Frac & Pressure Pumping Equipment Shipping
Frac pumps, blenders and data vans ship as trailer- or truck-mounted units by RoRo, or on flat racks. Every unit is cleaned of sand, chemicals and fluid before loading.
Overview
A frac fleet is a set of trailer- or truck-mounted units: pumps, blenders, hydration units, sand handling, data vans and iron trailers. Each unit ships as a road vehicle, by RoRo from Houston, Baltimore or Brunswick where a lane serves the destination, towed or driven aboard. The pump units are heavy, and their axle loads are checked against the carrier's ramp limits.
Where no RoRo lane runs, units go on 40 ft flat racks, which carry about 39,000 kg on a 12.06 m deck, or as breakbulk for the heaviest. High-pressure iron, valves and spares go in 40 ft high cubes.
Cleanliness decides acceptance: sand, gel, acid and chemical residue must be cleaned from tanks, lines and manifolds, and the carrier may need a cleaning declaration.
We have no frac equipment in our own loading records, so this page sets out the method rather than a past plan. We plan from each unit's dimensions, axle loads and photos before booking.
Send the unit type, make, model and serial number, and say whether each unit is trailer, truck or skid mounted. Frac spreads ship as many separate units. Drain fuel, fluids and chemicals and clean residue from pumps and blenders before shipping.
Cost depends on the number of units in the spread and how each is mounted. Trailer- and truck-mounted pumps go by RoRo, priced by the cubic metres of each unit, and skids go on flat racks or as breakbulk. Iron, hoses and spare fluid ends pack in containers at a per-box rate.
Typical Specifications
| Units | Frac pumps, blenders, hydration, sand, data van |
|---|---|
| Mount | Trailer- and truck-mounted |
| Weight | Pump trailers 30 - 50+ metric tons each |
| Transport | Multi-unit consolidated shipment |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
2,500 hp quintuplex frac pump trailer: 44 ft 11 in / 13.7 m long, 8 ft 6 in / 2.59 m wide, 13 ft 6 in / 4.11 m high, 89,900 lb / 40,800 kg.
The ladder below is worked out from these figures. Larger or smaller units of the same type can land on a different rung.
Cheapest first: the shipping cost ladder
We price every machine from the bottom rung up. A machine only moves up a rung when a measurement rules out the cheaper method.
2,500 hp quintuplex frac pump trailer weighs 89,900 lb / 40,800 kg, over a flat rack’s 86,000 lb / 39,000 kg payload, so it drives or tows aboard a RoRo vessel.
- Rung 1
Container
Lowest cost
When: Fits through a 7 ft 8 in / 2.34 m × 8 ft 6 in / 2.58 m door and under 59,500 lb / 27,000 kg, whole or after we take off the bucket, boom, cab or wheels.
- Rung 2
Flat rack
Mid cost
When: Too wide or tall for a container door, but within 14 ft 9 in / 4.5 m wide, 13 ft 1 in / 4 m tall and 86,000 lb / 39,000 kg on one rack.
- Rung 3
RoRo
Mid cost
Best fit for 2,500 hp quintuplex frac pump trailer
When: Drives or tows aboard, under 19 ft 8 in / 6 m tall and 110 US tons / 100,000 kg, going to a port with regular RoRo sailings.
- Rung 4
Breakbulk
Highest cost
When: Past flat-rack and roll-trailer limits, or shipped as modules lifted aboard piece by piece.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
RecommendedFor drivable and trailer-mounted units.
Flat Rack Container
RecommendedFor skid units and components.
Breakbulk / Heavy Lift
For the heaviest pump packages.
Heavy Haul Trucking
RecommendedInland transport to the port.
Container, flat rack, RoRo or 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
- 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.
Handling & Preparation Requirements
- Secure high-pressure pumps, manifolds, and iron
- Drain/secure fluids per carrier rules
- Protect control/data van electronics
- Consolidate the spread for efficient loading
- Document the unit list and condition
Common Models We Ship
- NOV / SPM frac pumps
- Halliburton / SLB style spreads
- Stewart & Stevenson blenders
- Hydration and sand-handling units
Where frac & pressure pumping equipment shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on frac & pressure pumping equipment bookings, and what avoids them.
- High-pressure treating iron without traceable inspection and pressure-test records is often condemned at destination, so the certification paperwork must travel with the iron.
- Heavy frac trailers may use a 3.5 inch king pin, so a destination tractor fitted for a 2 inch pin can leave pump trailers stranded on the quay.
- Acid and gel residue left in blender tubs and pump fluid ends keeps attacking the steel in transit, so flush with water and apply corrosion inhibitor before the final drain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you ship a complete frac spread?
Yes, we consolidate and export complete pressure-pumping fleets as a coordinated project.
How are frac pumps shipped?
Trailer-mounted pumps ship by RoRo or flat rack; the heaviest packages may go breakbulk.
Do you handle the data/control vans?
Yes, we protect and ship the electronics-heavy control and data vans with the spread.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the documents below, each checked on the date shown. Carriers and authorities revise them, so we confirm the current figure when we book.
- [1]Seaway Project Cargo: about the company, checked October 22, 2026
- [2]Seaway Project Cargo country shipping guides, checked October 22, 2026
Plan your shipment
Import Duty & Tax Estimator
Estimate duty and VAT on the CIF value for 70+ destinations.
Dimensional Weight Calculator
Work out chargeable weight before you book.
Container Space Calculator
See how your cargo fits in 20ft, 40ft, and HC containers.
Route Finder
Load port, sailings, duty and rules for a machine and destination.
Ready to Ship Your Frac & Pressure Pumping Equipment?
Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote frac & pressure pumping equipment by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.