Key figures (citable)
| Item | Indicative |
|---|---|
| Cargo type | Cranes and lifting gear |
| Common discharge ports | Makassar, Balikpapan, Samarinda, Banjarmasin |
| Project-cargo threshold | Oversized units (length >12 m) or heavy units (>26 t), project equipment |
| Port coverage | Covers 37 destination ports |
| Last reviewed | 2026-09-28 |
What this cargo is on this lane
Cranes, tower cranes and truck-mounted cranes are defined by length: boom sections, tower sections and outriggers travel as separate pieces, and once bundled they become oversize units. Unlike self-propelled machinery they almost always have to be dismantled, and each bundle has its own envelope — judgement must be made piece by piece on the bundled dimensions, not on the assembled machine.
How this shipment actually moves
Fix the breakdown list before talking price: how many boom sections, how many tower sections, how the outriggers and counterweight are bundled, and the length, width, height and weight of each bundle. The longest bundled side decides between breakbulk and flat rack; the bundling method decides where the lift points are and whether units can be stacked. Plan the load order backwards from the discharge sequence — what is needed first goes on last, so the hold does not have to be turned over to find a part.
How to measure it (beyond the four figures that set the mode)
| What to measure | How and why |
|---|---|
| Longest single unit (bundled) | Horizontal length of a boom or tower bundle, including the outer edge of lashing material |
| Bundled envelope | Length, width and height of each bundle separately — not the outline of the assembled machine |
| Heaviest unit | The heaviest bundle, usually the counterweight or the base section |
| Lift points and centre of gravity | Maker's marked lift points; flag when the centre of gravity is off the geometric centre |
| Stackable or not | Whether tower sections can be stacked, which drives hold footprint and stowage |
Common discharge ports and capacity tiers
| Port | Tier and capacity |
|---|---|
| Makassar | A · Commercial mainline · Container liner service, carries general cargo · Several sailings weekly — wait negligible |
| Balikpapan | A · Commercial mainline · Container liner service, carries general cargo · Several sailings weekly — wait negligible |
| Samarinda | A · Commercial mainline · Container liner service, carries general cargo · Several sailings weekly — wait negligible |
| Banjarmasin | A · Commercial mainline · Container liner service, carries general cargo · Several sailings weekly — wait negligible |
Where this cargo most often goes wrong
- Quoting on the assembled machine: after breakdown there are a dozen bundles of differing size, so a single set of figures almost always has to be revised.
- Excluding lashing material: steel banding, dunnage and blocks count towards length and width.
- Not agreeing load order with the site: the part needed first ends up at the bottom, and the cost and time of turning the hold lands on the shipper.
Questions to settle before quoting (the ones from the parent page that matter most here)
- Can it be stacked? Is it crushable? Does it need weather protection — decides stowage
- Origin and destination, plus discharge conditions at destination (shore crane available?)
- Door-to-door or port-to-port — is collection and delivery included at each end?
- Is it time-critical? Slow and fast services are priced apart, often by more than half
- What is the minimum shipment size? It differs per carrier — always ask for small lots
Frequently asked, standard answers
Container or breakbulk for my cargo?
Look at the longest side and the heaviest unit: if it exceeds container internal dimensions or the weight limit it will not fit and must move as breakbulk. Run the tool on this page, then send us the result for confirmation.
Why can international breakbulk carriers not quote the Indonesian domestic leg?
Indonesian cabotage rules prohibit foreign-flagged vessels from carrying cargo between Indonesian ports, with criminal penalties. Outer-island breakbulk therefore has to move on Indonesian domestic capacity; asking international breakbulk owners will not produce a rate.
Can you reach remote minor ports?
Yes. Ports outside the commercial mainline call list are served by breakbulk vessels and subsidised domestic freight routes, with sparse sailings confirmed against the rotation in force.
With a tower crane broken into a dozen bundles, is it priced as one shipment or per bundle?
Measure and list per bundle. Billing is per kilogram or cubic metre, W/M whichever is greater, so the more bundles there are the more each must be spelled out — otherwise the port-side piece check will not reconcile.
Can oversize bundles be stacked?
It depends on the bundling and the part: tower sections usually stack, booms generally do not. Stackability sets the hold footprint, which in turn decides whether this shipment bills better by volume or by weight.
Who produces the breakdown list?
The maker or the site equipment list is most reliable. We re-lay that list into length, width, height and weight per bundle plus lift points and stackability before approaching carriers for space.
Official sources
Channels below can be checked independently. Rates, supervision and working times follow each authority's latest notice.
Next step
Quoting on the assembled machine: after breakdown there are a dozen bundles of differing size, so a single set of figures almost always has to be revised. Send us unit dimensions and weight, piece count, origin and destination, whether door delivery is needed and how urgent it is. We return the mode call, the destination's capacity tier, whether transhipment applies, the waiting band and the questions to settle.
Request a breakbulk quote