Exporting Machinery and Equipment from the USA

American construction, oilfield, agricultural and industrial equipment moves to Europe, Japan, the UAE, Brazil and Kazakhstan on lanes we run, and much of it is out of gauge: excavators that go RoRo, combines dismantled onto flat racks, pressure vessels shipped breakbulk. The US end is the same for every destination — export-control classification, party screening and an EEI filing, all before anything is booked.

The other end is not. The EU charges no duty on US-built machinery since July 2026 but requires CE conformity — used machines are treated as new; Japan adds a 10% consumption tax and PSE rules for electrical equipment; Brazil requires a registered importer and, for many machines, an import license before the vessel sails; Kazakhstan applies the EAEU tariff, 16% VAT and EAC conformity certification; the UAE charges roughly 5% on CIF and is currently reached via Fujairah or Khor Fakkan. This page compares the destinations side by side and sets out the export rules that apply to all of them. Each row links to a detailed guide.

Compare destinations for machinery & equipment

Destination	Transit	Rules at destination	Typical load
Machinery & Heavy Equipment to UAE	Confirmed per booking — most cargo discharges at Fujairah or Khor Fakkan while Hormuz is disrupted	Roughly 5% duty on CIF for most equipment; true end user and final destination declared from the start	RoRo for self-propelled units; flat rack or breakbulk for oversized non-runners; crated containers when in gauge
Machinery & Equipment to Brazil	14–21 days on the water to Santos; plan 5–6 weeks door to door	RADAR-enabled importer; import license (LI, moving to LPCO) before shipment for many machines; duty plus IPI, ICMS and PIS/COFINS; ex-tarifário relief	Container in gauge; flat rack or breakbulk when not
Oilfield Equipment to Kazakhstan	Air 5–10 days door to door for spares; ocean and overland 8–13 weeks	EAEU tariff plus 16% VAT; relief for investment and subsoil-use projects; EAC conformity for pressure equipment	Flat rack, open top and breakbulk are normal; OCTG as bundled pipe
Agricultural Machinery to Kazakhstan	10–14 weeks door to door for out-of-gauge equipment	EAEU tariff plus 16% VAT; EAC machinery certification; technical documentation in Russian	Combines partly dismantled on flat rack or breakbulk; 40HC or open top for smaller tractors and implements
Machinery & Equipment to France	Roughly 9–16 days NY/NJ–Le Havre, about two weeks from Savannah, 4–5 weeks from LA via Panama; confirmed per booking	0% EU duty on US-built machines since 1 July 2026; 20% TVA; CE conformity required — used machines treated as new	Container in gauge; flat rack, open top, RoRo or breakbulk when not
Machinery & Equipment to Japan	Roughly 12–18 days port to port Los Angeles/Long Beach to Tokyo or Yokohama	No duty on most machinery; 10% consumption tax; PSE, Radio Act or pressure-equipment rules where they apply	Crated in 20ft/40ft; open top, flat rack or breakbulk when out of gauge
Used Machinery to Italy	Confirmed per sailing; Genoa–New York runs 9–22 days in the other direction as a guide	0% EU duty on US-built machines since 1 July 2026; 22% IVA; CE conformity required before use	Container in gauge; flat rack or open top when not

Planning guidance only — rates, surcharges and transits change, and every shipment is quoted on its own facts.

Export rules that apply to every destination

Frequently Asked Questions