Cargo Insurance Archives

Shipping a 1978 Argosy 28 Motorhome from Michigan to Germany

Not every shipment is a piece of heavy machinery. This project brought us one of our most distinctive loads — a 1978 Argosy 28 motorhome, a vintage American RV with a devoted following among classic vehicle collectors in Europe.

The Argosy 28, manufactured by Airstream under the Argosy brand, features the signature aluminum-clad body on a GMC chassis with a 454 V8 engine. At 28 feet long and approximately 12,000 lbs, it required a step-deck flatbed trailer for domestic transport. The unit was picked up from a dealer lot in Traverse City, Michigan (as seen by the “Just Trucks — Cherry Capital” signage in the background), and transported to the Port of Baltimore for ocean export.

Given the vehicle’s age and non-running status at time of export, special handling was required:

Winch-loading onto the trailer (no self-drive capability)
Battery disconnect and fuel system verification
Soft-tie securing to avoid damage to the aluminum body panels
ISPM-15-compliant wood blocking for port delivery

For ocean transport, the motorhome was shipped via Ro-Ro vessel to the Port of Bremerhaven, Germany — Europe’s primary Ro-Ro hub for American vehicle imports. Export documentation included a clear title, EEI filing, and an inspection letter confirming the vehicle was free of soil and biological matter (required for EU agricultural compliance).

Our German forwarding partner arranged customs clearance and VAT processing on arrival. The buyer — a vintage vehicle enthusiast — received the Argosy in the same condition it left Michigan.

Classic American RVs are highly sought after in Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. If you’re exporting a vintage motorhome, camper, or collector vehicle from the U.S., SEAVOLK handles the full process.

Shipping 2 Dodge RAM 2500 HD Crew Cabs from the USA to Kazakhstan

This project involved the export of two brand-new Dodge RAM 2500 HD Crew Cab pickup trucks from the United States to Aktau Port, Kazakhstan, for a commercial buyer acquiring American-spec heavy-duty work trucks unavailable on the local market.

Both trucks — finished in Bright White — are the HD 2500 variant with the Crew Cab configuration, featuring a 6.4L HEMI V8, four-wheel drive, and full towing packages. Each truck weighs approximately 6,800 lbs and measures roughly 20 feet in length. For the inland leg, both units were loaded together onto a 48-foot flatbed trailer using drive-on ramps, secured with wheel straps and axle chains. Photos show the vehicles in a staging area near Nevada/Utah, consistent with a dealer delivery or auction pickup in the Mountain West region.

From there, the trucks were transported to the Port of Baltimore for Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ocean export — the preferred method for wheeled vehicles, as it eliminates crane handling and reduces damage risk.

Export compliance included:

Title verification and export title processing (Maryland DMV)
EEI/AES filing with Schedule B code for passenger/commercial vehicles
Bill of Lading and Commercial Invoice
Odometer disclosure statements
Coordination with Kazakh importer for customs pre-clearance at Aktau

Transit from Baltimore to Aktau via the Caspian Sea route (typically via Poti, Georgia → rail or road to Kazakhstan) was coordinated by our regional partners. The buyer received both trucks in showroom condition.

Demand for U.S.-spec RAM 2500 and F-250 trucks in Central Asia is growing — American heavy-duty pickups are prized for their towing capacity and durability in remote conditions. SEAVOLK regularly handles vehicle exports to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan.

Broderson IC-80 Shipping

Not every day you get to ship a pair of compact industrial cranes halfway across the world — but that’s exactly what we did with two used Broderson IC-80s, bound for Senegal.

These little powerhouses might be small in size, but they pack serious utility. Each Broderson IC-80 weighs around 16,000 lbs (7,250 kg), with a width of 6’6”, length just under 15 feet, and a max boom reach of about 30 feet. Designed for tight spaces and precision lifting, they’re a favorite in plants, ports, and job sites around the world — and they’re perfect for export thanks to their compact, self-propelled design.

We handled pickup from two separate U.S. locations, where the machines were loaded and transported to the Port of Houston. Given their low profile and ability to move under their own power, both cranes were prepped for Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) shipping — no container needed, no dismantling, no fuss. That’s the beauty of sending equipment like this via Ro-Ro: minimal handling, maximum protection.

Before export, we took care of all necessary documentation, including:

Bill of Lading
Commercial Invoice & Packing List
EPA Non-Road Engine Exemption Form (since these were used machines)
Shipper’s Export Declaration
Power of Attorney for customs processing

The shipment went out on a Grimaldi Lines Ro-Ro vessel, heading from Houston to the Port of Dakar, Senegal’s busiest gateway for industrial equipment. We kept the client informed with real-time updates, from port staging to vessel departure and ETA on the other side.

Once in Dakar, our local partners assisted with offloading and inland delivery to the final job site. Both cranes arrived in excellent condition — ready to get to work.

Two cranes, two origins, one smooth international operation. That’s how we do it.