Aircraft Cargo Loaders Shipping
A main-deck or lower-deck cargo loader ships by RoRo or on a flat rack with the platforms lowered. It is too wide for a container door.
Overview
Aircraft cargo loaders lift ULDs and pallets to the hold or main deck, and they are wide by design: the platforms carry a 96 in or 125 in pallet. With the platforms fully lowered, they are still wider than the 2.34 m container door, so they ship by RoRo, driving aboard at Baltimore, Brunswick, Jacksonville or Houston where a lane serves the destination.
Where no RoRo lane runs, a loader goes on a 40 ft flat rack, which carries about 39,000 kg on a 12.06 m deck, shipped out of gauge for width. Bridges and guardrails are folded and secured.
Hydraulic systems are checked for leaks, fuel is kept to the level the carrier allows, and batteries on electric units are declared.
We have no cargo loaders in our own loading records, so this page sets out the method rather than a past plan. Manufacturers publish the transport dimensions and weight for each model, and we plan from those figures and photos before booking.
Send the make, model, serial number and the loader's rated capacity and platform size. Large main-deck loaders are long and wide, so the manufacturer's transport dimensions decide the method. Drain fuel to the carrier's limit and disconnect batteries.
Cost depends on the loader's size. RoRo is priced by the cubic metres of the unit's length, width and height, so a large main-deck loader costs more than its weight suggests. Smaller loaders on flat racks pay a per-rack rate plus a surcharge when they overhang the sides.
Typical Specifications
| Lift Capacity | 7 - 30+ metric tons |
|---|---|
| Transport Width | 3.0m - 4.5m |
| Transport Height | 1.8m - 3.0m (platforms lowered) |
| Type | Lower-deck or main-deck (freighter) loaders |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
JBT Commander 15i (15 t loader): 31 ft 6 in / 9.6 m long, 13 ft / 3.95 m wide, 8 ft / 2.45 m high, 36,400 lb / 16,500 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.
JBT Commander 15i (15 t loader) is 13 ft / 3.95 m wide, over the 7 ft 8 in / 2.34 m container door, so shipping it whole starts on the next rung up.
- 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
Best fit for JBT Commander 15i (15 t loader)
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
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.
Flat Rack Container
RecommendedFor wide main-deck loaders.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
RecommendedFor drivable loaders where deck width allows.
Breakbulk / Heavy Lift
For the largest main-deck units.
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
- Lower and secure both scissor platforms
- Secure powered roller decks and rails
- Reduce fluids and disconnect batteries for ocean shipment
- Plan lashing for the wide, heavy chassis
- Document capacity, type, and condition
Common Models We Ship
- TLD JBT Commander 15 / 30
- Trepel Champ main-deck loaders
- Charlatte / FMC loaders
- Mallaghan main-deck loaders
Where aircraft cargo loaders shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on aircraft cargo loaders bookings, and what avoids them.
- A loader that will not start at the port cannot lower its bridge platform or drive aboard, so confirm it runs before booking RoRo or budget for a crane and flat rack.
- Published widths often exclude side guide extensions and stabilizer pads, so measure the widest fixed point or the flat rack overwidth charge gets recalculated at the terminal.
- Buyers should check the loader's maximum platform height against their freighter's main-deck sill, because a lower-deck loader cannot be converted to main-deck work after it arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do main-deck loaders ship?
Their width and weight often require flat rack or breakbulk; smaller loaders can use RoRo.
Are the platforms secured?
Yes, both scissor platforms and the roller decks are fully secured for transit.
Can you ship freighter GSE packages?
Yes, we consolidate complete freighter ground-support packages to one destination.
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 Aircraft Cargo Loaders?
Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote aircraft cargo loaders by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.