6 Heavy Equipment Freight Types and Their Shipping Options

Heavy equipment transport involves a complicated and delicate process of loading, securing, route planning, or specialized handling methods. Depending on the type of heavy equipment being shipped, businesses can utilize standard shipping services or opt for customized solutions. For instance, RoRo shipping is designed for easy transport of diverse wheeled equipment, while shipping containers can better protect components used for industrial projects. There is also an option for project cargo, where overly large equipment is broken down strategically for seamless transport.

No matter how large or bulky your machinery is, heavy equipment shipping companies have flexible solutions for each one. This way, you can stay within budget while ensuring a safe delivery for your cargo. This article outlines the main types of heavy equipment types and how you can transport them.

6 Types of Heavy Equipment Freight and How to Ship Them

1.Bulldozers

Bulldozers are used for high-power pushing, leveling, and land clearing. These high-precision heavy equipment freight are tracked (crawler-type), making it ideal for operation on rough excavated land. Unfortunately, due to its width, bulldozers cannot fit in a standard shipping container. Your best option is to use a Roll-on/Roll-off or RoRo vessel. These are built with ramps that can accommodate both wheeled and tracked cargo.

2.Excavators

Excavators come in both tracked and wheeled types. They also come in mini or compact, midsized, or mining-scale sizes, all of which have their own standards of handling. While compact types can be disassembled to fit in an enclosed trailer, standard and mining sizes require the use of a step-deck, lowboy, or removable gooseneck (RGN) trailer trucking service. 

Although trailer trucks are generally accepted on RoRo vessels, it is best to coordinate with your chosen heavy equipment shipping company, as vessel height clearances may differ per route. RoRo freight alone is another viable option, especially for both wheeled and tracked excavators.

3.Pavers

Asphalt pavers are composed of a unique, wide, and heavy front hopper. This attachment also has an extremely low ground clearance, which can lead to damage should it be handled improperly. Thankfully, industrial paving machines can be configured for transport aboard an RGN trailer. Once it is loaded onto a trailer, you can use RoRo shipping for inter-island delivery. Note that vessel ramps might not be configured well for equipment like pavers.

4.Loaders

Loaders are used for material handling in the construction, mining, or agriculture industries. It features a wide, front-facing bucket, two booms, and hydraulic function that can scoop and transport loose materials. The front bucket is detachable, which makes it more compact for transport on trailers and RoRo vessels. Detachable components can be transported separately in standard shipping containers as well, provided they are skid steer or compact versions. 

5.Mobile Cranes

Cranes come in various sizes and configurations. Compact and standard-sized mobile cranes can easily be driven on and off a RoRo vessel, especially for inter-island heavy equipment logistics. In other cases, a heavy-duty lowboy trailer can be used for transport. Expect a more complicated handling process for large lattice boom trucks, where each component must be undone and stripped down to the bare transport unit.

6.Overly Large Industrial Equipment

The energy and construction sectors use a multitude of heavy equipment, components, and attachments that require disassembly, strict planning, and specialized cargo handling. The best heavy equipment transport options for very large, oversized, and irregularly shaped machinery are out of gauge (OOG) or project cargo.

Out of gauge or OOG cargo refers to items that cannot fit inside a standard dry shipping container. Rather, it requires a specialized kind, such as an open-top or flat rack. These are particularly designed for tall shipments that exceed the traditional dimensions for 20ft and 40ft shipping containers. 

 

Project cargo, on the other hand, involves a far more meticulous and complex process. While OOG cargo can be prepared within a couple of days to a week, project cargo can take months. For example, industrial wind turbine blades must be disassembled and transported by component. Specialized handling and permits are necessary due to the cargo’s high value.

Similar heavy equipment freight examples include:

  • Wind Turbine Blades
  • Tower Sections
  • Offshore Wind Equipment
  • Oil and Gas Pipes and Rigs
  • Prefabricated Construction Components
  • Industrial Storage Tanks

Heavy equipment logistics comes with many challenges and risks, but with the expertise of a reliable shipping company, you can get customized solutions for each of your machinery. Choose services that are customer-oriented, well-equipped, and highly attentive to detail, so you can enjoy peace of mind when transporting your cargo.

ALSO READ: Key Preparations When Shipping Cargo from Cebu to Zamboanga

Trans-Asia Shipping Lines, Inc. is one of the most trusted shipping companies in the Philippines, serving over 50 years of expertise in the Visayas and Mindanao seas. We offer daily RoRo and RoPax services along our serviceable passenger routes. Our freighter vessels also accept heavy equipment, with port calls in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Iligan, Ozamiz, Tagbilaran, and Zamboanga. Trans-Asia also offers trucking services through Big Hub Transport and Logistics Corp., for deliveries all across Cebu province and connected port links.

Visit our freighters page for our cargo rates or contact us to get a quote.