Scissor Lifts Shipping
An electric slab scissor lift goes in a container on its wheels, several to a box: Genie prints the GS-1930 at 0.77 m wide and 1.80 m high. Rough-terrain models such as the Skyjack SJ6832 RT are 1.76 m wide and also fit.
Overview
Scissor lifts are built to fit through doorways, so they fit containers on their own wheels. Genie prints the GS-1930 at 1.83 m long, 0.77 m wide and 1.80 m high stowed, the GS-2632 at 2.44 m long and 0.82 m wide, and the GS-4047 at 1.20 m wide. Skyjack prints the SJ3219 at 0.81 m wide and 2.02 m high. All of them drive into a 20 ft or 40 ft container, and a 40 ft high cube, 12.03 m long inside, takes several of the small models in a row.
Rough-terrain scissors are wider but still within the door. Skyjack prints the SJ6832 RT at 2.72 m long, 1.76 m wide and 1.75 m high with the rails folded, at 3,475 kg, inside the 2.34 m by 2.58 m door of a 40 ft high cube.
The guardrails are folded where the model allows, the platform extension is retracted, and each lift is chocked and lashed through its tie-down points so it cannot roll. Batteries stay connected only where the carrier allows; lithium packs are declared.
Rental fleets sell scissors in batches, which is when container loading pays most. Our model pages for Genie and Skyjack list the published dimensions and the plan for each. We confirm the plan with photos before booking.
Send the make, model and serial number. Electric scissor lifts have batteries that are disconnected for transport, and several units can share one container. Keep the data plate and annual inspection record for the buyer.
Typical Specifications
| Working Height | 6m - 18m+ |
|---|---|
| Transport Width | 0.8m - 2.3m |
| Transport Height | 2.0m - 2.6m (lowered) |
| Drive | Electric (indoor) or rough-terrain 4x4 |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
Genie GS-2632 electric scissor, stowed: 8 ft / 2.44 m long, 2 ft 8 in / 0.81 m wide, 7 ft 5 in / 2.26 m high, 4,300 lb / 1,950 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.
Genie GS-2632 electric scissor, stowed fits a container in one piece, the cheapest way to ship it.
- Rung 1
Container
Lowest cost
Best fit for Genie GS-2632 electric scissor, stowed
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
When: Past flat-rack and roll-trailer limits, or shipped as modules lifted aboard piece by piece.
Container Shipping
RecommendedCompact electric scissor lifts consolidate well in containers.
Flat Rack Container
For wide rough-terrain units.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
RecommendedFor larger rough-terrain models.
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
- Fully lower and secure the scissor stack and platform
- Engage transport/maintenance locks
- Disconnect batteries for ocean shipment
- Protect controls and rails
- Consolidate compact units for container efficiency
Transport dimensions by model
Published dimensions, a scale drawing and every way to ship each one.
- Skyjack SJ6832 RTRough-terrain scissor lift8 ft 11 in × 5 ft 9 in × 5 ft 9 in (2.72 × 1.76 × 1.75 m)7,660 lb (3,475 kg)
- Genie GS-4047Scissor lift8 ft 2 in × 3 ft 11 in × 6 ft 5 in (2.48 × 1.2 × 1.96 m)7,150 lb (3,243 kg)
- Genie GS-3246Scissor lift8 ft × 3 ft 10 in × 6 ft (2.44 × 1.18 × 1.83 m)5,220 lb (2,367 kg)
- Skyjack SJIII 4632Scissor lift7 ft 7 in × 3 ft 10 in × 6 ft 2 in (2.31 × 1.17 × 1.88 m)5,080 lb (2,302 kg)
- Genie GS-2632Scissor lift8 ft × 2 ft 8 in × 6 ft 4 in (2.44 × 0.82 × 1.94 m)4,730 lb (2,145 kg)
- JLG ES2632Scissor lift7 ft 10 in × 2 ft 8 in × 5 ft 10 in (2.4 × 0.81 × 1.77 m)4,400 lb (1,996 kg)
- Skyjack SJ3219Scissor lift5 ft 11 in × 2 ft 8 in × 6 ft 8 in (1.8 × 0.81 × 2.02 m)3,250 lb (1,476 kg)
- Genie GS-1930Scissor lift6 ft × 2 ft 6 in × 5 ft 11 in (1.83 × 0.77 × 1.8 m)3,210 lb (1,456 kg)
Auction yards that sell scissor lifts
Yards whose published equipment categories include scissor lifts. Each yard page lists its nearest export ports and how we collect from it.
Common Models We Ship
- Genie GS-1932, GS-2632, GS-4047
- JLG 1930ES, 2630ES, 530LRT
- Skyjack SJIII, SJ9000
- Haulotte Compact / Optimum
Manufacturers We Ship
Brands that build scissor lifts, the ones in our loading records first, with model dimensions and the shipping method each one fits.
Where scissor lifts shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on scissor lifts bookings, and what avoids them.
- Lead-acid batteries in electric scissors sulphate if they go flat during a long transit and storage period, so lifts ship fully charged and are recharged on arrival before going into storage.
- With guardrails up a GS-2632 stands about 2.26 m, but folding the rails brings it under 2 m, which lets a high-cube take a second tier of compact units on a rated rack.
- Lithium-battery scissor lifts must be declared as dangerous goods when shipped in a container, and loading them as general cargo can get the container held and the shipper fined.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can scissor lifts ship in a container?
Yes, compact electric scissor lifts are container-friendly and consolidate well to cut cost.
How are rough-terrain scissors shipped?
Larger rough-terrain models usually go RoRo or flat rack.
How many fit in a container?
It depends on model size; we plan the optimal consolidation for your units.
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]Skyjack SJ6832 RT: manufacturer specification, checked October 2026
- [2]Seaway Project Cargo brand and model guides, checked October 22, 2026
Plan your shipment
Import Duty & Tax Estimator
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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 Scissor Lifts?
Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote scissor lifts by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.