Feller Bunchers Shipping
A tracked feller buncher ships whole on a flat rack or by RoRo with the felling head off, or in containers after Disassembly. Wheeled feller bunchers drive aboard a RoRo ship.
Overview
Feller bunchers are built heavy for their size, with a felling head on a boom at the front. Tracked machines are wider than the 2.34 m container door on their undercarriage, so the usual plan is to ship them whole on a 40 ft flat rack, which carries about 39,000 kg on a 12.06 m deck, with the felling head off and blocked beside the machine. Where a RoRo lane serves the destination, a running machine drives aboard.
A container plan needs more taken off: the felling head, the boom and the cab guarding, and on some machines the tracks. Tigercat, John Deere and Barko publish transport dimensions that set the starting point.
Wheeled feller bunchers are articulated and drive aboard a RoRo ship from Baltimore or Brunswick, or go on a flat rack with the head off.
Forestry machines carry bark, soil and plant matter in their guarding, belly pans and tracks, and destination ports inspect for all three. Every machine is pressure-washed before loading. We have no feller bunchers in our own loading records yet; we confirm the plan with photos of your machine before booking.
Send the model, serial number and the felling head type. The head usually comes off for transport and may need its own box or rack space. Clean the machine of soil, bark and plant material, since forestry equipment is closely inspected for pests at the destination.
Cost depends on whether the machine ships by RoRo or on a flat rack. RoRo is priced by the cubic metres of the machine, so taking the head off can lower the rate. Flat racks are priced per rack plus any overhang surcharge.
Typical Specifications
| Weight Range | 15 - 45+ metric tons |
|---|---|
| Transport Width | 2.9m - 3.7m |
| Transport Height | 3.3m - 4.0m |
| Saw Head | Disc saw or bar saw (often shipped attached) |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
Tigercat 822D tracked feller buncher, head down: 27 ft 7 in / 8.4 m long, 10 ft / 3.05 m wide, 11 ft 10 in / 3.6 m high, 55,100 lb / 25,000 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.
Tigercat 822D tracked feller buncher, head down is 10 ft / 3.05 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 Tigercat 822D tracked feller buncher, head down
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 units that exceed container height when broken down.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
RecommendedCost-effective for self-propelled units within RoRo height limits.
Breakbulk / Heavy Lift
For the largest tracked machines.
Heavy Haul Trucking
RecommendedPermitted inland 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 the boom and saw head for transport
- Protect the saw head and hydraulic lines
- Reduce fluids to ocean-transport levels
- Disconnect batteries for ocean shipment
- Document hours, condition, and any damage
Common Models We Ship
- Tigercat 822, 845, 850
- John Deere 853, 859, 953
- Caterpillar 522, 553, 563
- Komatsu XT430, XT445
- Prentice / Barko track fellers
Manufacturers We Ship
Brands that build feller bunchers, the ones in our loading records first, with model dimensions and the shipping method each one fits.
Where feller bunchers shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on feller bunchers bookings, and what avoids them.
- The disc saw head adds about a metre to overall length and sets the height when curled, so measuring the bare carrier understates both figures and the flat rack or RoRo rate changes.
- Leveling bunchers must be locked level before loading, since a cab left tilted raises the transport height and puts uneven strain on the leveling cylinders once the machine is lashed.
- Wide track pads on high-flotation undercarriages overhang a flat rack deck, so dunnage and lashing points are planned for the track width rather than the narrower carrier frame.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a feller buncher ship by RoRo?
Yes, most self-propelled feller bunchers ship by RoRo if they meet height limits; taller units may use flat rack or breakbulk.
Is the saw head removed for shipping?
The saw head usually stays attached but is lowered and protected; we secure hydraulic lines and guards.
Do you ship to plantation forestry regions?
Yes, we regularly ship forestry equipment to South America, Africa, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.
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
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Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote feller bunchers by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.