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Agricultural Equipment

John Deere S780 Combine Shipping from Illinois to Paraguay
Shipped USA → Uruguay

See how Atlantic Project Cargo shipped a John Deere S780 combine from Illinois to Paraguay via Montevideo using inland, ocean, and onward river transport.

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Shipment Route

Central Illinois
USA
Montevideo
Uruguay
Equipment John Deere S780 Combine (2021, 1,850 hours)
Cargo Type Agricultural Equipment
Total Timeline 61 days, Illinois pickup to final delivery
Method Heavy-haul truck + 40 ft flat rack ocean freight + river barge

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Home Projects John Deere S780 Combine Shipping from Illinois to Paraguay Shipped from USA to Uruguay

The John Deere S780 was located on a farm in central Illinois. It was purchased through JumboBee by a grain operation near Asunción, Paraguay, and Atlantic Project Cargo coordinated the move from farm to farm.

The central question was simple to state and harder to solve: how do you move a full-size combine from Illinois to a customer in a country with no seaport?

The answer was a chain of connected transport stages. Atlantic Project Cargo coordinated heavy-haul pickup, export preparation, flat rack ocean freight to Montevideo, a river-barge leg up the Paraná-Paraguay waterway, and final inland delivery.

Because the machine was used agricultural equipment, Paraguay’s import requirements were reviewed before it left Illinois. That review shaped the cleaning, documentation, and timing of every later stage.

Shipping Overview

Equipment John Deere S780 Combine (2021, 1,850 hours)
Origin Central Illinois, USA
Destination Grain operation near Asunción, Paraguay
Route Illinois → Port of Savannah → Montevideo → Asunción area
Shipping Method Heavy-haul truck + 40 ft flat rack ocean freight + river barge
Weight Approx. 17,200 kg (combine, header removed)
Dimensions Approx. 9.4 m L × 3.7 m W × 3.9 m H (transport configuration)
Total Timeline 61 days, Illinois pickup to final delivery

Services coordinated by Atlantic Project Cargo: inland transportation, heavy-haul coordination, equipment preparation, cleaning coordination, flat rack loading, blocking and bracing, ocean freight, transit coordination, destination coordination, and final delivery.

John Deere S780 combine secured on a 40 ft flat rack at the Port of Savannah
John Deere S780 combine on a lowboy trailer with removed dual wheels at the Illinois pickup

Key Takeaways

3-Country Route
USA → Uruguay → Paraguay.

Truck → Ship → Barge
Three transport modes, two handovers, one coordinated plan.

17.2-Tonne Combine
Full-size S780 shipped at approx. 9.4 × 3.7 × 3.9 m.

Landlocked Destination
Final delivery to a grain operation near Asunción.

61-Day Delivery
Illinois pickup to Paraguay farm gate.

Four Risks, Four Fixes

Landlocked Final Destination

Paraguay has no seaport. The shipment could not end with the ocean leg, and every extra handover added cost, time, and handling risk.

Multimodal Route via Montevideo

For this project, Montevideo offered the best fit: regular flat rack capacity from the US East Coast, terminal experience with out-of-gauge agricultural cargo, and established barge connections up the Paraná-Paraguay waterway. Atlantic Project Cargo booked the ocean leg and the barge leg as one plan, so the combine’s Montevideo arrival lined up with a confirmed barge departure. Other routes into Paraguay exist; this one matched this machine, this schedule, and this destination.

Full-Size Combine Dimensions

In field configuration, the S780 is too wide and too tall for standard road and container transport. Its size and roughly 17-tonne weight affected every leg.

Combine Preparation and Transport Configuration

The header was removed and shipped separately. The unloading auger was folded and secured, dual wheels were removed, and loose external components were strapped down or boxed. These steps brought the machine to approx. 3.7 m wide and 3.9 m high. A lowboy trailer with oversize permits carried it to the export terminal, on a route planned around bridge clearances and weight limits.

Requirements for Used Agricultural Machinery

Used farm equipment entering Paraguay must meet import and plant health requirements. A machine that fails them can be held or rejected at destination after weeks in transit.

Pre-Shipment Verification and Preparation

Before shipment, the applicable Paraguayan requirements for importing the used combine were reviewed with the buyer and destination partners. A specialist contractor deep-cleaned the machine to remove soil, crop residue, and seeds. Required documents and inspection records were prepared before export. The relevant authorities issued all approvals; Atlantic Project Cargo coordinated the preparation and paperwork flow.

Transfer Between Transport Modes

The Montevideo connection added discharge, terminal storage, transit customs, barge loading, and a second securing operation. Each step was a chance for delay or damage.

Coordinated Montevideo-to-Paraguay Transit

The flat rack was discharged in Montevideo and moved under transit procedures, so the combine was not imported into Uruguay. The terminal transferred it to the barge, where the barge operator secured it for the river voyage. The barge moved upriver on the Paraná-Paraguay waterway to Terminal Caacupemí near Asunción. Atlantic Project Cargo tracked each handover and lined up the final truck before the barge arrived.

How the Timeline Played Out

Purchase & Project Review

S780 purchased through JumboBee; equipment, route, and Paraguay import requirements reviewed.

Before pickup

Illinois Pickup

Combine collected from the seller’s farm.

Day 1

Preparation & Loading

Header removed, machine cleaned, and configured for transport.

Days 1–4

US Export

Delivered to the Port of Savannah and loaded on a 40 ft flat rack.

Days 5–14

Ocean Freight to Montevideo

Shipment moved from the USA to Uruguay.

Days 15–36

Onward Transport to Paraguay

Transit handling in Montevideo, then river barge to the Asunción area.

Days 37–55

Final Delivery

Import release completed and the combine delivered to the buyer’s farm.

Days 56–61

How Each Phase Was Handled

Illinois Pickup and Combine Preparation

The 2021 John Deere S780 was collected from the seller’s farm in central Illinois. In field configuration, with header attached, it was far beyond legal road dimensions. Shipping configuration and destination requirements were settled before the machine moved.

John Deere S780 combine loaded on a lowboy trailer for heavy-haul pickup in central Illinois
John Deere S780 combine on a lowboy with removed dual wheels strapped on the trailer deck
Rear view of the John Deere S780 combine on a lowboy trailer at the seller's farm in Illinois

Heavy-Haul Pickup

A lowboy trailer carried the combine at approx. 3.7 m wide. Oversize permits were obtained for each state on the route, and the routing avoided low bridges and weight-restricted roads. Learn more about our heavy equipment shipping.

Combine Preparation

The header was detached and moved on a header cart, then loaded separately. Dual wheels were removed, the unloading auger was folded and secured, and mirrors, lights, and loose parts were protected or removed.

Pre-Shipment Requirements

A cleaning contractor pressure-washed and air-blew the machine inside and out, including the grain tank, feeder house, rotor area, and radiator screens. Cleaning records and photos went into the export documentation set.

Flat Rack Loading and Ocean Freight

The combine reached the Port of Savannah on Day 5. At approx. 3.7 m wide and 3.9 m high, it was out of gauge for any closed container, so it shipped on a 40 ft collapsible flat rack.

John Deere S780 combine on a 40 ft collapsible flat rack with timber blocking at the Port of Savannah
John Deere S780 combine lashed to a 40 ft flat rack ahead of ocean freight to Montevideo

Flat Rack Configuration

The machine was loaded by crane onto the flat rack and centered to spread its weight evenly. With the deck height added, the unit extended approx. 0.65 m beyond each side and stood above standard container height. The header shipped on a second flat rack on the same booking. See our flat rack shipping service.

Cargo Securing

Tires and axles were chocked with timber blocking nailed to the deck. Chain lashings with tensioners secured the frame at rated lashing points, and a securing survey was completed before the unit was released for loading.

Ocean Freight

The flat racks sailed from Savannah on Day 15 and arrived in Montevideo on Day 36, including one transshipment.

Montevideo Transit and Paraguay Delivery

This was the stage that set the project apart. The combine had to change from ocean to river transport in a third country without being imported there.

Montevideo Transfer

The flat racks were discharged and moved to the terminal under transit procedures. Local partners lodged the transit documents, and the cargo stayed in Uruguay for five days, in line with the booked barge departure.

River Transit to Paraguay

The combine and header were loaded onto the barge and secured by the barge operator. The barge traveled approx. 1,600 km up the Paraná and Paraguay rivers, arriving at Terminal Caacupemí near Asunción on Day 55.

Final Delivery

After arrival procedures and customs clearance through the buyer’s licensed broker, the combine was released on Day 60. A local lowboy carrier delivered it to the farm on Day 61, where the header was refitted by the buyer’s dealer.

Atlantic Project Cargo coordinated the plan and each handover. Carriers, terminals, the barge operator, brokers, contractors, and government authorities performed their own work within it.

Shipping Agricultural Equipment to Paraguay?

Atlantic Project Cargo coordinates combine, tractor, harvester, and other agricultural equipment shipments from the USA to Paraguay, including inland pickup, export preparation, ocean freight, multimodal transit, and final delivery.

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Full Route Timeline

Stage Route / Activity Timing
Pickup Seller’s farm, central Illinois, USA Day 1
Preparation Header removal, dual wheel removal, deep cleaning Days 1–4
Inland Transport Illinois → Port of Savannah, GA (approx. 1,400 km, permitted lowboy) Days 2–5
Flat Rack Loading Port of Savannah, two 40 ft flat racks (combine + header) Days 6–14
Ocean Freight Savannah → Montevideo, one transshipment Days 15–36 (21 days)
Montevideo Transfer Discharge, terminal handling, transit documentation Days 36–41
Onward Transport Montevideo → Paraná-Paraguay waterway by barge (approx. 1,600 km) Days 41–55 (14 days)
Paraguay Entry Terminal Caacupemí, Asunción area Day 55
Import Release Arrival procedures and customs clearance via buyer’s broker Days 55–60
Final Delivery Terminal → buyer’s farm near Asunción Day 61
Total Project Time Illinois → final destination 61 days

Result

The John Deere S780 reached the buyer’s farm near Asunción 61 days after pickup in Illinois. It completed three transport modes and two handovers, and arrived in the condition it left.

The pre-shipment cleaning and documentation meant destination procedures went ahead without rework. The header was refitted on site, and the combine was ready for the buyer’s next harvest.

61-Day USA-to-Paraguay Delivery

Ocean-to-River Transfer Completed in Montevideo

No Additional Cleaning Required at Destination

No Transport Damage Reported

Customs Release in 5 Days

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