5 Things Startups Should Know About Shipping Heavy Equipment Overseas

Running a business dealing with heavy equipment is tricky. It's riddled with various challenges and a lot of tribulations.

Apart from ensuring employees' health and satisfaction, you also need to take care of other things. That includes checking and balancing everything, making sure products are in perfect condition, and yes, you also need to worry about how you'll be shipping these heavy equipment overseas.

Let's get one thing straight...

When you need heavy equipment (like aerial equipment and their lift parts) shipped across the world, you need it done efficiently and safely. All so you can stay and focus some more on your day-to-day operations.

Understandably, shipping processes are a mystery for a lot of us. But as a startup business owner, you need to know and understand these things.

And thanks to modern technology and communications, it's never been easier to close international deals that involve heavy machines and equipment along with their separate parts.

5 Things Startups Should Know About Shipping

To ease your concerns about your property, it would help if you understood the steps needed to prepare equipment for overseas shipping. The process starts even before a cargo vessel first sets off. And then it concludes with a thorough inspection of all items, to ensure that no damage has been incurred.

You want this process to go smoothly? Be as prepared and informed as possible.

Start by understanding the various steps that go into heavy equipment overseas shipping.

#1 It starts with rust proofing

In sea travel, there is a chance that machinery may sit in an open-air environment on the decks of cargo ships. This means your heavy equipment is exposed to the elements, and that includes salt and water.

There's also the matter of traveling by train, and it can leave special cargo vulnerable to snow and rain.

Any metal can suffer from corrosion, but common rust is also specific to iron-based metals. You can also find other forms of corrosion in the equipment as green or white streaks. Needless to say, any corrosion can seriously compromise a heavy equipment's ability to function.

For this reason, a variety of protective techniques are implemented to prevent damage. Anti-corrosion treatments became a critical first step before packaging. Protective layers that are commonly used include:

• Paint: Oil-based coatings are well-suited for long journeys and extremely harsh conditions. It helps prevent corrosion.
• Galvanization: Also known as the "hot dip" method. It coats the heavy equipment in layers of zinc and steel. Zinc is shock absorbent, and the outer layers protects against impacts and jostling. In addition, it also protects equipment for many years after the transport.
• Plating: This is typically composed of tin and zinc. It provides an additional layer to prevent corrosion. Plus, plating has enhanced protection against abrasions and chemical damage.

#2 They do shrink wrapping

Shrink wrapping is a specialized plastic coating. It's also sensitive to temperature. Heat is applied to its surface, and it shrinks snugly around the shape of the shipped machinery. And in some cases, they also use vacuum packing to attain a perfect fit.

After shrink wrapping, your machine finally has a customized outer container. This helps your machine resist the water and the wind, along with corrosive substances, while service as buffers to cushion against impacts.

The wrap's plastic surface is UV resistant, and also wards against road grim, dust, and sea air. Shrink wraps also keep essential machine components together, preventing untoward damage to delicate individual parts.

#3 Equipment is put in containers

This is the part most people and business owners are familiar with. It entails loading large items into metal shipping containers. They all come in standardized proportions, and range from 20-53 feet in size.

Containers are providers of ultimate protection against damage and corrosion. that's why this system is most commonly used to transport over the water, but smaller containers can also be shipped by rail or air.

After freight vessels have reached their destination, containerization helps in the transportation of machinery over land. Containers are easy to move with forklifts and cranes, after all. The use of containers streamline the packing process, eliminating the additional travel costs and irritating delays.

#4 Sometimes, rail car tie-downs are used

Trains are popular vessels for transporting heavy machinery and large equipment (just like aerial lifts). Expert crews will carefully load, tie down, and secure items.

This process will obviously need customized lashes and hooks, and equipment will often be skidded as a first step.

The government also regulates transport conditions, and it helps promote worker safety. If equipment isn't expertly secured, it can damage the freight and put anyone's health on the line. This is also why you need to work with experienced shipping companies.

#5 Break bulk method

Break Bulk is a method of transporting oversized or awkwardly shaped items. It's commonly used for equipment that won't fit into regular shipping containers. It can also be used for equipment that's too heavy.

Break Bulk requires cranes and experienced handlers to load equipment safely -- on and off the transport vessel. Additional costs can also incur in break bulk shipping.

This is because of the sensitive, time-consuming loading process, and also the additional storage space required by large items in transit. It's not all a waste, though. The method saves time and money upon arrival.

Break Bulk shipping means that your machinery is intact and ready to roll out after it arrives.

The Takeaway

In the export business, you need careful planning. It makes all the difference. So be meticulous about shipping contractors with accurate weight counts and unit dimensions.

Also, be sure to articulate any pressing concerns or questions. Make sure your shipping company understands all your needs.