Export Cargo Preparation: Dismantling, Shrink-Wrap & Washdown
The work done to a machine, vehicle or boat between the auction yard and the ship: dismantling so it fits a container or sits lower on a flat rack, biosecurity washdown, and shrink-wrap for cargo that rides in the open. Our own crew does it at our yard, in the order the destination and the shipping method need.
On this page
Our preparation services
How a machine or boat is prepared decides which container or ship it can go on, whether it arrives dry and undamaged, and whether it passes inspection at destination. These three services cover the physical work; the certificates that go with them are on our export documentation and compliance page.
Machine dismantling
We remove buckets, booms, cabs and attachments so a machine fits a 40' high cube or rides lower on a flat rack, with every part tagged, photographed and listed for reassembly.
Shrink-wrapping
Heavy-gauge shrink-wrap with vents and a zip inspection door for boats and machines that ride on a flat rack, by RoRo or as breakbulk, applied after the washdown.
Equipment washdown
We pressure wash machinery, vehicles and boats at our yard before loading and issue a certificate of cleaning your buyer can verify online. Built for Australia, New Zealand and the EU.
The order the work is done in
- 1
Receiving
The machine or boat is measured, photographed and its serial, PIN, VIN or hull number recorded.
- 2
Dismantling
Parts that keep it out of a container or above a flat rack's profile come off, tagged and photographed. See machine dismantling.
- 3
Washdown
Cleaning comes after dismantling, because removing parts exposes soil a wash cannot reach otherwise. See equipment washdown.
- 4
Inspection and treatment
Any APHIS inspection for a phytosanitary certificate and any stink bug treatment happen on the clean, open cargo.
- 5
Shrink-wrap
Cargo that rides in the open is wrapped last, so it stays clean and dry. See shrink-wrapping.
- 6
Loading
The cargo is loaded, blocked, braced and lashed, and the loading photos go to you before the container is sealed or the rack leaves for the terminal.
What each cargo usually needs
| Cargo | Dismantling | Washdown | Shrink-wrap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact equipment and backhoes | Often, to fit a 40' high cube | For strict destinations | Rarely, it rides in a container |
| Excavators | Boom and counterweight, to sit lower | Always for Australia and New Zealand | Cab and electronics on a flat rack |
| Tractors and combines | Duals, weights, header | Inside and out; seeds hide everywhere | Cab, if it rides in the open |
| Center consoles and bowriders | T-top, tower or windshield, for a container | Hull and trailer for strict destinations | By RoRo or flat rack |
| Sailboats and yachts | Mast unstepped; arch lowered | Hull below the waterline | Recommended on a cradle |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does the preparation work?
Our own crew, at our yard. You get photos of the machine or boat when it arrives, during the work and when it is loaded.
Why is the washdown done after dismantling?
Removing a boom, bucket or panel exposes soil packed around pins and inside cavities. Washing first and dismantling later would leave that soil for the destination inspector to find.
Does every shipment need all three services?
No. A compact machine in a container to West Africa may need only dismantling. An excavator on a flat rack to Australia needs a washdown and benefits from a wrapped cab. We recommend only what the method and destination call for.
Do you reassemble machines at destination?
No. Your mechanic or dealer does that. We give them a tagged parts list and photos of every part in place before it was removed.
Can a wrapped boat be fumigated?
Not through the wrap. Treatment for stink bug season is done on the open boat, and the shrink-wrap goes on afterward.
Do you build wooden crates?
Small parts from a dismantled machine go in a crate or on a pallet inside the same container. Any wood used for export packaging has to meet ISPM 15, the heat-treatment and stamp standard most countries enforce.
Ready for an exact quote?
Tell us what you're shipping and where it's going — we respond with a locked-in rate within 1 business day.