Vermeer Equipment Shipping
In our loading records Vermeer D24x40A, D33x44 and D36x50 directional drills each ship in one 40 ft high cube. A D24x40 S3 is 20 ft (6.1 m) long, 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) wide and 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) high in its minimum transport configuration.
Vermeer machines we have loaded in containers
6 Vermeer 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.
Drill rigs · 5 models
| Model | Boxes | Dismantling |
|---|---|---|
| Vermeer 24x40 | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Standard preparation |
| Vermeer 36x50II | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Standard preparation |
| Vermeer D24x40A | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Standard preparation |
| Vermeer D33x44 | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Standard preparation |
| Vermeer D36x50 | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Standard preparation |
Cable plows · 1 model
| Model | Boxes | Dismantling |
|---|---|---|
| Vermeer P125 | 1 × 40 ft high cube | Cab or ROPS removed and crated, blade off, driven into the box |
How each Vermeer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermeer D24x40 S3Horizontal directional drillSpec source | 20,700 lb (9,389 kg)base weight | 20 ft × 7 ft 5 in × 6 ft 4 in (6.1 × 2.26 × 1.93 m) | 40 ft high-cube containerFits as is | Ships as it is, blocked and lashed. |
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
Best fit- 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.
Preparing Vermeer machines for export
- Drilling fluid is flushed from the pump, lines and rod, and the rod box secured or packed separately.
- Batteries are disconnected and the drill is chocked and lashed through its tie-down points.
- In our loading records the Vermeer 24x40, D24x40A, D33x44, 36x50II and D36x50 directional drills each go in one 40 ft high cube.
- A P125 vibratory plow goes in one 40 ft high cube with the cab and blade off, driven in.
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 Vermeer machines go from the U.S.
The destinations we see most for Vermeer equipment, with the import rule that most often catches buyers out.
MexicoTransit 5-14 daysDirectional drills for fiber and utility work, by truck or in high cubes to Manzanillo.
Quote to Mexico
PhilippinesTransit 18-28 daysDrills for fiber and utility installation, in high cubes to Manila.
Quote to Philippines
NigeriaTransit 21-30 daysDrills for telecom work into Lagos; SONCAP certification is arranged before shipping.
Quote to Nigeria
Equipment Types We Ship
Gary Vermeer opened a machine shop in Pella, Iowa, in 1948, and the company is still owned by the Vermeer family. Long known for its forage equipment, Vermeer introduced its first horizontal directional drills in 1991 and builds HDD rigs, trenchers, plows and forage equipment in Pella.
- Horizontal directional drills
- Trenchers
- Vibratory plows
- Vacuum excavators
Why Ship Vermeer with Us
- Vermeer drills and plows in our own loading records
- Pickup from contractor yards, dealer lots and auctions across the US
- One-box plans for drills that fit whole, with rod and tooling packed alongside
Vermeer shipping questions
Does a Vermeer D24x40 fit in a container?
Yes. In our loading records a D24x40A goes in one 40 ft high cube, and the current D24x40 S3 is 20 ft (6.1 m) long, 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) wide and 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) high with the open station (8 ft 6 in / 2.6 m with the cab). We confirm the plan with photos of your machine before booking.
Who owns Vermeer?
The Vermeer family. Gary Vermeer founded the company in Pella, Iowa, in 1948, and his family still owns and runs it.
Vermeer 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 Vermeer.
Ready to Ship Your Vermeer Equipment?
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