Many of the requirements to ship heavy machinery to Europe are the same as with transporting a car or small truck. There are several registration and customs items to be covered no matter the size of the cargo. In every case, the equipment owner should be sure to have up-to-date registration and insurance information, with original documents available for inspection when a customs agent or shipping official asks to see them.

It is generally less expensive to transport motorized vehicles with roll on/roll off service, so this may also be practical when you need to ship heavy machinery to Europe. If the machinery can be driven onto the ship and secured on an inner deck, this could save a considerable amount of money over container or flat rack shipping, for example. These are questions that can be answered by shipping and transport agents who make all the arrangements for you, as well as by the shipping company itself.

Shipping companies and agents can help you arrange ocean freight, air freight as well as land transportation for your equipment. With new equipment it may be necessary to crate or cover certain items as well. Among the documents required to ship heavy machinery to Europe are dock/port receipts, bills of lading, original registration for each item, export declarations and customs forms.

It is always wise to have current, original insurance documentation available as well. This includes blanket coverage for marine shipping, for example. In most cases, the ship company is only liable for a minimum amount under its insurance. Shipping and transport service companies can also assist with preparation and filing of letters of credit and other financial documents. In addition, it may be necessary to arrange specific documents with the government of the destination country.

When you arrange to ship heavy machinery to Europe be prepared to provide the make/model of the equipment, dimensions and weight along with a current value for each item. To get some estimate of the cost for shipping you will also need to provide the names of the originating port and the destination port.

One of the most important factors when you ship heavy machinery to Europe is the experience of the transport service or freight-forwarding company. While there may be dozens of companies to choose from when you send smaller vehicles or personal cargo across the ocean, there are fewer firms with the knowledge and experience to handle the special needs of heavy equipment owners. It’s crucial to find a company that will protect the huge investment you have in your constructions or agriculture equipment. These experienced companies will also be able to answer your questions about conformity requirements in the various European nations.

Costs will vary depending on number of pieces of equipment, point of origin and final destination. Be sure to include all import duty charges and land transportation charges in your cost figures.

For overseas export and import of construction machinery, you need to look for companies that provide freight forwarding services. Moving large machinery is not something similar to moving homes and offices. Special equipments are required to transport construction machinery for which special moving companies must be hired. Companies providing freight forwarding services also provide other kinds of logistics services that may be required to complete international shipping. The freight forwarder may not actually perform the move. The company may hire third parties for actual shipping of construction machinery. However, you don’t have to talk to third parties as the freight forwarder will take of everything required for moving.

To make moving of construction machinery possible at an affordable price, you should get freight forwarding quotes from at least three different companies. You need to compare the quotes based on the services offered and cost. You should also make sure that you are given insurance options that will protect the heavy machinery you are shipping. After comparing quotes, you can choose the best quote that is suitable for you.

Construction machinery freight forwarding can be done in three different methods.

• RORO vessels are most commonly used if the machinery can operate on its own wheels. Since rolling on and rolling off such heavy machinery is simple, RORO vessels cost less. There may be times when the construction machinery can’t be transported in RORO vessels for lack of any such wheels. Also, RORO shipment is possible only in a few countries.
• In that case, container shipping is the most common freight forwarding service used when the machinery can be disassembled and loaded in containers. The flat rack containers can also be used for oversize machinery. Even though it is expensive, container shipping safely transports your construction machinery.
• Break bulk is another type of freight shipping service that is possible.

While choosing freighter forwarder for construction machinery, it is better to pay for door to door services so that the machinery is delivered to the exact destination and no third party is required to do the transportation from the port to construction site. Sometimes, storage space may be needed to store the machinery before it is delivered to the actual destination. Since freight forwarding companies provide logistic services such as warehousing and storage maintenance, you can easily ship heavy machinery overseas.

The cost of freight forwarding depends on various factors. The size & weight of the machinery are often a main parameter that influences the cost. Efforts required to load the machinery to shipping vessels also account to the total moving cost. If dedicated shipping vessels are required to make the move possible, then the total moving cost may increase.

When you are shipping construction machinery overseas, a number of documents including ownership title, insurance, bill of lading, and other machinery specific documents are required for customs clearance during import and export. A professional freight forwarding company will take care of clearing customs at source and destination ports and it will guide you through the whole shipping process. Always make sure that the company you choose is capable of handing heavy machinery transport to international countries.