Construction equipment
Shipping construction equipment overseas
The U.S. exported $1.15 billion of excavators and $1.96 billion of front loaders in 2024[1][2]; most of these machines leave on a flat rack or a RoRo ship, because few pass a 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) container door without the bucket, cab or counterweight coming off[3].
Machine sizes by class
Ranges across every model in our data whose manufacturer publishes the transport figures; open the list to see each spec sheet. Width and height decide container, flat rack or RoRo; weight decides which rack and which permit.
| Class | Weight | Width | Height | Spec sheets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini excavators | 7,660 lb / 3,474 kg – 18,700 lb / 8,462 kg | 5 ft 10 in / 1.77 m – 7 ft 7 in / 2.3 m | 8 ft / 2.44 m – 8 ft 4 in / 2.54 m | |
| Crawler excavators | 48,300 lb / 21,900 kg – 53 US tons / 48,463 kg | 9 ft 9 in / 2.98 m – 11 ft 3 in / 3.44 m | 9 ft 6 in / 2.89 m – 12 ft 4 in / 3.75 m | |
| Dozers | 46,900 lb / 21,270 kg – 87,100 lb / 39,500 kg | 8 ft 2 in / 2.49 m – 9 ft 2 in / 2.79 m | 10 ft 4 in / 3.16 m – 11 ft 7 in / 3.53 m | 3 models |
| Wheel loaders | 30,500 lb / 13,847 kg – 53 US tons / 48,400 kg | 8 ft 4 in / 2.54 m – 10 ft 2 in / 3.1 m | 9 ft 2 in / 2.8 m – 11 ft 6 in / 3.5 m | |
| Backhoe loaders | 17,300 lb / 7,834 kg – 17,400 lb / 7,887 kg | 7 ft 5 in / 2.25 m – 7 ft 9 in / 2.35 m | 11 ft 3 in / 3.43 m – 12 ft / 3.65 m | |
| Motor graders | 43,100 lb / 19,531 kg | – | 11 ft 4 in / 3.45 m | 1 model |
| Articulated dump trucks | 67,700 lb / 30,700 kg – 77,300 lb / 35,055 kg | 11 ft 3 in / 3.43 m – 12 ft 6 in / 3.8 m | 11 ft 10 in / 3.6 m – 12 ft 4 in / 3.76 m | 3 models |
| Skid steers and track loaders | 9,180 lb / 4,162 kg – 12,100 lb / 5,493 kg | 6 ft 2 in / 1.88 m – 6 ft 9 in / 2.05 m | 6 ft 9 in / 2.07 m – 7 ft 3 in / 2.2 m | |
| Telehandlers | 27,500 lb / 12,470 kg | 8 ft / 2.44 m | 8 ft 10 in / 2.69 m | 1 model |
How each class usually ships
| Method | Use it when | Avoid it when |
|---|---|---|
| Container | Mini excavators, skid steers, compact track loaders and backhoes that pass a 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) wide, 8 ft 6 in (2.60 m) high door, sometimes after the bucket or cab comes off[3]. | The machine needs its boom, stick or counterweight removed and the buyer has no crew to refit them. |
| Flat rack | Excavators of 44,100 lb to 88,200 lb (20 to 40 t), dozers and graders that are too wide for a door, going to a port without a RoRo call. The rack’s payload drops on a short footprint[5]. | The destination has a RoRo service: a machine that drives aboard blocks no container slots. |
| RoRo | Wheel loaders, graders, articulated trucks and excavators that drive, to a port on a RoRo service. | The machine does not run and no roll trailer is booked. |
| Breakbulk | Mining-class excavators and haul trucks that ship in modules. | A roll trailer or flat rack takes the machine whole. |
Container, flat rack, RoRo or breakbulk?
We quote in this order because it is usually cheapest first. Most machines that look too big for a box fit once our crew takes off the bucket, boom, cab or wheels; larger ones are taken further apart across several containers, and pieces too big or heavy for a flat rack or roll trailer go 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.
Common models and how they ship
| Model | Weight | L × W × H (transport) | Best method | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 308 CRMini excavatorSpec source | 18,700 lb (8,462 kg)operating weight | 19 ft × 7 ft 7 in × 8 ft 4 in (5.8 × 2.3 × 2.54 m) | 40 ft high-cube containerFits as is | Ships as it is, blocked and lashed. |
| CAT 320Hydraulic excavatorSpec source | 49,800 lb (22,600 kg)operating weight | 31 ft 3 in × 9 ft 9 in × 9 ft 9 in (9.53 × 2.98 × 2.96 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (1 ft 11 in / 0.58 m over width, 3 ft 4 in / 1.01 m over height). |
| Komatsu PC360LC-11Hydraulic excavatorSpec source | 78,800 lb (35,748 kg)operating weight | 36 ft 7 in × 10 ft 10 in × 10 ft 9 in (11.15 × 3.29 × 3.29 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (2 ft 11 in / 0.89 m over width, 4 ft 5 in / 1.34 m over height). |
| CAT D6Track-type tractor (dozer)Spec source | 48,800 lb (22,130 kg)operating weight | 17 ft 10 in × 8 ft 4 in × 10 ft 6 in (5.44 × 2.54 × 3.19 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (6 in / 0.14 m over width, 4 ft 1 in / 1.24 m over height). |
| CAT 950Wheel loaderSpec source | 42,500 lb (19,260 kg)operating weight | 27 ft 3 in × 9 ft 3 in × 11 ft 4 in (8.31 × 2.82 × 3.46 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (1 ft 5 in / 0.42 m over width, 4 ft 11 in / 1.51 m over height). |
| CAT 140Motor graderSpec source | 43,100 lb (19,531 kg)operating weight | 33 ft 9 in (10.3 m) × n/a × 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) | Measured before quoting | The manufacturer does not publish the transport width, so we measure the machine at pickup and confirm the method before you book. |
| Volvo A40GArticulated haulerSpec source | 67,700 lb (30,700 kg)empty weight | 36 ft 11 in × 11 ft 3 in × 11 ft 10 in (11.26 × 3.43 × 3.6 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (3 ft 5 in / 1.03 m over width, 5 ft 5 in / 1.65 m over height). |
| JCB 3CXBackhoe loaderSpec source | 17,400 lb (7,887 kg)operating weight | 23 ft 7 in × 7 ft 9 in × 11 ft 3 in (7.19 × 2.35 × 3.43 m) | 40 ft flat rackOut-of-gauge | Ships assembled, blocked and lashed; out-of-gauge surcharge applies (4 ft 10 in / 1.48 m over height). |
| Bobcat T770Compact track loaderSpec source | 10,500 lb (4,770 kg)operating weight | 11 ft 10 in × 6 ft 6 in × 6 ft 9 in (3.6 × 1.98 × 2.07 m) | 20 ft containerFits as is | Ships as it is, blocked and lashed. |
Where U.S. construction machines go
U.S. exports by HS subheading in 2024, as reported by the United States to UN Comtrade. Canada and Mexico ship mostly by road; the ocean markets follow.
| Product | U.S. exports, 2024 | Units | Largest markets, share of value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excavators (360° superstructure)HS 842952 | $1.15 billion[1] | 12,683 | Canada 71% · Chile 10% · Mexico 10% · Sweden 2% · India 1% |
| Front-end loadersHS 842951 | $1.96 billion[2] | 37,101 | Canada 58% · Australia 14% · Mexico 4% · Czechia 2% · Italy 2% |
| Crawler bulldozers and angledozersHS 842911 | $378 million[7] | 2,491 | Canada 80% · Mexico 7% · Australia 4% · Chile 1% · South Africa 1% |
| Graders and levellersHS 842920 | $633 million[8] | 2,299 | Canada 47% · Australia 14% · Mexico 9% · India 5% · Chile 5% |
| Other self-propelled excavating machineryHS 842959 | $413 million[9] | 10,366 | Mexico 43% · Canada 32% · Guatemala 3% · Australia 3% · Guinea 2% |
| Off-highway dump trucksHS 870410 | $2.79 billion[10] | 6,529 | Canada 34% · Australia 29% · Chile 17% · Peru 6% · Mongolia 5% |
Export rules for construction machines
Used machines that drive count as vehicles under U.S. export rules, which adds a filing deadline most buyers do not expect. Cleanliness rules at destination are the other common hold-up.
- Used self-propelled vehicles: 72-hour ruleU.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. regulations count self-propelled construction and agricultural machinery as vehicles. A used one must be filed in AES at least 72 hours before export, whatever its value or destination, and the ITN, the VIN or serial number and the ownership documents go to CBP at the port of export. Filing after departure is not allowed.[11][4][12]
Applies to: Used machines that drive: excavators, loaders, dozers, tractors, trucks
- Electronic Export Information (15 CFR 30)U.S. Census Bureau
Electronic Export Information is filed in AES for each Schedule B number worth more than $2,500 going to one consignee on one conveyance, and for every vehicle whatever its value. For vessel cargo it is due at least 24 hours before loading; the Internal Transaction Number (ITN) goes to the carrier with the booking.[13][12]
Applies to: Any Schedule B line over $2,500, and every vehicle
- Engines exported without U.S. certification (40 CFR 1068.230)U.S. EPA
New engines and equipment that are not certified to U.S. emission standards may be exported under 40 CFR 1068.230 if they carry a label stating they are solely for export. Selling or offering one to a buyer in the United States voids the exemption, and the machine may only be run in the U.S. to prepare and deliver it for export.[14]
Applies to: New nonroad engines and equipment built for a foreign market
- Used machinery cleanliness: AustraliaAustralian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Used machinery must arrive free of soil, seeds and plant or animal material, which can mean partly dismantling the machine to clean hollow and concealed sections. Every consignment is inspected on arrival; a machine with low contamination is re-cleaned at an approved site at the importer’s cost, and a heavily contaminated one can be ordered out of the country.[6]
Applies to: Used machinery and parts shipped to Australia
- ISPM 15 wood packagingIPPC, administered in the U.S. by USDA APHIS
Wood packaging and dunnage must be heat-treated to a core temperature of 56 °C for at least 30 minutes, or fumigated, and carry the IPPC mark with the US country code, the facility number and HT or MB. Marked wood can be reused; repaired or remanufactured wood must be treated and marked again.[15]
Applies to: Crates, skids, blocking and dunnage
- Federal truck size and weight limits (23 CFR 658)FHWA
On the Interstate system a truck may gross 80,000 lb, with 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem; on the National Network the load may be 102 in wide. There is no federal height limit: states set 13.6 to 14.6 ft. A load over any of these needs an oversize or overweight permit from every state on the route.[16]
Applies to: Every road move to and from the port
Cleaning before export
Australia inspects every consignment of used machinery on arrival and sends a machine with soil or plant material to be re-cleaned at the importer’s cost; a heavily contaminated one can be ordered out of the country[6]. Cleaning tracks, belly pans and radiators properly can mean partly dismantling the machine[6].
New Zealand and several other countries apply similar checks. We book the wash at a facility near the port, so the machine does not pick up mud on the way back, and keep the photos and wash record with the export file.
Questions about shipping construction equipment
Does a used excavator need a special export filing?
Yes. U.S. rules treat self-propelled construction machinery as a vehicle, so a used one is filed in AES at least 72 hours before export, whatever its value, and the ITN, serial number and ownership documents go to CBP at the port.
Will a 20-tonne excavator fit in a container?
Usually not in one piece: most 44,100 lb (20 t) excavators are wider than the 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) container door with their tracks. Some fit a 40′ high cube once the bucket and stick are removed; otherwise they go on a flat rack or RoRo.
Can a machine built for export be sold in the U.S. first?
Not if it was exported under the EPA export exemption. A machine labelled solely for export voids that exemption if it is sold or offered to a U.S. buyer, and it may only be run in the U.S. to prepare and deliver it for export.
Which countries buy the most U.S. excavators?
In 2024 Canada, Chile and Mexico were the largest markets for U.S. excavator exports by value, followed by Sweden and India.
Our Services for Construction
- Heavy Haul Trucking
Permitted oversize and overweight moves from the yard to the port
- Flat Rack Shipping
For machines wider or taller than a container door
- RoRo Shipping
For machines that drive aboard, to ports on a RoRo service
- USDA Washing
Cleaning and records for countries that inspect used machinery
Equipment We Ship for Construction
Brands We Specialize In
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]World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade), U.S. exports of HS 842952, 2024, checked October 18, 2026
- [2]World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade), U.S. exports of HS 842951, 2024, checked October 18, 2026
- [3]Hapag-Lloyd, Container Specification (2024 update), checked October 18, 2026
- [4]U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Exporting used self-propelled vehicles, checked October 18, 2026
- [5]Hapag-Lloyd, Weight distribution in containers for safe transport (guideline), checked October 18, 2026
- [6]Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Cleanliness requirements for imported machinery, checked October 18, 2026
- [7]World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade), U.S. exports of HS 842911, 2024, checked October 18, 2026
- [8]World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade), U.S. exports of HS 842920, 2024, checked October 18, 2026
- [9]World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade), U.S. exports of HS 842959, 2024, checked October 18, 2026
- [10]World Bank WITS (UN Comtrade), U.S. exports of HS 870410, 2024, checked October 18, 2026
- [11]eCFR, 19 CFR 192.1 Definitions (used self-propelled vehicles), checked October 18, 2026
- [12]U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Regulations FAQs, checked October 18, 2026
- [13]eCFR, 15 CFR 30.37 Miscellaneous exemptions (Foreign Trade Regulations), checked October 18, 2026
- [14]eCFR, 40 CFR 1068.230 Exempting engines/equipment for export, checked October 18, 2026
- [15]USDA APHIS, Export ISPM 15-compliant wood packaging material, checked October 18, 2026
- [16]FHWA, Commercial Vehicle Size and Weight Program (23 CFR 658), checked October 18, 2026
Send us the machine and the destination
Give us the model or the measured dimensions and weight. We come back with the method, the sailing and a price, and the figures behind them.