From Factory to Construction Site: Choosing Road, Sea, and Air Transport for Large Machinery Over 10 Tons

The delivery of large machinery over 10 tons—such as mining excavators, wind turbine main units, and heavy-duty machine tools—from factories to construction sites is a critical link in the industrial supply chain. Different transportation methods (road, sea, and air transport) vary significantly in terms of timeliness, cost, and adaptability. Poor choices can lead to project delays, cost overruns, or even equipment damage. According to data from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, in 2024, issues caused by improper transportation method selection accounted for 38% of all transportation-related problems for large machinery over 10 tons in China, including 19% from cost overruns, 15% from project delays, and 4% from equipment damage. Focusing on the core of “scenario matching,” this article breaks down the applicable conditions, operational processes, and decision-making key points of road, sea, and air transport, providing enterprises with a guide to selecting transportation methods from factories to construction sites.

I. Road Transport: The “Mainstream Choice” for Short-Distance and Inland Construction Sites

Road transport (including highway and railway transport) has become the preferred method for short-distance transportation (within 500 kilometers) of large machinery over 10 tons and delivery to inland construction sites, thanks to its “high flexibility and strong connectivity.” It is particularly suitable for scenarios where factories and construction sites are located in the same province or adjacent regions.

(1) Applicable Scenarios and Core Advantages

The core advantage of road transport lies in its “door-to-door connectivity,” which eliminates the need for transshipment and allows direct delivery of machinery from factory workshops to construction sites. Specific applicable scenarios include:

• Short-distance transportation (within 500 kilometers): For example, a machine tool factory in Suzhou, Jiangsu, transports a 25-ton heavy-duty CNC machine tool to a construction site in Jinshan, Shanghai. Covering a distance of 120 kilometers using a 3-axle low-bed semi-trailer, the delivery can be completed in one day, avoiding transshipment losses;
• Inland areas without ports: For instance, a coal mine in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, purchases a 50-ton mining crusher from Taiyuan, Shanxi. Since neither location has a sea port, railway flatcars (on the Taiyuan-Ordos railway line) are used, combined with short-distance highway transshipment, to achieve seamless “railway + highway” connectivity;
• Urgent spare part needs: When a 30-ton road roller at an infrastructure construction site in Chengdu, Sichuan, breaks down unexpectedly, 15-ton core components need to be transported from a factory in Chongqing. Highway over-limit transport is used to deliver the parts within 24 hours, ensuring the construction site resumes work.

Road transport also offers the advantage of “convenient loading and unloading”: Factories and construction sites only need to be equipped with truck cranes or forklifts to complete the loading and unloading of machinery, without relying on large port hoisting equipment. The operation cost is 20%-30% lower than that of sea transport.

(2) Operational Process and Key Considerations

Road transport of large machinery over 10 tons follows a three-step process: “compliance preparation, route optimization, and real-time monitoring”:

• Compliance preparation (7-10 days before transport):
• Highway transport: Apply to the transportation authority at the place of departure for an Over-Limit Transport Vehicle Permit, and submit documents such as the machinery weight/dimension certificate (e.g., detailed parameters for an 18-ton excavator with a width of 2.8 meters) and the transport route map. For cross-provincial transport, communicate in advance with transportation authorities in the passing provinces to ensure smooth passage;
• Railway transport: Apply to the railway department for an “over-limit cargo transport plan,” confirm the specifications of railway flatcars (e.g., Type C70 flatcars can carry 70 tons, suitable for machinery under 50 tons), and reinforce the machinery packaging (e.g., install wooden support frames).
• Route execution (during transport):
• Highway transport: Select vehicles with over-limit transport qualifications (e.g., 5-axle hydraulic low-bed semi-trailers) and equip them with professional drivers (holding A2 driver’s licenses + over-limit transport qualification certificates). Avoid rapid acceleration and sudden braking during driving, and stop every 2 hours to check the reinforcement status;
• Railway transport: Track the real-time location of the train (via the 12306 freight platform), coordinate with the construction site in advance to confirm the cargo receipt time, and ensure that short-distance highway transshipment vehicles are available to transport the machinery from the railway station to the construction site promptly.
• Delivery and acceptance (after transport):
• Upon arrival at the construction site, jointly inspect the machinery’s appearance (e.g., scratches or dents) and key components (e.g., instruments, hydraulic systems) with the construction site supervisor and supervision unit. Sign the Equipment Transport Acceptance Form to complete delivery after confirming no issues.

It is important to note that highway transport should avoid severe weather (e.g., heavy rain, heavy snow) and peak traffic hours (e.g., morning and evening rush hours in cities). For railway transport, confirm in advance whether the railway line is under maintenance to avoid delays.

(3) Cost Composition and Control Tips

Road transport costs mainly include “vehicle rental fees, fuel costs, road tolls, and labor service fees.” Taking the short-distance transport (200 kilometers) of a 20-ton machine as an example, the cost is approximately 8,000-12,000 yuan. Specific cost control tips are as follows:

• Bulk integrated transport: If multiple machines (e.g., 3 units of 15-ton excavators) are needed for the same construction site, arrange unified batch transport to share vehicle rental costs, saving 15%-20% compared to individual transport;
• Long-term cooperation negotiation: Sign long-term agreements (e.g., annual cooperation) with local logistics enterprises with over-limit transport qualifications to secure a 10%-15% reduction in vehicle rental fees, while agreeing on damage compensation ratios (e.g., full compensation);
• Route optimization for cost reduction: Use freight navigation APPs (e.g., Huochebao) to plan “low toll routes,” avoiding high-toll highways and choosing national or provincial highways. This can reduce road tolls by approximately 30% (ensure the route can carry over-limit vehicles).

II. Sea Transport: The “Cost-Effective Choice” for Long-Distance and Coastal/Transnational Construction Sites

Sea transport, with its “large capacity and low cost,” has become a core method for long-distance transport (over 1,000 kilometers) of large machinery over 10 tons and delivery to coastal or transnational construction sites. It is particularly suitable for scenarios where factories are located in port cities (e.g., Shanghai, Guangzhou) and construction sites are in coastal areas (e.g., Qingdao, Shenzhen) or overseas (e.g., Southeast Asia, Africa).

(1) Applicable Scenarios and Core Advantages

The core advantage of sea transport is its “low unit transport cost.” For long-distance transport of large machinery over 10 tons, the cost of sea transport is only 1/3-1/2 that of road transport. Specific applicable scenarios include:

• Long-distance coastal transport: A wind power equipment factory in Dalian, Liaoning, transports a 45-ton wind turbine main unit to a wind farm in Zhuhai, Guangdong. Covering 2,000 kilometers using a ro-ro ship, the cost per unit is approximately 20,000 yuan, saving 30,000 yuan compared to highway transport;
• Transnational project transport: A Chinese construction machinery enterprise exports 3 units of 30-ton excavators to a construction site in Jakarta, Indonesia. Departing from Shanghai Port and passing through the South China Sea to Jakarta Port, the sea transport takes about 7 days, with a cost 80% lower than air transport;
• Oversized machinery transport: For extra-large machinery over 70 tons (e.g., large tunnel boring machines), which cannot be carried by highways or railways, special sea containers (e.g., open-top containers) are used, combined with port gantry cranes for loading and unloading, to achieve safe delivery.

Sea transport also offers the advantage of “large capacity”: A single ro-ro ship can carry 50-100 units of large machinery over 10 tons, making it suitable for bulk equipment delivery to large construction sites. For example, a large infrastructure project in Saudi Arabia purchased 20 units of 25-ton road rollers from China at once, which were delivered via sea transport in one batch—significantly more efficient than road transport.

(2) Operational Process and Key Considerations

The sea transport process for large machinery over 10 tons is complex and requires collaboration among multiple parties, including “ports, customs, and shipping companies.” The core process includes:

• Pre-transport preparation (15-30 days):
• Packaging reinforcement: Choose packaging methods based on machinery characteristics (e.g., excavators are covered with waterproof canvas + wooden frame reinforcement; precision machine tools are packed in sealed wooden boxes) to ensure moisture and collision resistance during sea transport;
• Customs declaration and inspection: Prepare commercial invoices, packing lists, Certificate of Origin, and Equipment Inspection and Quarantine Report, and declare exports to customs. For transnational transport, confirm the customs clearance requirements of the destination country (e.g., Indonesia requires SNI certification);
• Booking confirmation: Confirm the shipping schedule and space with shipping companies (e.g., COSCO Shipping, Maersk), and select suitable transport vessels (e.g., ro-ro ships for self-propelled machinery like excavators; container ships for non-self-propelled machinery like machine tools).
• Port operations (during transport):
• Transport from factory to port: Use highway over-limit transport to move the machinery from the factory to the port (e.g., Shanghai Port). Apply for a dedicated port passage in advance to avoid congestion;
• Port loading and unloading: Use port gantry cranes or quay cranes to load the machinery into the ship’s hold (ro-ro ships allow direct driving of machinery onto the ship). Operate slowly during loading and unloading to avoid colliding with the ship’s hold;
• Sea transport tracking: Track the ship’s location via the shipping company’s official website or freight forwarder, keep abreast of the arrival time, and notify the construction site in advance to prepare for cargo receipt.
• Destination delivery (after transport):
• Customs clearance and cargo pickup: Complete customs clearance procedures at the destination port (e.g., Jakarta Port) and pay customs duties (e.g., Indonesia’s customs duty for construction machinery is approximately 5%-10%);
• Transshipment to construction site: Use local highway over-limit transport to move the machinery from the port to the construction site. Cooperate with local logistics enterprises in advance to ensure compliance (e.g., Indonesia requires local drivers to hold over-limit transport permits).

It is important to note that sea transport is highly affected by weather (e.g., avoid the South China Sea and Northwestern Pacific during typhoon seasons). Confirm the weather forecast 1-2 weeks in advance and adjust the shipping schedule accordingly. For transnational transport, apply for destination country certifications (e.g., CE certification for exports to the EU) 3-6 months in advance to avoid customs clearance delays.

(3) Cost Composition and Control Tips

Sea transport costs include “short-distance transshipment fees from factory to port, port operation fees, sea freight, destination port customs clearance fees, and short-distance transshipment fees from port to construction site.” Taking the transport of a 20-ton machine from Shanghai Port to Jakarta Port, Indonesia, as an example, the total cost is approximately 15,000-20,000 yuan. Specific cost control tips are as follows:

• Choose the right ship type: Ro-ro ship transport eliminates hoisting fees (machinery drives on and off the ship independently), saving 10%-15% of port operation fees compared to container ships;
• Bulk booking negotiation: If transporting more than 10 machines at once, negotiate with the shipping company to reduce sea freight, usually by 5%-10%;
• Optimize customs clearance processes: Entrust professional customs brokers to handle customs clearance procedures to avoid demurrage fees caused by incomplete documents (e.g., Jakarta Port’s demurrage fee is approximately 500 yuan/day/container). This can improve customs clearance efficiency by 30%.

III. Air Transport: The “Emergency Option” for Urgent and High-Value Machinery

Air transport, with its “fast timeliness,” is the only choice for urgent transport of large machinery over 10 tons (e.g., construction site shutdowns due to material shortages) and high-value precision machinery (e.g., medical equipment, aviation components). However, due to its “high cost and strict weight restrictions,” it is only suitable for special scenarios.

(1) Applicable Scenarios and Core Advantages

The core advantage of air transport is its “ultra-fast timeliness”: Domestic air transport of large machinery over 10 tons can achieve “next-day delivery,” while international air transport can be completed in 3-5 days. Specific applicable scenarios include:

• Urgent spare parts for construction sites: When the core components of a 25-ton tunnel boring machine at a Beijing subway construction site are damaged, 12-ton precision gearboxes need to be purchased from a factory in Munich, Germany. International air transport (Munich-Beijing Capital Airport) is used to deliver the parts in 3 days, avoiding extended construction site shutdowns (with daily shutdown losses of approximately 500,000 yuan);
• High-value precision machinery: A semiconductor factory in Shanghai imports a 15-ton semiconductor lithography machine from the United States, with an equipment value exceeding 100 million yuan. Air transport (Los Angeles-Shanghai Pudong Airport) is used to reduce transport time and lower damage risks (air transport vibration is only 1/5 that of sea transport);
• Emergency transport to remote areas: An infrastructure construction site in Lhasa, Tibet, needs to urgently transport a 10-ton generator. Highway transport takes 7 days (with some sections closed in winter), so air transport (Chengdu-Lhasa Gongga Airport) is chosen for delivery in 6 hours, ensuring winter power supply at the construction site.

Air transport also offers the advantage of “high safety”: Airlines have professional over-limit cargo transport teams and adopt “customized cargo hold reinforcement solutions” (e.g., installing hydraulic fixing devices). The damage rate of large machinery over 10 tons during air transport is only 0.1%, far lower than that of road transport (3.2%) and sea transport (1.5%).

(2) Operational Process and Key Considerations

The air transport process for large machinery over 10 tons is strict and must comply with airlines’ “weight and size restrictions” (e.g., Boeing 747 freighters have a maximum load capacity of 110 tons and a maximum cargo hold size of 30m×5m×4.5m). The core process includes:

• Pre-transport preparation (7-10 days):
• Weight and size confirmation: Provide the machinery’s weight and dimensions (e.g., 12 tons, 5m×2.5m×2m) to the airline (e.g., Air China Cargo, FedEx) to confirm the suitable freighter (e.g., Boeing 747 freighter can carry it);
• Packaging and security inspection: Use “shockproof wooden boxes + buffer foam” for packaging, with labels such as “fragile” and “this side up” on the boxes. Pass airport security inspections (e.g., X-ray machine checks to confirm no dangerous goods);
• Booking and route confirmation: Book air cargo space in advance with the airline (air cargo space is tight, so confirmation is needed 1 week in advance) and confirm the route (e.g., for international air transport, confirm transit airports to avoid embargo restrictions).
• Airport operations (during transport):
• Short-distance transshipment from factory to airport: Use highway over-limit transport to move the machinery from the factory to the airport cargo area (e.g., Shanghai Pudong Airport Cargo Area). Apply for dedicated airport loading/unloading time in advance;
• Cargo hold loading: Use airport-specific cranes (e.g., 20-ton airport cranes) to load the machinery into the cargo hold, with “hydraulic supports + steel band fixing” to ensure no displacement during flight;
• Transport tracking: Track the cargo’s real-time location (e.g., takeoff, transit, landing times) via the airline’s cargo system and notify the construction site in advance to prepare for cargo receipt.
• Destination delivery (after transport):
• Airport cargo pickup: Complete cargo pickup procedures at the destination airport (e.g., Beijing Capital Airport) (e.g., pay air transport surcharges, present the air waybill);
• Short-distance transshipment to construction site: Use highway transport to move the machinery from the airport to the construction site (e.g., Beijing subway construction site). Ensure compliance with the transshipment route (e.g., avoid urban traffic restriction periods).

It is important to note that air transport has strict restrictions on machinery weight and size: Machinery over 110 tons cannot be transported by air. For international air transport, confirm the loading/unloading capacity of the destination airport in advance (e.g., some African airports lack large cranes and cannot handle machinery over 10 tons), to avoid being unable to pick up the cargo after arrival.

(3) Cost Composition and Control Tips

Air transport costs are extremely high: Domestic air