Used American farm equipment is in demand almost everywhere that grain is grown, and combines, headers, planters, balers and tillage implements leave the United States in steady numbers. What makes this cargo different from a car or a compact machine is size. A combine is one of the largest pieces of rolling equipment a private buyer will ever ship, and the way it travels decides almost everything about what it costs. This guide explains the realistic options, the rules that catch people out, and the information we need before anyone can price it properly.
How a combine actually travels
Most combines move in one of two ways. The first is roll on roll off, where the machine is driven aboard a vessel built to carry rolling cargo and secured on a deck. The second is flat rack, where the machine is loaded onto an open container platform and shipped on a container vessel. Both are used regularly on this cargo and the right one depends on the machine, on the destination port and on what is sailing.
There is a third possibility that comes up less often. A smaller combine, or one that can be substantially reduced, is sometimes dismantled far enough to travel inside a container. This is entirely a case by case decision and it is never the default. Whether it makes sense depends on how the particular machine is built, what it costs to take apart and put back together, and whether the saving on the freight is genuinely larger than the labor at both ends.
What we would ask you to take from this is that nobody can price a combine from a general table. The pricing on this cargo can get very high, particularly on flat rack, and the only honest way to handle it is a written quotation against the actual machine. Send us the details and we will quote it.
The header is a separate problem
The header, or cutting platform, is what turns a manageable shipment into a difficult one if it is not planned for. A grain header is wide, a corn head is wide and heavy, and neither travels attached to the machine. The header comes off and moves on its own transport trailer or cart, and it has to be accounted for as its own piece of cargo on the booking, the export filing and the bill of lading.
Some owners ship the header on the same vessel on a separate flat rack. Some send a narrower header and leave the wide one behind. Some have the header crated. What does not work is assuming the header travels free alongside the combine, because it does not, and a quote that ignores it is a quote that will change.
Tell us the header size and type when you ask for a price, together with whether the transport cart is coming too. Those two details change the figure more than almost anything else on the shipment.
Planters, balers, tillage and smaller implements
Not everything on a farm is combine sized, and the smaller implements are far more straightforward. Balers, mowers, rakes, seed drills, cultivators, disc harrows, ploughs, sprayers, augers, grain carts, loader attachments and three point implements all move well, and many of them containerize without any difficulty at all.
Folding implements are the ones worth checking carefully. A planter or a tillage tool that folds for road transport often comes inside container dimensions once it is folded, and that turns an awkward flat rack shipment into an ordinary container booking at a much lower price. The folded width and height are the numbers that decide it, so measure the machine folded rather than working from the brochure figure for working width.
Several small implements frequently share one container, which is the cheapest way to move a mixed lot bought at the same auction. If you are buying more than one item, tell us before you bid and we will look at whether they consolidate.
Cleaning is not optional on agricultural cargo
This is the rule that catches more farm equipment shipments than any other. A great many countries apply strict biosecurity controls to agricultural machinery and will refuse, hold or order the cleaning of any machine that arrives carrying soil, crop residue, seed or plant material. Combines and tillage equipment are exactly the machines those rules were written for, because they work in the ground and they hold residue in places that are easy to miss.
The practical answer is thorough cleaning before the machine is loaded, including the inside of the grain tank, the elevators, the sieves and the underside. It costs very little compared with what a cleaning order at the destination port costs, and the delay at destination is usually worse than the money. Where we know a destination applies the rule firmly, we will tell you when we quote so that it is in the plan from the start rather than a surprise on arrival.
Any cleaning requirement, certification or inspection at the destination is set by the destination country and administered there. Confirm the current requirement with a licensed customs agent in the importing country before the machine ships, because the rules do change.
Collection and heavy haulage inside the USA
Getting a combine from a farm sale or an auction yard to the port is a job in its own right. The machine is too wide and too tall for ordinary transport, so it moves on specialist lowbed equipment, often under permit, and sometimes with escorts depending on the states it crosses. That inland leg is a real cost and it deserves to be in the quote from the beginning rather than added later.
We arrange collection anywhere in the United States, including farm sales, Ritchie Bros., Purple Wave, IronPlanet and dealer lots. What helps us most is early notice, because permitted moves are scheduled rather than arranged on the day. Tell us as soon as the lot is won and we will set the route and the equipment. More on heavy haulage to port.
What we need before we can price it
For a combine we need the make, model and year, the transport length, width and height with the header removed, the operating weight, the header type and size, whether the header cart is shipping, the collection location and the destination port. For implements we need the model, the folded dimensions and the weight.
With that information we can tell you which method the machine should move by, what the realistic cost is, and what the sailing options look like. Without it any number would be a guess, and on cargo this size a guess that turns out wrong is expensive for the person who relied on it. Everything we quote on this cargo goes out in writing against the actual machine.
Combine and farm implement shipping FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a combine harvester overseas?
There is no table figure for this cargo, and the pricing can get very high. The cost depends on the transport dimensions with the header off, the weight, whether the machine moves by roll on roll off or on a flat rack, the inland haulage to the port, and the sailing options to your destination. Every combine is quoted in writing against the actual machine. Send us the model and destination and we will price it.
Can a combine be shipped in a container?
In some cases a smaller machine can be dismantled far enough to travel inside a container, but it is entirely a case by case decision and it is never the starting assumption. Whether it is worth doing depends on how that particular machine is built, what the dismantling and reassembly cost at both ends, and whether the freight saving is genuinely bigger than the labor. We look at the specific machine and tell you honestly which way is better.
Is roll on roll off or flat rack better for a combine?
Both are used regularly and the right answer comes from the machine and the destination. Roll on roll off suits a machine that drives and a port that has the service. Flat rack suits a machine going to a container port, and it is priced on the space the load occupies, which is why an over width machine costs more than its weight alone would suggest. We check what is actually sailing to your port before recommending either.
Why is flat rack so expensive?
Because the equipment is scarce and the space is limited. There are far fewer flat racks and open tops in circulation than standard containers, each vessel carries only a limited number of them, and they are in demand for cargo that simply cannot go in a standard box. That combination of limited equipment and limited slots is what puts flat rack well above a forty foot high cube, and it is why over size cargo carries the prices it does.
Why can you not give me a price from a table?
Because no two of these machines behave the same way. The transport dimensions, the weight, the header, the condition and the destination all move the number, and a machine that looks similar on paper can cost substantially more or less to move. A table figure on this cargo would be a figure that changes later, which is of no use to anyone. We quote in writing against the actual machine instead.
Does the header ship with the combine?
The header comes off and travels as its own piece of cargo. It appears separately on the booking, the export filing and the bill of lading, and it is priced as its own item. A grain header is wide and a corn head is wide and heavy, so this is one of the biggest single factors in what a combine shipment costs. Tell us the header type and size when you ask for a price.
Can I ship the header cart too?
Yes, and many owners do, because a header is awkward to move at destination without one. The cart is listed as another item on the booking and it takes space, so it belongs in the quote from the start. Let us know when you ask for a price whether the cart is coming so that the figure you get is the complete one.
Can I ship spare parts and a spare header together?
Yes, provided everything is declared before loading. Parts, belts, sieves, concaves and a second header can all travel, and sending them with the machine is far cheaper than moving them separately later. Everything has to appear on the export filing and the bill of lading, so send us the full inventory when you book rather than on loading day.
Do you ship planters, balers and tillage equipment?
Yes, and these are much more straightforward than a combine. Balers, mowers, rakes, seed drills, cultivators, disc harrows, ploughs, sprayers, augers, grain carts and three point implements all move regularly, and a good many of them containerize without difficulty. Send us the model and the folded dimensions and we will tell you how it ships.
Will a folding planter fit in a container?
Often yes, once it is folded. A planter or tillage tool that folds for road transport frequently comes inside container dimensions in that position, which turns an awkward over size shipment into an ordinary container booking at a much lower price. Measure the machine folded rather than using the working width from the brochure, because those two numbers are very different.
Can several implements share one container?
Yes, and it is usually the cheapest way to move a mixed lot from the same sale. Several small implements, or one implement with parts and attachments, pack into a single container well. If you are bidding on more than one item at the same auction, tell us before you bid and we will look at whether they consolidate into one booking.
Do you ship tractors as well?
Yes, tractors are one of our regular cargoes and they ship by container, flat rack or roll on roll off depending on the size. A compact or utility tractor often fits a container, while a large row crop tractor usually does not. See our tractor and farm equipment guide.
Does farm machinery have to be cleaned before export?
For most destinations, yes, and on agricultural equipment this is the single most important preparation step. Many countries apply strict biosecurity controls and will refuse, hold or order the cleaning of any machine arriving with soil, crop residue, seed or plant material on it. Thorough cleaning before loading, including the grain tank, elevators, sieves and underside, costs far less than a cleaning order at the destination port.
What happens if the machine arrives dirty?
That is decided by the authorities at the destination, and the usual outcome is a hold until the machine is cleaned to their satisfaction, at the importer's cost, with the delay running alongside it. Because the rule belongs to the importing country, the only reliable approach is to clean the machine thoroughly before it loads and to confirm the current requirement with a licensed customs agent at destination beforehand.
Are there age limits on importing used farm equipment?
Some countries apply them and the limits are frequently different from those set for cars. Several markets that restrict used vehicle imports remain quite open to used agricultural machinery, since it serves production rather than adding to the vehicle fleet. The rule belongs to the destination country, so confirm it with a customs agent there before you bid.
Does farm equipment need a pre-shipment inspection?
It depends on the destination. Certain countries require an inspection or a conformity certificate issued before the cargo leaves, and a machine that arrives without one can sit at the port unable to clear. Because it is a destination requirement rather than a United States one, confirm it with your customs agent early. We will flag it if we have seen it required on your lane.
Can you collect a combine from a farm sale or auction?
Yes, anywhere in the United States, including farm sales, Ritchie Bros., Purple Wave, IronPlanet and dealer lots. A combine is too wide and too tall for ordinary transport, so it moves on specialist lowbed equipment, often under permit and sometimes with escorts. That inland leg is a real cost and we put it in the quote from the start rather than adding it later.
How much notice do you need for the collection?
As much as you can give us, and certainly as soon as the lot is won. Permitted oversize moves are scheduled rather than arranged on the day, and the route, the equipment and the escorts all have to be set up in advance. Early notice is also what keeps the machine from sitting in the yard accruing storage charges.
What if the combine does not run?
Tell us when you book. A machine that has to be winched or craned rather than driven needs different equipment at the yard, at the warehouse and possibly at the port, and it may rule out roll on roll off entirely. It is not a problem, but it is a different job and it belongs in the quote from the beginning.
What export paperwork is needed?
On the United States side we file the export declaration through the Automated Export System and issue your bill of lading. You provide the bill of sale or auction invoice, proof of ownership, and the machine details including make, model, year and serial number. Duty, permits and clearance at the far end are handled by your own customs agent, and we supply the documents they need.
What information do you need to quote a combine?
The make, model and year, the transport length, width and height with the header removed, the operating weight, the header type and size, whether the header cart is shipping, the collection location and the destination port. With those we can tell you how the machine should move and what it realistically costs. Send them over and we will quote it in writing.
Are you a licensed carrier or a broker?
We are the carrier. Cassandra Logistics is a federally licensed Ocean Transportation Intermediary under FMC licence OTI No. 025125NF, legally Royal Port Container Lines, Inc. doing business as Cassandra Logistics. The licence is public and verifiable with the Federal Maritime Commission, and on cargo of this value it is worth verifying whoever you are dealing with.
How long does a combine shipment take?
Longer than a container booking, because suitable sailings are less frequent and the loading takes more coordination at both ends. Add time for the permitted inland move and for cleaning. We give you a concrete timeline with the quote against the actual sailing options rather than a generic range.
Import rules change. The customs information on this page comes from official government sources and was accurate when published, but duties, age limits and eligibility requirements are set by the destination country and can change without notice. Cassandra Logistics is a licensed ocean carrier, not a customs authority or a legal adviser. We are not responsible for changes to foreign import law, or for decisions made by customs at destination. Always confirm current requirements with a licensed customs agent in the destination country before you buy.