT 312 GC

Our loading records list earlier and sister models of the CAT 312 GC (CAT 312 B, CAT 312BL). The usual plan is 1 × 40 ft high cube.

  • 1 × 40 ft high cube
  • Loads with the standard preparation: fluids checked, battery isolated, machine cleaned and lashed.
40' high cube container · Isometric viewDoor end of the 40' high cube container, left half closed, right half cut through the door opening: inside width 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m), inside height 8 ft 10 in (2.7 m), door opening 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) wide and 8 ft 6 in (2.6 m) high.TRACK FRAMESCARBODYUPPERSTRUCTURECOUNTERWEIGHTBOOMSTICKBUCKET39 ft 6 in12.03 m40' high cube containerISOMETRIC VIEW · SEAWAY PROJECT CARGO
1 × 40 ft high cube: main machine

From our dismantling and loading records, checked July 2026. Your machine's year, attachments and options can change the boxes; we confirm before booking.

Get a quote with this planSee every model in this series

Our loading records come first. The rest is worked out from the dimensions above against container, flat rack and RoRo limits; RoRo depends on a regular sailing to your port.

#Best methodFitPreparation
1Our usual plan: 1 × 40 ft high cubeBest fitFrom our loading recordsTaken apart at the yard and loaded as in the plan above
240 ft flat rackOut-of-gaugeShips assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (4 in / 0.09 m over width, 2 ft 10 in / 0.87 m over height).
3RoRoWhere a RoRo lane serves the destinationDrives on assembled where a RoRo lane serves the destination.
4BreakbulkFits as isLifted aboard by crane as breakbulk; used when no flat rack or RoRo option suits the port.

What goes in each box, by published component weight

1 × 40 ft high cube

24,800 lb / 11,230 kg

upper structure (less counterweight) *, undercarriage frame, track shoes and chains, counterweight, boom, boom cylinders, stick, and bucket

Component weights as published by Caterpillar (AEXQ4086-01); the survey confirms the pieces and the box each one goes in. Marked * : worked out from other published weights (the base machine less the parts listed separately). Another 570 lb / 260 kg of the operating weight is fuel and operator, which travel in no box.

See how we containerize heavy equipment

Will it fit? Published configurations

Caterpillar publishes the transport dimensions for more than one configuration; pick yours and the verdict updates.

Transport envelope
24 ft 2 in × 8 ft 2 in × 9 ft 3 in (7.36 × 2.49 × 2.82 m)25,600 lb (11,600 kg)
Best fit
40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge · 4 in / 0.09 m over width, 2 ft 10 in / 0.87 m over height
40 ft high-cube door
6 in / 0.15 m over the door width, 9 in / 0.24 m over its heightAfter disassembly, across containers
Quote this configuration

Only configurations the manufacturer publishes; the survey at pickup confirms the figures before booking.

CAT 312 GC generations and how each has shipped

GenerationYears (approx.)How Seaway has loaded it
312B / 312B L—1 × 40 ft high cube2 machines on record: CAT 312 B, CAT 312BL
312C / 312C L—No record yet; measured at pickup and quoted both ways
312D / 312D L2009–2011No record yet; measured at pickup and quoted both ways
312D2 / 312D2 L / 312D2 GC2012No record yet; measured at pickup and quoted both ways
312E / 312E L2011No record yet; measured at pickup and quoted both ways
312F / 312F GC2015–2017No record yet; measured at pickup and quoted both ways
312 GC (Next Gen)current—No record yet; measured at pickup and quoted both ways

Production years are approximate; the serial plate settles the generation, and transport dimensions differ a little between them.

Where machines like the CAT 312 GC go

  • NigeriaTransit 21-30 days

    Import duty 5%HS 8429.52 · 2023

    Form M must be opened through a Nigerian bank before the machine ships.

    Quote to Nigeria
  • Saudi ArabiaTransit 18-25 days

    Import duty 5%HS 8429.52 · 2023

    Shipments need SABER conformity certificates arranged before arrival.

    Quote to Saudi Arabia
  • AustraliaTransit 28-35 days

    Import duty 0–5%HS 8429.52 · 2023

    Strict biosecurity cleaning; dirty undercarriages are re-cleaned at the importer's cost.

    Quote to Australia
  • ChileTransit 21-28 days

    Import duty 6%HS 8429.52 · 2023

    Quote to Chile

Duty rates (most-favoured-nation, averaged across the HS lines of the machine class): UNCTAD TRAINS via World Bank WITS: MFN applied tariff

Preparing a CAT 312 GC for export

  • Tier 4 Final and Stage V engines need ultra-low-sulfur diesel (15 ppm or less) and DEF. Where only high-sulfur diesel is sold, the after-treatment clogs, so check fuel quality or source a lower-tier export machine.
  • Telematics (such as Cat Product Link, Komtrax or JDLink) may stop working abroad; the dealer can transfer or end the subscription before export.

CAT 312 GC shipping questions

Does a CAT 312 GC fit in a shipping container?

Not in one piece: at 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) wide it is wider than a 40 ft high-cube door (7 ft 8 in / 2.34 m). Taken apart, it goes in 1 × 40 ft high cube, the plan from our loading records.

How much does a CAT 312 GC weigh for shipping?

Caterpillar lists the CAT 312 GC at 25,600 lb (11,600 kg) (operating weight); the bill of lading uses your machine's own weight.

What are the shipping dimensions of a CAT 312 GC?

24 ft 2 in × 8 ft 2 in × 9 ft 3 in (7.36 × 2.49 × 2.82 m) (length × width × height) in transport position, from Caterpillar's published specifications for the CAT 312 GC.

What has to come off a CAT 312 GC to ship it?

For 1 × 40 ft high cube: 1 × 40 ft high cube: upper structure (less counterweight), undercarriage frame, track shoes and chains, counterweight, boom, boom cylinders, stick, and bucket (24,800 lb / 11,230 kg). Our crew does the work, crates and labels the loose parts and documents everything for reassembly.

Can a CAT 312 GC ship RoRo?

Yes, where a RoRo lane serves your destination port. It drives on under its own power. RoRo from the U.S. reaches fewer countries than containers and flat racks, so we check your port first.