A lot of different shipping companies and freight brokers provide heavy equipment transport services. However, after the pandemic, the restrictions placed on transport services made it necessary for shipping companies and freight haulers to become more flexible and adjust to the changes in shipping patterns. Nowadays, shipping heavy machinery is not as simple as it was a few years ago as a lot of things have changed and heavy equipment transportation now requires proper response measures.
A lot of people rely on trucking companies to ship their equipment. It is important to understand all the factors involved in shipping heavy equipment so you are able to minimize shipping costs and find the right carrier for your machines. The following are the most commonly used transportation methods used to ship heavy equipment. You can pick a transportation method for your machine depending on how you want it to arrive and whether or not it requires customized shipment. Sometimes a combination of these different shipping techniques is required for the equipment to be transported safely to the desired location.
Container Shipping
Malcolm McLean invented container shipping in the 50s and as a result, made intermodal transportation much more efficient. This shipping method is quite efficient as you can package the equipment in huge standardized containers making it easier to handle. There are different standard sized containers available that are built to meet international standards. This method is quite useful for companies importing and exporting goods in bulk. Apart from the variation in the sizes, there are also different types of containers available some with an open end, open top, open side, half height, flat rack, etcetera. These containers are used to ship heavy equipment all around the world as their large volume capacity and safety make the transport seamless.
The LoLo Shipping Method
The lift on, lift off shipping method is used quite often for heavy equipment transportation. In this transportation method, containerized cargo is loaded and unloaded from shipping vessels with the help of cranes or derricks. Usually, ships that require this form of loading and unloading practices already have cranes on board. There is also enough room on these ships to accommodate huge containers making them ideal for shipping heavy equipment. If you were to ship heavy equipment with this method it would also be more beneficial for the environment as the equipment would not be required to be driven to the shipping vessel.
The RoRo Shipping Method
The roll on, roll off shipping method is a common practice for people in equipment transport services. In this method instead of using a crane to load the cargo onboard, the vehicle is driven directly onto the ship. If the equipment is not motorized, handling equipment with wheels is used to roll it on and off the shipping vessel.
Flat Rack Transportation
For heavy equipment and machinery that needs to be loaded from the top or sides, these containers are the best option. These flat racks allow cargo to stick out during transportation making them ideal for the shipment of huge cargo that would not fit into standard containers due to the roof and wall constraints.