Workover Rigs Shipping
A truck-mounted workover rig drives aboard a RoRo ship whole with the mast lowered. Its pump, tanks and pipe racks ship as separate loads on flat racks or in containers.
Overview
Workover and well-servicing rigs are self-propelled carriers with a telescoping mast that lowers onto the cab for road travel. Lowered, the rig is long, tall and heavy, and it ships by RoRo, driving aboard at Houston, Baltimore or Brunswick where a lane serves the destination, or as breakbulk where no RoRo lane runs.
The support equipment ships separately: pump trucks drive aboard as trucks, mud tanks and pipe racks go on 40 ft flat racks, which carry about 39,000 kg on a 12.06 m deck, and tools and spares go in 40 ft high cubes.
The mast is lowered and pinned, the drawworks and lines are secured, and every unit is cleaned of oil and mud before loading. Axle loads are checked against the carrier's ramp limits.
We have no workover rigs in our own loading records, so this page sets out the method rather than a past plan. We plan from the rig's transport dimensions and axle loads and photos of each unit before booking.
Send the make, model and serial number and say whether the rig is carrier-mounted or trailer-mounted. Carrier-mounted rigs with a VIN need the title for export. Clean the rig of mud and drain fluids before the port.
Cost depends on the rig's mount and size. Carrier-mounted rigs go by RoRo, priced by the cubic metres of the unit, so a lowered mast and folded equipment matter. Trailer rigs and support equipment go on flat racks or as breakbulk, and pipe and tools go in containers.
Typical Specifications
| Mount | Truck or trailer chassis |
|---|---|
| Mast | Folding/telescoping, secured for transport |
| Transport Height | 4.0m+ (plan for over-height) |
| Weight | 30 - 70+ metric tons |
Recommended Shipping Methods
Worked example
Crown 550 hp truck-mounted workover rig: 55 ft 1 in / 16.8 m long, 9 ft 6 in / 2.9 m wide, 13 ft 9 in / 4.2 m high, 83,800 lb / 38,000 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.
Crown 550 hp truck-mounted workover rig is 55 ft 1 in / 16.8 m long, more than a 39 ft 7 in / 12.06 m flat rack deck, so it drives or tows aboard a RoRo vessel.
- 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
Best fit for Crown 550 hp truck-mounted workover rig
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.
RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off)
RecommendedFor drivable truck-mounted rigs within limits.
Breakbulk / Heavy Lift
RecommendedFor heavy or over-height units.
Flat Rack Container
For trailer-mounted rigs and modules.
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
- Fold/lower and secure the mast
- Secure winches, tongs, and well-service tooling
- Reduce fluids and disconnect batteries for ocean shipment
- Plan for over-height transport and permits
- Document configuration and condition
Auction yards that sell workover rigs
Yards whose published equipment categories include workover rigs. Each yard page lists its nearest export ports and how we collect from it.
- RB BillingsRitchie Bros. AuctioneersBillings, Montana
- AllSurplusAllSurplusOnline, nationwide
- RB DenverRitchie Bros. AuctioneersDenver (Mead), Colorado
- RB Fort WorthRitchie Bros. AuctioneersFort Worth (Lake Worth), Texas
- RB HoustonRitchie Bros. AuctioneersHouston (Humble), Texas
- RB Oklahoma CityRitchie Bros. AuctioneersOklahoma City, Oklahoma
Common Models We Ship
- Crown / Cardwell workover rigs
- Franks / Taylor well service rigs
- IRI / Cooper LTO rigs
- Loadcraft / Cactus units
Where workover rigs shipments go wrong
Mistakes we see on workover rigs bookings, and what avoids them.
- The folded mast usually overhangs the front bumper by several metres, so the RoRo booking must use overall length with the mast, not the truck's registered length.
- Sandline and main drum wire rope left spooled with old well fluid rusts in a humid hold, so we clean and dress the lines, and buyers should still budget for a rope inspection.
- Guy wires and ground anchors are often excluded from the sale, and without them the mast cannot be raised safely, so confirm they are on the packing list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a workover rig ship by RoRo?
Drivable truck-mounted rigs can ship by RoRo within height limits; heavy/over-height units use breakbulk.
Is the mast removed?
The mast is folded/telescoped and secured; full removal is rarely needed.
Do you handle oilfield documentation?
Yes, we manage export documentation for oilfield equipment shipments.
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 Workover Rigs?
Send the make, model and pickup location. We quote workover rigs by container, flat rack or RoRo from the U.S. port that suits the machine.