Heavy Haulage Defence – Secure & Compliant Military Transport

At a glance

For the defence industry and armed forces logistics we transport tracked and wheeled vehicles, systems technology and maintenance assemblies up to 200 t – export-control compliant and discreet on the need-to-know principle, with StVO §29 permit and BF3/BF4 escort, across the EU and, after case-by-case assessment, to Turkey and the Caucasus.

Military radar installation – defence logistics with export control

Heavy haulage for the defence industry and military logistics

Transporting large military equipment combines two demanding worlds: the technical logistics of a heavy haulage movement and the legal requirements of export control. Oversize Transports transports defence goods with individual weights of up to 200 tonnes for manufacturers, maintenance and repair companies and logistics partners of the armed forces – within the EU and, after careful case-by-case assessment, to Turkey and the Caucasus. Discretion, clean paperwork and a dedicated project manager who is accountable for every stage are not optional extras here, but standard.

Typical loads from the defence sector

  • Tracked vehicles: main battle tanks, recovery and engineer vehicles as well as driver training variants
  • Wheeled vehicles: protected transport and command vehicles, special bodies
  • Systems technology: radar and command systems, containerised operational modules
  • Maintenance and repair: assemblies, engines and hulls between plant and depot
  • Civil equipment for military infrastructure: construction plant and installations for estate projects

Export control: clear responsibility, sound verification

Important for context: responsibility under export control law lies with the exporter. Authorisations under the German War Weapons Control Act, the EU Dual-Use Regulation 2021/821 and the German Foreign Trade and Payments Ordinance – in Germany via BAFA, and for war weapons via the responsible federal ministry – must be obtained by the exporter. Our part as the carrier: for each shipment we verify that the required authorisations and documents are complete, screen the parties involved against the relevant sanctions lists and check the embargo situation of the country of destination and of all transit countries. If something is missing, we do not drive – that protects both sides.

Process: feasibility, permit, transport

The feasibility study clarifies the route, bridge load ratings, headroom and loading – for instance whether a tracked vehicle can drive on under its own power or whether a crane is provided. You then receive a fixed-price quote. Under permit management we obtain the road traffic authorisations: StVO §29 in Germany, the equivalents in all transit states, plus BF3/BF4 escort vehicles and, where imposed, police escort. During transport, the need-to-know principle applies: no publication of cargo or route, communication only with named contacts, 24/7 availability of the project manager.

Working with authorities and clients

Military heavy haulage movements come about through the interplay of many bodies: road traffic authorities and motorway offices for the authorisation and the conditions imposed, the police for escort and route protection, plus the client's security and reporting requirements. We know these coordination channels and take over the coordination in full – from surveying critical sections of the route, through registering convoy movements, to selecting time windows in which sensitive cargo attracts as little public attention as possible.

On the client side we work for manufacturers and maintenance and repair companies as well as for civil logistics partners of the armed forces – for factory transfers, depot relocations or transports to training areas, for example. Every shipment is given a documented procedure with named responsible persons, fixed reporting points and clear escalation paths. For relocations with a fixed exercise or loading date we plan backwards from the time window and set buffers deliberately conservatively: a missed shipping or rail loading slot can rarely be made up on military transports.

Equipment and particular requirements

We transport tracked vehicles on low-loaders with suitable access ramps and a track-capable loading deck; semi low-loaders and modular trailers are available for heavy systems technology and oversize loads. Weights of around 60 to 70 tonnes – the class of modern main battle tanks – are routine figures for us, well below our 200-tonne limit. For relocations involving several vehicles we dispatch convoys with coordinated driving windows. For destinations in the Caucasus we assess not only the permit situation but also the regional embargo and sanctions situation on a case-by-case basis; routes through Russia, Belarus or Iran are not an option. Civil equipment for military estates – construction plant, containers, plant technology – is also handled to the same standards: a surveyed route, complete paperwork, a documented procedure and one point of contact who is accountable for every stage and reports deviations immediately.

Frequently asked questions: Defence & Military

Who needs the export licence for defence goods?

Responsibility under export control law lies with the exporter, which as a rule means the manufacturer or seller: they apply for authorisations under foreign trade law and the EU Dual-Use Regulation at BAFA, and for authorisations under the War Weapons Control Act at the responsible federal ministry. As the carrier, we verify before every shipment that these authorisations are complete and screen all parties involved against sanctions lists. Without complete paperwork we do not carry out the transport.

Are tanks allowed to be transported on public roads at all?

Yes, on low-loaders and with the appropriate authorisation. At around 60 to 70 tonnes and over three metres wide, a main battle tank clearly exceeds the standard dimensions, which is why an authorisation under StVO §29, a surveyed route and usually BF3/BF4 escort vehicles or police escort are required. We handle the entire road traffic process including the route survey.

How do you ensure discretion on military transports?

We work on the need-to-know principle: cargo details and routes are shared only with named contacts, there is no naming of references and no publication of project data. Communication runs via a permanent project manager who is available 24/7. Client requirements regarding covering, time windows or reporting points are implemented as binding contractual obligations.

Do you also transport defence goods to Turkey or the Caucasus?

In principle yes – after careful case-by-case assessment. In addition to the road traffic authorisations, we check the embargo and sanctions situation of the country of destination and of all transit states, as well as whether the exporter's export licences are in place. Routes through Russia, Belarus or Iran are not an option; we drive exclusively via permissible corridors such as Turkey and Georgia.

What does it cost to transport a tank?

Within Germany, a single tracked vehicle transport with permit and escort vehicles is often in the mid four-figure to five-figure bracket; international relocations and convoys correspondingly higher – depending on route, weight and permit situation. It becomes binding with the fixed-price quote after the feasibility study, which fully includes escort, permits and loading coordination.

Do you also transport dual-use goods?

Yes, provided the authorisation situation has been clarified. Dual-use goods under EU Regulation 2021/821 – certain machine tools, sensor technology or special vehicles, for example – require an export licence from the exporter depending on the country of destination. Before the transport begins we check the documentation and the sanctions situation along the route and advise you on which evidence border agencies typically require.

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