Commercial Vessels Shipping
A workboat, tug or barge ships as deck cargo on a heavy-lift or semi-submersible vessel, or sails on its own keel. The vessel's length, weight and lifting points decide which.
Overview
Commercial vessels such as tugs, pilot boats, crew boats, landing craft and barges move in three ways. Smaller vessels are lifted on deck by a heavy-lift ship's cranes onto cradles, using the lifting points the naval architect specifies. Larger vessels float onto a semi-submersible ship. Some vessels make the delivery voyage under their own power, with a delivery crew and the flag state's permission.
Small workboats on trailers, and modular barges that come apart, can go by RoRo or in sections on 40 ft flat racks, which carry about 39,000 kg on a 12.06 m deck.
Every option starts from the vessel's length, beam, weight and centre of gravity, and a survey of the hull and lifting points. Deck equipment, fuel and loose items are secured or removed.
We have no commercial vessels in our own loading records, so this page sets out the method rather than a past plan. Heavy-lift and float-on sailings run on their own schedules, and we plan the vessel, the loading port and the documents with the buyer before booking.
Send the vessel name or hull number, length, beam, draft, weight and flag. Commercial vessels need deletion from their current registry and a buyer-side plan for the new flag. The vessel's survey history and class status change what the buyer can do with it on arrival.
Cost depends on the vessel's size and the method. Small craft go on deck by crane, priced by weight or volume, whichever is greater, and larger vessels go on semi-submersible ships or under their own power with a delivery crew. Port fees and survey costs are quoted on top.
Typical Specifications
| Vessel Types | Workboats, tugs, barges, patrol/pilot boats |
|---|---|
| Methods | Heavy-lift LoLo or float-on/float-off |
| Cradle | Engineered cradle/saddle supports |
| Documentation | Marine survey and lift plan |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
Damen Stan Tug 1606 (16 m) on cradle: 53 ft 3 in / 16.22 m long, 19 ft 6 in / 5.94 m wide, 24 ft 7 in / 7.5 m high, 77 US tons / 70,000 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.
Damen Stan Tug 1606 (16 m) on cradle weighs 77 US tons / 70,000 kg, over a flat rack’s 86,000 lb / 39,000 kg payload, so it ships breakbulk.
- 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
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
Best fit for Damen Stan Tug 1606 (16 m) on cradle
When: Past flat-rack and roll-trailer limits, or shipped as modules lifted aboard piece by piece.
Breakbulk / Heavy Lift
RecommendedCrane-loaded onto deck with engineered cradles.
Float-on/Float-off
RecommendedFor larger vessels on semi-submersible ships.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
On a SPMT/cradle for suitable hulls.
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
- Engineer lift points and cradle/saddle supports
- Coordinate ballasting for float operations
- Protect running gear, props, and superstructure
- Secure fuel and systems per carrier rules
- Complete a marine survey and lift plan
Common Models We Ship
- Harbor and push tugs
- Deck and hopper barges
- Crew/supply workboats
- Patrol and pilot boats
Where commercial vessels shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on commercial vessels bookings, and what avoids them.
- Brochure lightship weights omit later fit-outs, residual fuel, and ballast water, so we ask for a recent weighing or survey, because a ten percent error changes crane selection.
- The seller's flag registration must be closed with a deletion certificate before the vessel can be registered under a new flag, and a missing certificate stalls delivery.
- Stern tube seals and water-lubricated bearings dry out on a long deck voyage, so check them before relaunch or the vessel can take on water at the destination quay.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are large workboats shipped?
By heavy-lift crane onto a vessel deck with engineered cradles, or by float-on/float-off for the largest hulls.
Do you handle the lift engineering?
Yes, we engineer lift points, cradles, and the lift plan, backed by a marine survey.
Can you move tugs and barges internationally?
Yes, tugs, barges, and commercial workboats are within our project-cargo scope.
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 Commercial Vessels?
Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote commercial vessels by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.