Terminal Tractors Shipping
A terminal tractor drives aboard a RoRo ship whole, or goes in a 40 ft high cube where its cab clears the 2.58 m door. Most yard tractors are too tall for a standard container.
Overview
Terminal tractors, also called yard trucks or hostlers, are short single-cab tractors with a lifting fifth wheel. Most stand above the 2.58 m door of a 40 ft high cube at the cab, so they ship by RoRo, driving aboard at Baltimore, Brunswick, Jacksonville or Houston where a lane serves the destination. Ottawa, which Kalmar owns, and other makers publish the overall height for each model.
Where no RoRo lane runs, a terminal tractor goes on a 40 ft flat rack, whose deck is 12.06 m long and carries about 39,000 kg, and two can share a rack. Low-profile models that pass the 2.34 m by 2.58 m door can go in a container.
Fuel is kept to the level the carrier allows, the fifth wheel is lowered and locked, and the chassis is washed underneath of soil.
Port and distribution fleets often sell yard tractors in batches. We have no terminal tractors in our own loading records, so this page sets out the method rather than a past plan. We confirm the method with photos and the VIN before booking.
Send the make, model, serial number and say whether the tractor is road-legal or off-road only. Road-legal units with a VIN need the title for US Customs export clearance. Several terminal tractors can share one RoRo booking or flat rack.
Cost depends on how many tractors ship together. RoRo is priced by the cubic metres of each unit, and terminal tractors are short, so the rate per unit is low. Several tractors on one booking from the same port often get a better rate.
Typical Specifications
| Weight | 7 - 12 metric tons |
|---|---|
| Transport Width | 2.5m - 2.9m |
| Transport Height | 2.8m - 3.4m |
| Fifth Wheel | Secured for transport |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
Kalmar Ottawa T2 4x2 yard tractor: 17 ft 5 in / 5.3 m long, 8 ft 6 in / 2.6 m wide, 11 ft 2 in / 3.4 m high, 19,400 lb / 8,800 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.
Kalmar Ottawa T2 4x2 yard tractor is 8 ft 6 in / 2.6 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 Kalmar Ottawa T2 4x2 yard tractor
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
RecommendedFor compact units or where RoRo is unavailable.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
RecommendedMost economical for drivable yard tractors.
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
- Secure the fifth wheel / lift mechanism
- Reduce fluids and disconnect batteries for ocean shipment
- Protect cab glass and mirrors
- Document hours and condition
- Consolidate fleet units for efficient loading
Common Models We Ship
- Kalmar Ottawa T2, 4x2
- Capacity TJ / Sabre
- Terberg YT series
- Autocar ACTT
- MAFI terminal tractors
Manufacturers We Ship
Brands that build terminal tractors, the ones in our loading records first, with model dimensions and the shipping method each one fits.
Where terminal tractors shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on terminal tractors bookings, and what avoids them.
- Yard tractors are usually not road-registered and lack the lights and speed rating for public roads, so the move from the yard to the port needs a trailer or a road permit.
- Off-road yard tractors often have no title, and export clearance requires proof of ownership, so a missing certificate of origin or bill of sale holds the unit at the US port.
- Mixing a few high-roof or beacon-fitted units into a fleet can push the whole group onto a taller RoRo deck rate, so each tractor is measured individually before the fleet is booked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best way to ship yard tractors?
RoRo is often the most economical where a lane serves the destination, because they drive on and off the vessel. Elsewhere they ship on a flat rack.
Can you ship a large fleet?
Yes, we regularly export terminal-tractor fleets and consolidate loading.
Do you ship electric terminal tractors?
Yes; EV units require battery handling per carrier dangerous-goods rules, which we manage.
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 Terminal Tractors?
Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote terminal tractors by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.