A-1 Shipping Heavy Equipment Overseas In A Container

Heavy equipment shipping is in its own class as far as transporting long distance, even more so when you’re shipping internationally using a shipping container. There are logistical challenges to tackle, not to mention the customs procedure, which can vary widely from one country to another, as well a high level of variance in shipping times and total cost. In this post, we’ll address some of the challenges to overseas container shipping for heavy equipment, and the solutions we offer to make the process as easy and affordable as possible.

Shipping Container Size

A standard shipping container measures either 20 or 40 feet in length, 8 feet in width, and 8 ½ feet in height. Naturally, this puts some limits on what type and size of heavy equipment can be transported in a container. There are some containers that have a slightly more height (9 ½ feet) which can allow for some wiggle room. One of the advantages of using a shipping container is that it can be easily transferred from truck to boat, which isn’t always the easiest thing to do under normal circumstances.

Overseas Shipping Is Complicated

Even though the use of a shipping container makes the overland trip from location to shipping port easier, there is still a much higher chance of delays due to all the steps involved and, in some cases, dealing with the customs paperwork (see below). All this is to say that you need to budget plenty of time for an overseas heavy equipment transport, even if you are able to streamline the process by using a shipping container.

A-1 Auto Transport is a certified, licensed, and bonded overseas transport company with decades of experience shipping vehicle, fleets, watercraft, and heavy machinery to every part of the world! With some of the most affordable rates you’ll find in the industry, we are able to provide expert shipping services at a fraction of the cost of our competitors. To learn more, or to get a FREE estimate, call us today at 1-888-230-9116! All estimates are 100% FREE!

Customs Issues

One of the most important things you should keep in mind when transporting anything overseas is the customs procedures for the country you’re shipping to. This applies to any type of vehicle, not just heavy equipment, and also applies to container shipping and other types of transport options. The real challenge is that customs varies from country to country, both in terms of the procedure itself, as well as the required paperwork and costs involved. Since this is the case, it is of the utmost importance that any company you consider for international container shipping for equipment needs to be well versed in the process.

The tricky aspect of this is that it’s not easy to determine how well a certain company understands the tariffs and customs involved in shipping to another country. There are two things we recommend to help you determine how experienced a company is in this regard. The first is to ask them how frequently they ship between the two countries. In an ideal situation, a company should have extensive experience with international shipments, as well as the specific countries which apply to your heavy equipment transport. The second thing you can do is ask if they have local offices in the countries you’re shipping to and from. If a company claims expertise with international shipment but doesn’t maintain an active office location in either one, that’s usually an indicator that they don’t have the requisite experience you should be looking for.