Engine shippingEngine shipping from Dubai, crated and classified.
Engine shipping looks simple until fuel, oil or a battery makes the engine dangerous goods. Airlift Logistics, a freight forwarder in Dubai, ships car, truck, marine and outboard engines by air and sea, crates them on a pallet or in a wooden box, and classifies them under UN3528, UN3530 or as not restricted. Send the engine type and whether it was drained, and we confirm the route.
Car, marine and outboard engines
The engine type changes the packing, the route and how it is classified. Click a row for the rules.
| Engine | Typical packing | Main rule |
|---|---|---|
| Steel-framed pallet or wooden crate | Drain fuel, oil and coolant; remove the battery | |
| Heavy wooden crate or steel cradle | Drain fluids; protect shafts and flanges | |
| Upright cradle or box | Drain the fuel line and carburettor; no fuel tank attached | |
| Skid or crate, often by sea | Fuel and battery status decide the class |
When an engine is restricted or not
Engines are classified by what they contain, not by how they look.
- 01
An internal combustion engine powered by flammable liquid is UN3528; powered by flammable gas is UN3529.
- 02
UN3530 is class 9 and is used for engines whose fuel does not meet the flammable criteria, such as diesel above the flash point limit.
- 03
Under IATA special provision A70, an engine whose fuel system is drained and purged, with no battery fitted, may ship as not restricted, with a written purge statement.
- 04
Air freight
Airlines may ask for a purge letter and will check the air waybill wording before accepting.
- 05
Sea freight
For sea shipments the IMDG Code applies. Drained engines in a container are the usual case.
- 06
Batteries
A starter battery is its own item and has to be removed or packed under its own class.
How we crate an engine
A well-crated engine arrives with clean flanges and no bent fittings. The steps below are our standard.
| Step | What we do |
|---|---|
| Fuel, oil and coolant are drained; ports are plugged and taped | |
| Protect | Bare metal is wrapped in rust-preventive film and desiccant |
| The engine is bolted to a pallet or skid on its mounts, not on the sump | |
| A wooden crate is built around it, using heat-treated wood marked ISPM 15 | |
| Label | Weight, handling and orientation marks are added to each side |
| Document | Photos, packing list and a statement on fuel status are filed |
engine shipping questions, answered
Last updated ·
See all shipping questionsAsk a freight questionNot always. Under IATA special provision A70, an engine whose tank is empty and purged, with no battery fitted, can ship as not restricted. The air waybill must carry the words not restricted and A70, and airlines may ask for a purge letter before they accept it.
- The tank must be drained and purged.
- Remove or pack batteries separately.
They are dangerous goods entries for internal combustion engines. UN3528 covers engines powered by flammable liquid, while UN3530 is class 9, used for engines whose fuel does not meet that test. UN3529 covers gas-powered engines. The fuel inside decides which entry applies.
- UN3529 is for gas-powered engines.
- Declare fuel status when booking.
Crating is safer for long routes, high value or sea freight. A strapped, wrapped pallet can work for short road moves. Wooden crates must use heat-treated ISPM 15 wood to pass inspection abroad. We mount the engine by its engine mounts, never on the sump.
- Crate for sea and export.
- Use ISPM 15 wood.
Yes, if it is empty of fuel. The fuel tank must be removed and the fuel line and carburettor drained. We pack it upright in a cradle or box. Airlines may refuse an engine that smells of fuel, so we confirm the drained condition first.
- Remove the fuel tank.
- Expect a purge statement.