Side Loaders Shipping
A side loader or multi-directional forklift ships with the mast lowered, in a 40 ft high cube where it clears the door or on a flat rack. Long-load trucks wider than 2.34 m go by RoRo.
Overview
Side loaders and multi-directional forklifts carry long loads such as lumber, pipe and steel, so they are built long and low with the mast between the wheels. With the mast lowered and the forks retracted, many compact models pass the 2.34 m by 2.58 m door of a 40 ft high cube; the platform width decides it.
Larger diesel side loaders for lumber yards and steel mills are wider than the door and go on a 40 ft flat rack, which carries about 39,000 kg on a 12.06 m deck, or drive aboard a RoRo ship from Baltimore, Brunswick or Houston where a lane serves the destination.
The mast is lowered or removed with hydraulic lines capped, LPG cylinders are removed, and batteries are disconnected. Each truck is chocked and lashed through its tie-down points.
We have no side loaders in our own loading records, so this page sets out the method rather than a past plan. Manufacturers publish the overall width and lowered mast height for each model, and we plan from those figures and photos before booking.
Send the make, model, serial number and the rated capacity. Side loaders are long, so the length the seller quotes needs checking against the manufacturer's data. Drain fuel to the carrier's limit and disconnect batteries before the port.
Cost depends on the machine's length and width. RoRo is priced by the cubic metres of the unit, so a long side loader with its forks extended costs more than its weight suggests. Smaller units fit flat racks at a per-rack rate plus any overhang surcharge.
Typical Specifications
| Capacity | 3 - 45 metric tons |
|---|---|
| Transport Length | Elongated chassis (plan stowage) |
| Transport Height | 2.6m - 3.6m (mast lowered) |
| Platform | Secured for transport |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
Combilift C4000 multi-directional, mast lowered: 14 ft 1 in / 4.3 m long, 7 ft 7 in / 2.3 m wide, 8 ft 8 in / 2.65 m high, 15,900 lb / 7,200 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.
Combilift C4000 multi-directional, mast lowered is 8 ft 8 in / 2.65 m tall, over the 8 ft 6 in / 2.58 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 Combilift C4000 multi-directional, mast lowered
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 long or heavy units.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
RecommendedFor self-propelled side loaders within limits.
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 the mast and platform
- Secure or remove the forks
- Reduce fluids and disconnect batteries for ocean shipment
- Plan stowage for the elongated chassis
- Document hours and condition
Common Models We Ship
- Combilift C-series, Combi-CB
- Hubtex MQ / FluX
- Baumann side loaders
- Hyster / Bulmor side loaders
Where side loaders shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on side loaders bookings, and what avoids them.
- Multi-directional trucks left with the wheels turned to the lateral position are hard to drive aboard and lash, so the wheels are set straight ahead before the truck reaches the terminal.
- Stabiliser legs on timber-yard side loaders must be fully retracted and pinned, because a leg that creeps down in transit snags on RoRo ramps and container sills during discharge.
- At about 2.65 m with the mast lowered, many multi-directional trucks are just over the 2.58 m high-cube door height, so they ship in an open-top container or on a flat rack.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do side loaders ship?
Self-propelled units typically go RoRo; long or heavy models use flat rack.
Is the platform secured?
Yes, the side platform, mast, and forks are all secured for transit.
Can you handle multi-directional trucks?
Yes, multi-directional and side-loading trucks are both within our 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
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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 Side Loaders?
Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote side loaders by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.