The process for shipping machinery is quite different from a normal freight consignment. We will go ahead and explain how we handle the specialist process of shipping machinery offshore, give you a practical example of how we have helped businesses with offshore projects, and let you know what to do if you need to ship items like heavy machinery.
Shipping Machinery for Specialised Offshore Jobs
UB Freight is responsible for a significant portion of machinery exports to the Pacific Islands and Australia due to our expertise in this area. In fact, we arrange shipments to Fiji on a weekly basis and we also ship to Samoa and Australia on a fortnightly basis.
You may not realise the scale of the items we ship. They are not simply small machinery parts. They are excavators, graders and portable crushers. Don’t be fooled by the name portable. A crusher is a machinery piece worth around half a million dollars, so you can imagine the scale. These are used on roading projects, mining and construction literally the machines that are building the economy.
Excavators
Excavators are the most in-demand items and we usually send 16 to 30 machines in a shipment. Because of the size and scale of these machines, they do not simply fit within a standard shipping container. They need to be shipped by a special method called break bulk. This means that they are packaged, secured and handled on the ship’s deck.
Our preferred method is to ship via a vehicle carrier that travels monthly to Fiji. This is because the machines can be driven onto the boat at origin and driven off at the destination. However, if the goods are needed at a time that doesn’t fit that monthly sailing schedule, then we arrange transport on a standard ship deck instead.
Crushers
As we mentioned above, crushers are an expensive and specialist piece of machinery, so every care is taken when we handle them. During the shipping and transport process, they are secured on a flat rack container. This is a type of container that looks like a bed, it is a container floor with no walls attached.
Our policy states that each item transported in this way needs to be lashed three times more than its weight. For example, if a crusher weighs 20 tonnes, it would require 60 tonnes of lashing. This ensures that it is transported safely both when on the road and on the sea.
Clearance
We have excellent relationships with the ports at both ends of the shipping route, so it makes the clearance process a simple one. From our Auckland office, UB Freight handles all the export clearances and required certifications. The documents are sent to the port along with the machinery items, which are transported on flat deck trucks.
Fletcher’s Momi Bay Project
We recently worked with Fletcher Construction on a large-scale project in Fiji where they were the major contractor for the construction of the Momi Bay Resort. In this instance, Fletcher had their own machinery available for the project, but they needed assistance with transporting the materials and other items.
The consignment consisted of a mixture of air freight shipments and loose cargo handling. We ended up packing containers on a weekly basis to include timber, roofing, lighting, and other building materials they required for the project.
The project was completed in two phases. The first was a groundwork phase where we shipped steel products and timber via sea. There were 10-12 supplier items in each container. Our team would pack the contents, arrange all the origin paperwork, transport the container to Fiji, complete the destination customs clearances and take the shipment to the site in Momi.
The second phase involved us moving tonnes of air freight to help Fletcher meet their project deadlines. The same process applied where we handled the shipment completely from end to end.
Throughout the whole process, we worked closely with the Quality Surveyor team at Fletcher Construction. As our key point of contact, we kept the communication lines open and worked collaboratively to ensure the correct materials were shipped within the correct timeframes to meet the necessary project deadlines.
We are pleased to say that the materials were all delivered to schedule and the entire project was able to be completed on time and on budget.
Do You Need Help with An Offshore Project?
As you can see, we have the resource to ship any equipment or materials that you need, by any method. And we would love to help you with your next project.
If you are interested in knowing more, then you can check out our website www.ubfreight.com/ . Vineet Kumar is our National Sales Manager for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands and our resident export specialist for heavy machinery. He is more than happy to answer any queries that you might have and explain how we can help you with your next project. He is contactable on [email protected] or 021 405 524.