Build a shipment plan for bearings, shafts, machined components and heavy spare parts that protects precision surfaces and gives handlers usable lifting information.
Identify the repair need before choosing the crate and route
For routine spares, use manufacturer-approved preservation and restraint, then compare ocean freight by final volume and gross weight. For a production stoppage, identify the complete repair set before selecting urgent transport. Confirm that the recipient can unload and install the parts.
Compare your options ↓Choose the option that fits
A heavy metal part can still be fragile cargo
A bearing-surface mark, bent shaft, contaminated assembly or damaged mounting face can make a spare part unusable. Dense metal can also break through packaging suited to lighter goods. Identify the functional surfaces needing protection and the structural areas that can carry packing and handling loads.
Send drawings or annotated photographs showing dimensions, gross and net weight, relevant centre of gravity, lifting points, unsupported projections and surfaces that must not be touched. Distinguish ordinary hardware from calibrated, matched or precision parts. Give parts that must stay together a common assembly reference on every piece and package.
Preserve the manufacturer's protection system
Retain suitable original preservation and protective packaging. SKF advises keeping bearings in their original unopened packs to prevent contamination and corrosion before mounting. Photograph the label and outer condition rather than opening a sealed pack, unless inspection or another requirement makes opening necessary.
For unprotected machined parts, obtain the manufacturer's preservation specification. The choice of coating, barrier, corrosion-inhibiting material and removal procedure must be compatible with the metal, finish, seals and final application. Do not apply an unfamiliar oil to a component simply because it looks vulnerable to rust. Include the preservation date, intended storage period and instructions for inspection or removal at destination.
Restrain the part through suitable supports and fixing points
Plan how the component connects to its supports and the crate base. Loose fill will not reliably restrain a dense casting. A competent packer should specify supports, restraints and permitted fixing points for its weight and shape; crate walls alone should not hold a heavy component in place.
Support long shafts at suitable points, keeping weight off precision ends. Separate parts that could rub and cover sharp edges that could pierce the protective barrier. Obtain manufacturer approval for mounting bolts or transport brackets and provide removal instructions. Restraints attached to vulnerable parts can cause damage.
| Part type | Critical issue | Information the packer needs |
|---|---|---|
| Precision bearing or sealed assembly | Contamination and loss of factory preservation | Original pack condition; manufacturer handling and storage instructions |
| Long shaft or screw | Bending and damaged machined surfaces | Approved support locations; protected areas; lifting arrangement |
| Heavy casting or motor component | Movement inside the crate and concentrated loads | Weight, centre of gravity, approved restraint and lifting points |
| Matched component set | Mix-up or incomplete delivery | Piece identification, assembly reference and package-to-part mapping |
| Part with fluid residue or battery | Cargo acceptance as well as physical protection | Accurate condition and contents for specialist review |
Make the finished crate easy to handle safely
Measure the finished package, including skids, handles and projections. Record gross weight, the packer's approved lifting access, required equipment and orientation or stacking restrictions. Without accessible lifting points, a crate may need extra handling equipment even if its weight is within the vehicle's payload.
Confirm loading and unloading access at both addresses. Establish whether a forklift can approach, whether a crane is needed and who provides equipment and trained operators. Before accepting the job, the operator must assess the footprint, centre of gravity and equipment capacity together; a tail lift does not suit every heavy crate.
Give the packer a drawing-based support and preservation brief
Use an annotated drawing rather than asking the packer to infer lifting and support points from the outer shape. Mark the drawing orientation and a fixed datum, such as the labelled front-left corner of the finished base. Record the supplier- or packer-confirmed centre-of-gravity coordinates for the finished package from that datum in mm, where relevant. The geometric centre of a rectangular crate is not evidence of the cargo’s centre of gravity.
Keep the mass of the component separate from the mass of the complete package. Attach the approved support and restraint drawing, identifying contact areas, fixing references and areas that must remain untouched. A packing list can carry these references, but it cannot establish bolt capacity, sling angles or an equipment load rating. The qualified packer and lifting operator must approve the actual arrangement.
For corrosion protection, trace each specified material to the surface it protects. Record the preservative product and revision, application date, barrier closure, required storage conditions and removal method. For an originally sealed bearing, preserve the original pack unless the manufacturer’s process calls for opening it; SKF’s storage guidance emphasises unopened, undamaged packaging. If a customs or receiving inspection opens a barrier, use the recorded resealing and preservation process before storage.
| Record | Specific information needed | Practical check |
|---|---|---|
| Part and drawing | Part number, drawing revision, quantity and matched-assembly reference | The item tag, purchase-order line and drawing agree |
| Package mass | Part net weight and complete crate gross weight, both in kg | Weigh the finished unit; do not omit the base, restraints or accessories |
| Centre of gravity | Confirmed x/y/z for the finished package in mm, drawing datum and orientation, where relevant | The datum is identifiable on the packed unit and the supplied view matches its orientation |
| Support and restraint | Approved contact zones, fixing details and protected precision surfaces | Photograph the part on its supports before the lid conceals them |
| Handling access | Approved fork-entry or sling arrangement, equipment requirements and removal sequence | Collection and receiving operators review the same finished-crate drawing |
| Preservation | Approved material reference, treated surfaces, date, storage period and removal/reapplication instructions | Match material labels to the specification and retain a record of any opened barrier |
Review timber, moisture and opening requirements
Solid-wood pallets, crates and dunnage may fall within ISPM 15 requirements as implemented by the relevant countries. Processed-wood exemptions apply to qualifying material; a plywood-sided crate can still contain regulated solid-wood runners. Ask the packer to identify every wood component and provide the required compliant treatment and marking rather than describing the whole crate as plywood.
Plan inspection access: mark the opening side and provide a safe removal sequence and resealing materials. Keep documents accessible without dismantling the load-bearing base. Protect packed crates from wetting during storage and collection, and account for any waiting time before loading, after discharge or before installation.
Compare ocean freight using both volume and weight
Consider an illustrative crate measuring 1.20 × 1.00 × 0.90 m and weighing 900 kg gross. Its volume is 1.08 m³ and its weight is 0.90 metric tonnes. If a particular LCL quotation explicitly charges on the higher of cubic metres or metric tonnes, this crate would have a 1.08-unit basis before that quotation's minimums and rounding. That comparison is not a universal tariff rule.
Suppose a redesign reduces the crate to 1.10 × 0.90 × 0.85 m while gross weight remains 900 kg. Volume becomes 0.8415 m³, but the same assumed charging rule would now use 0.90 units. Shrinking it further would not reduce that weight-based component of the quote. It might still affect handling or vehicle fit, but preserving secure support is more valuable than chasing a volume saving that no longer changes the charge.
Identify the complete repair set before choosing urgent transport
A factory stoppage may justify flying critical repair parts while routine spares travel by sea. Ask maintenance which parts are needed to restart, whether an approved substitute exists and when technicians can install them. Sending the main part ahead has little value if its matching fixture or technical approval arrives a week later.
Compare express, air and ocean services using the finished package, cargo acceptance and delivery access. Dense or oversize parts may need freight handling. Before splitting an order, price the extra packing, paperwork and destination handling. Set a decision deadline to avoid missing both the urgent service and the planned sailing.
Identify the urgent set in the package record. In this example, maintenance requires repair set R1: one shaft, two sealed bearing units and a specified mounting kit. Keep all three package references in the urgent booking; routine spares may follow separately. The supplier approves the components and packing. The example does not authorise disassembly or opening sealed bearings.
ArcelorMittal's published spare-parts requirements provide a buyer-specific example of identifying accessories against assembly drawings and marking parts before approved disassembly. Use your customer's purchase-order and identification requirements; that document's prescribed packing methods and weight thresholds are not universal freight rules.
| Repair set / package | Contents identified by maintenance | Release check |
|---|---|---|
| R1 / P01 | Shaft with supplier-approved support and preservation | Part and drawing references match the repair requirement |
| R1 / P02 | Two bearing units in suitable original sealed packs | Model and quantity are checked without unnecessary opening |
| R1 / P03 | Specified mounting kit in identified inner packaging | Kit contents and assembly reference are confirmed complete |
Complete the repair-set record before splitting the order
Extend the R1 repair-set example above with the following invented packing figures. These belong to that teaching example, not to the separate 900 kg LCL crate. The shaft, two bearings and mounting kit remain three identified shipping packages. “One repair set” is a commercial grouping, not a substitute for the package count, component count or gross weight.
First, maintenance checks the shaft drawing, both bearing references and the mounting-kit contents against the repair job. Next, the supplier checks preservation and packing; the shipper reconciles labels, weights and package IDs. Finally, the receiving site confirms unloading equipment and the technician’s installation window. Only then can a quote for the urgent set be compared with sending the full stock order quickly.
- Reconcile gross weight: 55 + 18 + 7 = 80 kg. The net total is 40 + 12 + 5 = 57 kg; the difference is 23 kg of packaging and supporting materials in this example.
- If a fast quote covers P01 and P02 only, it covers 73 kg but omits the mounting kit. Add P03 and obtain a complete quote before assuming the machine can restart.
- If a required package is not ready, compare waiting for the complete set with an approved alternative repair plan. Sending an incomplete set faster does not itself solve the stoppage.
- At receipt, count all three packages, check preservation and match their references before opening. Keep sealed bearings protected until the manufacturer’s installation procedure requires access.
| Package | Illustrative contents | Net / gross weight | Release evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 / P01 | One shaft, drawing S-17 revision B | 40 kg / 55 kg | Approved support drawing, surface protection and lifting details |
| R1 / P02 | Two bearing units, 6 kg net each | 12 kg / 18 kg | Correct model labels and original sealed-pack condition |
| R1 / P03 | One specified mounting kit | 5 kg / 7 kg | Kit inventory, assembly reference and quantity check |
| Complete R1 | One shaft + two bearings + one kit; three packages | 57 kg / 80 kg | All three package references included in the urgent booking |
How VelFreight coordinates a spare-parts shipment
We review part details, drawings, the packing proposal, ready date and receiving requirements, then compare services. We coordinate collection, agreed specialist packing, export handling, customs and delivery within the confirmed scope. The supplier and qualified operators review packing and lifting decisions.
Before collection, we check the finished crate list against the quote and documents. The recipient receives package references, equipment requirements and unpacking responsibilities. At arrival, inspect and count packages before opening, preserve evidence of any discrepancy and follow the manufacturer's inspection procedure before installation. Delivery does not confirm the part's technical condition.
Machinery-parts release checklist
The dispatch record should let the recipient identify, handle and unpack each part without guessing.
- Part number, assembly reference, quantity and any serial numbers match the commercial documents.
- Precision surfaces and original preservation are protected with approved materials.
- Supports and restraints use approved load-bearing points.
- Gross weight, final dimensions, centre of gravity and lifting information are available where relevant.
- Wood-packaging requirements have been checked for the actual materials and route.
- Any residual fluids, batteries or regulated contents are disclosed accurately.
- Receiving equipment, opening instructions and installation inspection responsibilities are confirmed.
Sources
Supports retaining suitable original bearing protection and following manufacturer storage requirements.
Official wood-packaging implementation resources; requirements must be checked for the actual route and materials.
Supports the distinction between regulated solid wood and qualifying processed-wood material.
A buyer-specific example of part identification, assembly references and marking before disassembly. Its construction specifications and weight thresholds are not presented as universal requirements.
This is a planning guide. Requirements vary by service and destination. Confirm cargo acceptance, charges, customs requirements and delivery arrangements with your provider before shipping.
Create your shipment brief