Backhoe loader · JCB
How to ship a JCB 3CX overseas
At 7 ft 9 in (2.35 m) wide, the JCB 3CX is wider than a container door in one piece (7 ft 8 in / 2.34 m), so it ships whole on a 40 ft flat rack (4 ft 10 in / 1.48 m over height). RoRo is the alternative where a lane serves your port. It can also be containerized after major disassembly (bucket off, attachments off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, and wheels off), across one or more containers; we survey it first and quote both.
JCB 3CX shipping dimensions
- Weight
- 17,400 lb (7,887 kg)operating weight
- Machine type
- Backhoe loader
- Transport length
- 23 ft 7 in (7.19 m)
- Transport width
- 7 ft 9 in (2.35 m)
- Transport height
- 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m)
- Source
- JCB specifications
- Configuration
- Fixed dipper, transport dimensions.
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 JCB 3CX, best first
Worked out from the dimensions above against container, flat rack and RoRo limits. RoRo depends on a regular sailing to your port.
| # | Best method | Fit | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 ft flat rackBest fit | Out-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (4 ft 10 in / 1.48 m over height). |
| 2 | 40 ft high-cube container | After major disassembly, across containers | Taken apart and loaded across one or more 40 ft containers, with open-tops for tall pieces: bucket off, attachments off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, and wheels off. We survey the machine first and quote this next to shipping it whole. How we containerize |
| 3 | RoRo | Where a RoRo lane serves the destination | Drives on assembled where a RoRo lane serves the destination. |
| 4 | Breakbulk | Fits as is | Lifted aboard by crane as breakbulk; used when no flat rack or RoRo option suits the port. |
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
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 a JCB 3CX 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.
Where machines like the JCB 3CX go
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
JCB 3CX shipping questions
Does a JCB 3CX fit in a shipping container?
At 7 ft 9 in (2.35 m) wide, the JCB 3CX is wider than a container door in one piece (7 ft 8 in / 2.34 m), so it ships whole on a 40 ft flat rack (4 ft 10 in / 1.48 m over height). RoRo is the alternative where a lane serves your port. It can also be containerized after major disassembly (bucket off, attachments off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, and wheels off), across one or more containers; we survey it first and quote both.
How much does a JCB 3CX weigh for shipping?
JCB lists the JCB 3CX at 17,400 lb (7,887 kg) (operating weight). Attachments, counterweight options and fuel change the figure, so the weight on the bill of lading comes from the machine itself.
What are the shipping dimensions of a JCB 3CX?
23 ft 7 in × 7 ft 9 in × 11 ft 3 in (7.19 × 2.35 × 3.43 m) (length × width × height) in transport position, from JCB's published specifications. Shoes, tyres and options change them, so we check before booking.
What has to come off a JCB 3CX to ship it?
To containerize it: bucket off, attachments off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, and wheels off. Our crew does the work, crates and labels every part, and loads the pieces across one or more containers, with documentation for reassembly. Shipped whole on a flat rack or RoRo, it needs little or no disassembly.
Can a JCB 3CX 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.