Mini excavators are among the most shipped machines leaving the United States, and for good reason. They are small enough to travel inside a container at container prices, they are built in large numbers by manufacturers that buyers recognize everywhere, and a good used one earns its keep from the day it lands. This guide covers what actually fits, when the boom has to come off, how the machine is prepared, and what moves the price.
What counts as a mini excavator
The term covers a wide span, which is why quotes on this machine vary so much. At the small end sit the one to three tonne machines, light enough that two of them can share a container with room left over. In the middle are the three to six tonne machines, which are the ones we move most often and which generally fit a container on their own with very little work. At the upper end the seven and eight tonne machines begin to behave like full size equipment, and from there the question of dismantling becomes a real one.
Kubota, Takeuchi, Bobcat, Caterpillar, John Deere, Yanmar, Kobelco and Hitachi all sell well at destination because parts and operators are available. The brand matters less for the freight than the transport dimensions do, but it matters a great deal for what the machine fetches when it lands.
Container fit and when the boom comes off
Most machines up to around six tonnes go into a forty foot high cube container as they stand. The cab height is usually what decides it rather than the length, and on some models the boom is folded down against the machine to bring the overall height inside the door opening. A smaller machine under three tonnes frequently fits a twenty foot container, which can be the cheaper booking when you are shipping a single unit.
Above roughly six tonnes the picture changes. The boom and arm often have to come off, and sometimes the cab or canopy is lowered as well. This is routine work rather than a complication, and the removed parts travel in the same container alongside the machine so that nothing is lost in transit. What it does add is labor time, and that is the part of the cost people forget to ask about when they compare quotes.
The three numbers that settle every one of these questions are the transport height with the boom folded or removed, the width across the tracks, and the operating weight. Give us the model number and we will look the rest up. You can compare the internal container dimensions yourself on our shipping tools page.
Rubber tracks, blades and attachments
Rubber tracks are a point worth raising before the machine is collected rather than after. A worn set is cheap to replace in the United States and expensive to source in many destination markets, so a number of our clients send a spare set in the same container. Spare tracks pack flat, they fill space that would otherwise sit empty, and the freight they add is negligible.
Buckets, breakers, augers, thumbs, grading blades and quick couplers all travel with the machine in the same way. The rule is the same as on any shipment, which is that everything has to be listed on the export filing and the bill of lading before loading day. Send us the full inventory when you book and the paperwork moves with the cargo rather than behind it.
If you are buying more than one machine, say so early. Two small units commonly share one forty foot high cube, and the saving per machine is worth planning around.
Buying at auction and collection
Most mini excavators we export are bought at Ritchie Bros., IronPlanet, Purple Wave or a dealer auction. Every one of those yards starts charging storage a short time after payment clears, and machinery charges run heavier than car charges because the machine takes up more ground. Arranging collection at the same time you pay is the single cheapest decision in the whole process.
We collect from any auction site or dealer yard anywhere in the United States and bring the machine to our warehouse for preparation and loading. A mini excavator is usually straightforward to load onto a trailer, which keeps the inland leg well below what a full size machine attracts. If the machine is not running, tell us when you book, because a unit that has to be winched needs different equipment and we would rather plan for it than discover it in the yard.
Preparation before loading
Fuel is run down, fluids are checked and secured against leaks, the battery is disconnected, loose items are cleared from the cab, and the boom and blade are brought into their transport position and locked. The machine is then chocked, chained and lashed down so that nothing can shift while the vessel is at sea. Where the boom or arm has been removed, the parts are secured separately and documented so that the machine can be put back together at the far end.
Cleaning is the requirement people forget. Several countries refuse earth moving and agricultural machinery that arrives carrying soil, plant matter or residue, and a machine held at destination for cleaning is an expensive machine to own. Steam cleaning before loading costs very little by comparison, and where we know a destination applies the rule we will say so when we quote.
What moves the price
The cost comes from the collection distance, whether the machine ships alone or shares a container, the amount of dismantling the specific model needs, the destination port and the sailing frequency on that lane. Of those, the dismantling is the one that varies most between machines that look alike on paper, and it is the one a careless quote tends to leave out.
Because we are the ocean carrier of record rather than a broker reselling space, the number you get is the real one without an added layer. What we will not do is quote you a container rate for a machine we already expect will not fit in one, because a price that changes at the warehouse was never a price at all.
Mini excavator shipping FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a mini excavator from the USA?
The figure comes from the collection point in the United States, whether the machine ships alone in a container or shares one, how much dismantling the specific model needs, and the destination port. A compact machine that fits a container as it stands is in the cheapest class of machinery to move. Send us the model and the destination and we will price it within 24 to 48 hours. Request a quote.
Will a mini excavator fit in a 40ft container?
Most machines up to around six tonnes will, and many go in without any dismantling once the boom is folded into its transport position. The cab height is usually what decides it rather than the length. Above six tonnes the boom and arm often have to come off. Give us the model number and we will confirm which case yours falls into instead of estimating.
Can a mini excavator fit in a 20ft container?
A smaller machine under about three tonnes frequently will, and that can be the cheaper booking if you are shipping a single unit. The deciding numbers are the transport height with the boom folded and the width across the tracks. We check the specific model before quoting, because the dimensions change between model years more often than buyers expect.
Is it cheaper to ship two mini excavators together?
Usually yes, and the difference is worth planning around. Two small machines commonly share one forty foot high cube, which spreads the ocean freight across both units. If you are bidding on more than one lot at the same auction, tell us before you bid and we will look at whether they consolidate into a single booking.
Is a mini excavator cheaper to ship than a full size one?
Considerably, and the gap is wider than the size difference alone would suggest. A compact machine fits a container, often with little or no dismantling, so it moves at container rates. A full size excavator needs substantial dismantling before it will fit, and the largest machines need a flat rack or breakbulk, where the pricing works on a different basis altogether.
Does the boom have to be removed?
It depends on the machine. Below roughly six tonnes the boom usually folds into a transport position that brings the height inside the container opening. Above that the boom and arm generally come off, and sometimes the canopy or cab is lowered as well. The removed parts travel in the same container and are documented so that the machine goes back together at the far end.
Who puts the machine back together at destination?
You or your agent at the destination. We record what was removed and how it is packed so that reassembly is straightforward, but the work at the far end sits with you. If reassembly capability is limited where the machine is going, that is worth factoring into the decision before the machine is dismantled.
Can I ship spare rubber tracks with the machine?
Yes, and a good number of our clients do exactly that. Tracks are inexpensive in the United States and harder to source in several destination markets. They pack flat, they use space that would otherwise sit empty in the container, and they add very little to the freight. Put them on the list when you book.
Can buckets and attachments travel in the same container?
Yes, and it is almost always the right call. Buckets, breakers, augers, thumbs, grading blades and quick couplers all go in alongside the machine, which costs far less than shipping them separately at a later date. Everything has to appear on the export filing and the bill of lading, so send us the complete inventory when you book rather than on loading day.
Can you collect from Ritchie Bros., IronPlanet or Purple Wave?
Yes, and that is where most of the machines on this lane come from. We collect from any auction site or dealer yard in the United States, bring the machine to our warehouse, prepare it, load it and handle the export filing. Tell us the yard and the lot and we will arrange the pickup.
How quickly should I arrange collection?
At the same time that you pay for the lot. Auction yards allow a short removal window and then begin charging storage, and machinery rates are heavier than car rates because the machine occupies more ground. This is the most avoidable cost in the entire process and it catches people out every week.
What if the machine does not start or will not drive?
Tell us when you book. A machine that has to be winched rather than driven needs different equipment at the yard and at the warehouse, and we would far rather plan for that than find out about it when the truck arrives. It is not a problem, but it is a different job and it should be in the quote from the start.
Do you buy the machine for me?
No. We are a licensed ocean carrier, we do not purchase equipment on anyone's behalf, and we do not hold or provide auction account access. You buy the machine in your own name through your own account, and once it is paid for we collect it and move it. Read how that works.
What preparation does the machine need before it ships?
Fuel is run down, fluids are checked and secured, the battery is disconnected, the cab is cleared of loose items, and the boom and blade are locked into their transport position. The machine is then chocked, chained and lashed to the container floor. Anything removed is secured separately and listed so that nothing goes missing in transit.
Does a mini excavator need to be cleaned before export?
For many destinations, yes, and this is the requirement most often overlooked. Several countries refuse earth moving and agricultural machinery that arrives carrying soil, plant material or residue, and a machine held for cleaning at the destination port becomes expensive quickly. Steam cleaning before loading costs very little by comparison.
Will you tell me what condition the machine is in?
We report on the condition of the machine as it reaches our warehouse, with photographs, which gives you a checkpoint between the auction listing and the vessel. It is a record of what arrived rather than a mechanical inspection, and it is particularly useful to buyers outside the United States who never see the machine in person.
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 destination are handled by your own customs agent, and we supply the documents they need.
Are there age limits on importing used excavators?
Several countries apply them to used machinery, and the limits often differ from the ones set for cars. A number of markets that restrict used vehicle imports remain fairly open to used construction equipment. The rule belongs to the destination country, so confirm it with a licensed customs agent there before you bid rather than after the machine is yours.
Does the machine need a pre-shipment inspection?
That depends on the destination. Some countries require an inspection or a conformity certificate issued before the cargo leaves, and a machine arriving without one can sit at the port unable to clear. It is a destination requirement rather than a United States one, so confirm it with your customs agent early. We will flag it where we have seen it applied on your lane.
How fast can you quote?
Within 24 to 48 hours in normal cases. We need the make, model and year, the United States pickup location, the destination port, and a list of anything travelling with the machine. The model number alone lets us look up most of the dimensions. Send the details and we will price it.
Can you store the machine until I am ready to ship?
Yes, within reason. Holding the machine at our warehouse while a payment or a document is settled is far cheaper than leaving it accruing charges at the auction yard. Tell us early so we can plan the space, because machinery takes considerably more room than vehicles and we schedule it rather than absorb it on arrival.
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.
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.