Hydraulic excavator · Komatsu
How to ship a Komatsu PC490LC-11 overseas
We load the Komatsu PC490LC-11 in 1 × 40 ft open top (1 ft (0.3 m) over the side walls) + 3 × 40 ft high cube, from our own loading records. At 53 US tons (47,930 kg), the Komatsu PC490LC-11 is heavier than a 40 ft flat rack carries (about 86,000 lb / 39,000 kg), so it ships whole RoRo where a lane serves your destination, or breakbulk where none does. It can also be containerized after major disassembly (bucket off, stick and boom folded or detached, counterweight off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, upper structure lifted off the undercarriage, and track chains and shoes off), across at least 2 containers by weight; we survey it first and quote both.
Loaded by Seaway
How we load the Komatsu PC490LC-11
We have dismantled and loaded the Komatsu PC490LC-11 for export before. It goes in 1 × 40 ft open top (1 ft (0.3 m) over the side walls) + 3 × 40 ft high cube.
- 1 × 40 ft open top (1 ft (0.3 m) over the side walls) + 3 × 40 ft high cube
- Loads with the standard preparation: fluids checked, battery isolated, machine cleaned and lashed.
From our dismantling and loading records, checked July 2026. Your machine's year, attachments and options can change the boxes; we confirm before booking.
Komatsu PC490LC-11 shipping dimensions
- Weight
- 53 US tons (47,930 kg)operating weight
- Machine type
- Hydraulic excavator
- Transport length
- 39 ft 2 in (11.93 m)
- Transport width
- 11 ft 3 in (3.44 m)
- Transport height
- 11 ft 11 in (3.64 m)
- Source
- Komatsu specifications
- Configuration
- 28 in (700 mm) shoes; height to the boom (cab 11 ft / 3.36 m).
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 Komatsu PC490LC-11, 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 | RoRoBest fit | Where a RoRo lane serves the destination | Drives on assembled where a RoRo lane serves the destination. |
| 2 | 40 ft high-cube container | After major disassembly, across containers | Taken apart and loaded across at least 2 40 ft containers by weight, with open-tops for tall pieces: bucket off, stick and boom folded or detached, counterweight off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, upper structure lifted off the undercarriage, and track chains and shoes off. We survey the machine first and quote this next to shipping it whole. How we containerize |
| 3 | 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
- 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
Best fit- 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 Komatsu PC490LC-11 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.
- HD785 and larger rigid trucks ship with the dump body off; RoRo works where a lane exists, otherwise breakbulk.
Where machines like the Komatsu PC490LC-11 go
AustraliaTransit 28-35 daysBiosecurity cleaning is inspected on arrival; we clean before loading.
Quote to Australia
GhanaTransit 20-28 daysCustoms declarations go through Ghana's ICUMS system.
Quote to Ghana
United Arab EmiratesTransit 20-28 daysJebel Ali is a common re-export hub for the Gulf and East Africa.
Quote to United Arab Emirates
PhilippinesTransit 18-28 daysUsually shipped from the West Coast on flat racks.
Quote to Philippines
Komatsu PC490LC-11 shipping questions
Does a Komatsu PC490LC-11 fit in a shipping container?
We load the Komatsu PC490LC-11 in 1 × 40 ft open top (1 ft (0.3 m) over the side walls) + 3 × 40 ft high cube, from our own loading records. At 53 US tons (47,930 kg), the Komatsu PC490LC-11 is heavier than a 40 ft flat rack carries (about 86,000 lb / 39,000 kg), so it ships whole RoRo where a lane serves your destination, or breakbulk where none does. It can also be containerized after major disassembly (bucket off, stick and boom folded or detached, counterweight off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, upper structure lifted off the undercarriage, and track chains and shoes off), across at least 2 containers by weight; we survey it first and quote both.
How much does a Komatsu PC490LC-11 weigh for shipping?
Komatsu lists the Komatsu PC490LC-11 at 53 US tons (47,930 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 Komatsu PC490LC-11?
39 ft 2 in × 11 ft 3 in × 11 ft 11 in (11.93 × 3.44 × 3.64 m) (length × width × height) in transport position, from Komatsu's published specifications. Shoes, tyres and options change them, so we check before booking.
What has to come off a Komatsu PC490LC-11 to ship it?
To containerize it: bucket off, stick and boom folded or detached, counterweight off, cab or ROPS removed and crated, upper structure lifted off the undercarriage, and track chains and shoes off. Our crew does the work, crates and labels every part, and loads the pieces across at least 2 containers, with documentation for reassembly. Shipped whole on a flat rack or RoRo, it needs little or no disassembly.
Can a Komatsu PC490LC-11 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.