Cranes, telehandlers & lifts

Shipping Cranes, Telehandlers and Lifts Overseas

What it costs to ship a telehandler or a rough-terrain crane from the U.S. by RoRo, flat rack or breakbulk, priced by region from our cost model, with why volume sets the RoRo price, the boom and outrigger prep, and the import rules in six markets.

By the Seaway Export logistics team Updated October 2026 7 min read

from ⁦$3,100⁩

Telehandler by RoRo to Colombia

12.29 m

RT540E travel length

2.54 m

Telehandler height, boom down

Size, weight and the methods that fit

RoRo is priced by cubic metre, and that favours the telehandler. A JLG 1055 with its boom down is 6.12 m long, 2.56 m wide and 2.54 m tall, about 40 m³, against 86 m³ for a CAT 950 loader of similar weight. That is why it rolls on for well under the loader's price on the same lane.

A Grove RT540E rough-terrain crane is the opposite: 12.29 m long with the boom retracted and 28.9 t, about 101 m³. On lanes where the RoRo rate per cubic metre is high, a flat rack beats it: ⁦$9,500–15,300⁩ to Lagos on a flat rack against ⁦$11,700–18,700⁩ by RoRo.

Telehandler: boom retracted and lowered, forks off and lashed to the deck; RoRo first.
RT crane: boom fully retracted and pinned, hook block secured, outriggers stowed; RoRo or flat rack by lane.
Boom and scissor lifts: stowed, many fit a 40′ high cube; priced on measured size.

Class	Reference model	L × W × H (m)	m³	Weight (kg)	Methods
Telehandler (10,000 lb)	JLG 1055¹	6.12 × 2.56 × 2.54	39.8	14,400	RoRo, driven or towed aboard · 40′ flat rack · Breakbulk
Rough-terrain crane (35 t)	Grove RT540E²	12.29 × 2.54 × 3.24	101.1	28,900	RoRo, driven or towed aboard · Breakbulk · 40′ flat rack

Sources^1,2

Price by region

Short Gulf Coast lanes are the cheapest: a telehandler from ⁦$3,000⁩ to Guatemala and an RT crane from ⁦$6,100⁩ to Colombia. West Africa and Australia cost the most, and in West Africa the crane goes cheapest on a flat rack.

Each cell is the lowest-priced method for that reference machine to the region's featured destinations, from a U.S. East or Gulf Coast port: the range runs from the published "from" price to the typical high. Port-to-port; the importer's side is separate.^{3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}

Reference machine	Central & South America	West Africa	UAE & Saudi Arabia	Australia
Telehandler (10,000 lb)JLG 1055	⁦$3,000–4,400⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboardLowest in GuatemalaModel estimate	⁦$5,100–8,200⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboardLowest in NigeriaModel estimate	⁦$4,000–7,500⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboardLowest in United Arab EmiratesModel estimate	⁦$5,200–9,200⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboardModel estimate
Rough-terrain crane (35 t)Grove RT540E	⁦$6,100–9,100⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboardLowest in GuatemalaModel estimate	⁦$9,400–15,100⁩40′ flat rackLowest in GhanaModel estimate	⁦$8,600–14,700⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboardLowest in United Arab EmiratesModel estimate	⁦$11,100–18,200⁩RoRo, driven or towed aboardModel estimate

Every destination's equipment price, in one table

Every method on one lane

To Saudi Arabia both machines roll on cheapest: the telehandler at ⁦$4,200–6,000⁩ and the crane at ⁦$8,600–13,200⁩. A flat rack and breakbulk both cost more on this lane.

Saudi Arabia: port-to-port price by method^3,4,5,6,8,9

Reference machine	40′ flat rack	RoRo, driven or towed aboard	Breakbulk
Telehandler (10,000 lb)JLG 1055	⁦$10,000–16,100⁩	⁦$4,200–6,000⁩lowest	⁦$6,900–12,200⁩
Rough-terrain crane (35 t)Grove RT540E	⁦$10,000–16,100⁩	⁦$8,600–13,200⁩lowest	⁦$15,000–25,200⁩

Flat rack fit

Both machines are just over a flat rack's 2.44 m width, by 12 cm and 10 cm, and over its 2.25 m height, so each blocks the slots beside and above it. The crane's 12.29 m length still fits the platform with a short overhang, and its 28.9 t is close to the limit for a tyred footprint.

Machines against a 40′ high-cube flat rack^11,12,13

Machine	W × H, m	Weight, kg	Over width	Over height	Lost slots	Flat rack
Telehandler (10,000 lb)JLG 1055	2.56 × 2.54	14,400	Yes	Yes	5	Out of gauge
Rough-terrain crane (35 t)Grove RT540E	2.54 × 3.24	28,900	Yes	Yes	5	Out of gauge

Sources^11,12

Preparing it for the ship

1
Retract and pin the boom
The boom goes fully retracted, lowered to its rest and pinned, so it cannot telescope under the ship's motion. That position sets the length and height the carrier charges for.
2
Secure the hook block and forks
The crane's hook block is tied back to its stowage point; the telehandler's forks or bucket come off and are lashed to the deck or crated with the other attachments.
3
Bring the papers
Load charts, the operator's manual and the last annual inspection travel in the cab. A used crane for Saudi Arabia also needs an inspection certificate from a SASO-approved body.
4
Screen the buyer
BIS names the UAE and Kazakhstan as transshipment points for cranes diverted to Russia, and re-export there needs a U.S. licence. Get an end-user statement before you book.

Sources^2,1,14,15

Where they ship and what it costs

Gulf construction keeps Saudi Arabia and the UAE buying cranes and telehandlers; Nigeria and Ghana buy used RT cranes for ports, oil and construction; Colombia and Chile buy for infrastructure and mining.

Rough-terrain crane (35 t): lowest-priced method by destination

Saudi Arabia^4,5,6,3,8,9⁦$8,600–13,200⁩by RoRo, driven or towed aboardDuty for this tariff line is quoted per shipmentCountry guide Price this route
United Arab Emirates^4,5,6,3,8,9⁦$8,600–14,700⁩by RoRo, driven or towed aboardDuty for this tariff line is quoted per shipmentCountry guide Price this route
Nigeria^4,5,6,3⁦$9,500–15,300⁩by 40′ flat rackDuty for this tariff line is quoted per shipmentCountry guide Price this route
Ghana^4,5,6,3⁦$9,400–15,100⁩by 40′ flat rackDuty for this tariff line is quoted per shipmentCountry guide Price this route
Colombia^4,5,6,3,7⁦$6,100–9,100⁩by RoRo, driven or towed aboardDuty for this tariff line is quoted per shipmentCountry guide Price this route
Chile^4,5,6,3⁦$10,500–18,200⁩by 40′ flat rackDuty for this tariff line is quoted per shipmentCountry guide Price this route

Duty and import taxes

Our duty tables cover earthmovers, tractors and boats; cranes (HS 8426) and telehandlers (HS 8427) are not modelled yet, so the clearing agent confirms the tariff line and rate before you buy.

The import rules still apply in full. Saudi Arabia's 15-year age limit and importer registration cover mobile heavy equipment, cranes included, and Colombia's licencia previa covers any used machine.

Sources^16,17

Specs and loading records

Specifications, loading records and engineering for these machines are on our project cargo site, Seaway Project Cargo (English):

Prices on this page come from our boat and machinery cost model, reviewed October 26, 2026, the same figures as the rate hubs and the calculator. They are port-to-port and per unit; duty and the importer's side are shown separately.

Sources

1. 1055 telehandler standard specifications, JLG Industries (Manufacturer), accessed October 26, 2026
2. RT540E rough-terrain crane: travel dimensions and gross weight, Manitowoc (Grove) (Manufacturer), accessed October 26, 2026
3. Seaway Export lane rate card (destination pages), Seaway Export (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
4. RoRo bunker adjustment factor and high & heavy surcharges, Wallenius Wilhelmsen (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
5. RoRo surcharges and high & heavy acceptance, Höegh Autoliners (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
6. Vessel-operating common carriers: published tariffs, Federal Maritime Commission (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
7. Yacht transport sailing schedule and pricing guidance, Sevenstar Yacht Transport (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
8. Middle East and Red Sea situation: land bridge and booking status, Maersk (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
9. Customer Advisory 25-2026: Middle East situation update (UAE), CMA CGM (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
10. BICON: used machinery and vessel import conditions, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
11. 40′ Flatrack High Cube: inside dimensions and payload, Hapag-Lloyd (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
12. Loading and lashing cargo on flatracks (over-width measurement), Hapag-Lloyd (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
13. Special cargo: flat racks, open tops and out-of-gauge acceptance, Hapag-Lloyd (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
14. Technical Regulation for Machinery Safety, Part 2: mobile machinery and heavy-duty equipment, SASO (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
15. Commodity, end-user and transshipment country red flags, Bureau of Industry and Security (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
16. Heavy equipment import requirements: age limit, eligible importers, banned conditions, SASO / SABER (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
17. Manual del régimen de licencia previa (used and refurbished goods), MinCIT / VUCE (Official), accessed October 26, 2026

Download the full model as open data

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest way to ship a telehandler?

RoRo, on all six lanes on this page, because at 2.54 m tall with the boom down it takes little volume: ⁦$3,100–4,400⁩ to Colombia and ⁦$4,200–6,000⁩ to Saudi Arabia, port to port.

Can a rough-terrain crane drive onto a RoRo ship?

Yes, on its own wheels with the boom retracted. On some lanes a flat rack is cheaper because of the crane's volume: to Chile ⁦$10,500–18,200⁩ on a flat rack against ⁦$12,200–19,200⁩ by RoRo.

How old can a used crane be for Saudi Arabia?

No more than 15 years from its year of manufacture, imported by a company registered in the equipment sector, with a SABER shipment certificate and a SASO-approved inspection certificate.

Do boom and scissor lifts fit in a container?

Many do when stowed: a 40′ high cube door is 2.34 m wide and 2.59 m tall. Measure the machine in its stowed position, and we price it on that size; larger boom lifts go RoRo like a telehandler.

Is duty on cranes included in your estimate?

Not yet. Our duty tables cover earthmoving machinery, tractors and boats, not HS 8426 cranes or 8427 telehandlers, so the calculator shows freight and port costs and leaves duty to your clearing agent.