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How to Ship Mining Equipment Easily | A How-To Guide

LAC Team

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Updated: March 21, 2022

Due to its size and weight, we can undoubtedly say that mining equipment transportation sets a wide range of challenges to professionals in the mining industry. Our how-to guide will give you some tips for shipping mining equipment.

Any decision made in haste or without a thorough analysis of the critical parameters can result not only in potential damage to the equipment in question, but also in a significant decrease in the quality of the services you provide. Hence, prior to commencing the project of shipping mining equipment, it is highly important to plan the whole process carefully and in detail, to explore all the critical factors and make the final choices accordingly. We offer you some advice on how to ship mining equipment.

Know the specifications of the mining equipment to be shipped

Shipping mining equipment starts with defining the accurate size and weight of the mining gear to be shipped. This step in the process must not be neglected for several reasons. Firstly, the information on these two aspects will help the professionals at the freight forwarding company you are considering to hire to give you a much more accurate quote. Secondly, with their assistance, it will be significantly easier to choose the most appropriate shipping method for your heavy mining equipment. Finally, picking the most convenient, efficient, and cost-effective method that is in both yours and your clients’ interest becomes easily achievable.

Knowing the specifications and dimensions of the mining equipment to be shipped is mandatory – A wheel loader

 

Expertise is critical to the process

Having a competent ally in this complicated and demanding task is essential. Hence, conduct a thorough search and list in advance all the things to look for when choosing the best freight forwarding company given your circumstances. This will help you make a wise choice that is completely in accordance with your needs, requirements, and budget.

Expertise is particularly important when shipping heavy equipment internationally or when project cargo logistics services are necessary. No matter how respectable or reliable they are, not all logistics companies can meet the criteria to successfully ship oversized mining equipment, which is also often awkwardly-shaped. Also, acquaintance with all the regulations and necessary paperwork is priceless in this case.

How to choose the best shipping method for your mining equipment?

The method of transportation you will choose greatly depends on the type of mining equipment and the distance of the final destination. Here are the options worth considering.

RORO shipping

RORO shipping is a freight option that allows shipping mining vehicles as Completely Built-Up Units (CBU).  Each vehicle is driven on and off the ship through a terminal. By opting for this method, you save a considerable amount of time since no dismantling of the vehicles is needed. In other words, we can say that this truly is one of the options to go for if you need your mining gear to be delivered quickly at the final destination.

LOLO shipping

With LOLO shipping the procedure is a bit different. Ships used for this type of transportation are not designed in a way that allows driving on and off. Instead, a lift is used to load the cargo on and unload it off the ship. When transporting mining vehicles in this way, they can be loaded as CBUs, but as Semi Knocked Down Units (SKD) or Completely Knocked Down Units (CKD) as well. SKD means that the vehicle is dismantled into up to 5 pieces prior to being loaded onto a ship. On the other hand, CKD means that a vehicle is completely knocked down into parts. Then, these parts are packed into a container of the appropriate size and loaded onto a ship.

In addition to mining vehicles, large pieces of mining machinery can also be transported in this way.

RGN trails

Using RGN trails is an excellent solution to ship mining equipment by ground. They can handle the size and weight of heavy-duty mining equipment perfectly well. However, there are some additional tasks this choice might include. This refers to obtaining some special permits and, in some cases, providing escort vehicles for the successful completion of the process.

Conduct careful calculations to set the budget

The budget you need to prepare for mining equipment transportation depends on several factors. Firstly, it is influenced by the costs of hiring an expert to guide you through the whole process in a way that promises a positive outcome. Cleaning the equipment to be shipped is also one of the stages of this cycle. Very often, you will need to hire a certified equipment cleaner to conduct the job. Dismantling the equipment and proper packing add to the final costs as well. Finally, you must not forget about the price of suitable insurance.

Once you list all the potential costs, you can start with the calculations. This in-depth analysis will help you budget smartly and avoid any financial difficulties or inconveniences.

Why is insurance important?

Mining machinery is highly expensive. Any damage to this heavy equipment can cause costly repairs which would further affect your budget to a large extent. In order for you to be entitled to proper compensation should any inconvenience happen, it is crucial to obtain insurance. The sum you will invest for the purpose is, understandably, considerably smaller than the one you will have to pay for expensive repairs or even complete replacement of some parts of the equipment.

How to ship mining equipment: Our final thoughts

Shipping mining equipment requires proper solutions and efforts to bring the process to the end successfully. Making the right decisions on various different levels is critical to achieving a positive outcome. Choosing the freight forwarding company for the project is of utmost importance, so this is a task that requires your undivided attention and commitment. Having proper insurance is a warranty of appropriate compensation should any of these pieces of equipment been damaged throughout the process.

 

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