JCB Equipment Shipping
The JCB 3CX is about as wide as a container door but 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) high in transport, so it usually ships RoRo or on a flat rack; containerizing it means taking the backhoe and cab off, which pays off only where flat racks and RoRo do not reach. Larger JCB excavators and telehandlers ship on flat racks or RoRo, and we handle any disassembly.
JCB machines we have loaded in containers
5 JCB models are in our dismantling and loading records, each with the boxes it went in and the parts that came off. Containers reach more ports and usually cost less than RoRo or flat racks.
Telehandlers · 3 models
| Model | Boxes | Dismantling |
|---|---|---|
| JCB 525-60 | 1 × 20 ft container | Standard preparation |
| JCB 541-70 | 1 × 20 ft container | Standard preparation |
| JCB 550 | 1 × 20 ft container | Standard preparation |
Wheel loaders · 1 model
| Model | Boxes | Dismantling |
|---|---|---|
| JCB 426 | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Standard preparation |
Excavators · 1 model
| Model | Boxes | Dismantling |
|---|---|---|
| JCB JS 180 | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Standard preparation |
How each JCB 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JCB 3CXBackhoe loaderSpec source | 17,400 lb (7,887 kg)operating weight | 23 ft 7 in × 7 ft 9 in × 11 ft 3 in (7.19 × 2.35 × 3.43 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (4 ft 10 in / 1.48 m over height). |
| JCB JS220 LCTracked excavatorSpec source | 48,300 lb (21,904 kg)operating weight | 31 ft 5 in × 9 ft 10 in × 10 ft 1 in (9.58 × 2.99 × 3.07 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, 3 ft 8 in / 1.12 m over height). |
| JCB 540-170 LoadallTelehandlerSpec source | 27,500 lb (12,470 kg)operating weight | 20 ft 10 in × 8 ft × 8 ft 10 in (6.36 × 2.44 × 2.69 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (2 in / 0.04 m over width, 2 ft 5 in / 0.74 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 JCB machines 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.
- JCB LiveLink telematics can be handed to the destination dealer.
- UK-origin exports require post-Brexit documentation
- Telehandlers have extended boom securing requirements
- JCB DieselMAX engines meet various emission standards
- Dealer network coordination for PDI at destination
- Fastrac high-speed tractors need special handling
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 JCB machines go from the U.S.
The destinations we see most for JCB equipment, with the import rule that most often catches buyers out.
NigeriaTransit 21-30 daysBackhoes are a staple export; Form M needed before shipment.
Quote to Nigeria
GhanaTransit 20-28 daysDeclarations through ICUMS.
Quote to Ghana
GuatemalaTransit 10-16 daysShort container transit from Houston and Miami.
Quote to Guatemala
KenyaTransit 25-35 daysUsed machinery needs a pre-export verification of conformity inspection.
Quote to Kenya
Equipment Types We Ship
JCB is Britain's largest privately-owned manufacturing company, famous for inventing the backhoe loader. JCB produces a wide range of construction and agricultural equipment shipped globally.
- Backhoe Loaders
- Telehandlers
- Excavators
- Wheel Loaders
- Skid Steers
- Compact Equipment
Why Ship JCB with Us
- Established UK export shipping lanes
- Experience with JCB World Parts logistics
- Knowledge of JCB LiveLink telematics
- Backhoe loader shipping specialists
JCB shipping questions
Does a JCB 3CX fit in a 40 ft container?
Not easily. It is 7 ft 9 in (2.35 m) wide, right at the 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) door width, and 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) high in transport against an 8 ft 6 in (2.58 m) door. It usually ships whole RoRo where a lane exists or on a flat rack. For a container, we remove the backhoe and cab and crate them alongside; that adds labour at both ends but reaches almost any port.
JCB 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 JCB.
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