Shipping machinery explained

For most NZ machinery moves, coastal shipping is more cost-effective than full road line-haul once you cross an island or move more than a few hundred kilometres. Coastal RoRo or break-bulk handles the inter-island leg, road moves the machine to and from the port. Rail is added in where heavy plant sits well on a flatdeck wagon.

Anything that can drive or be towed — wheeled excavators, telehandlers, tractors, loaders, road graders, smaller tracked machines — usually goes RoRo. The machine drives onto the vessel, gets lashed to the deck, and drives off at the other end. Fast, low-handling, and the cheapest option per machine.

Tracked excavators above RoRo height limits, mining trucks, processing plant, modular buildings and similar oversize cargo move break-bulk — lifted by crane onto a multi-purpose vessel and stowed on deck or in the hold. Slower and more expensive per piece, but the only option once you exceed RoRo dimensions.

Smaller machines and motorsport vehicles often go containerised — loaded with their spare parts, sealed at origin and untouched until destination. This is also the default for trans-Tasman moves where chain of custody matters.

• Dimensions: measured working height (boom up vs down), tracked vs wheeled, total weight.
• Lashing points: machines need accessible tie-down points.
• Cleaning: trans-Tasman moves require MPI/DAFF biosecurity cleaning.
• Documentation: serial numbers, ownership, customs codes for international.
• Insurance: marine transit cover for the value of the machine.