Behind the Scenes: Exporting Two Custom Land Rover Defenders to the USA

Behind the Scenes: Exporting Two Custom Land Rover Defenders to the USA

Vehicle exports are never all the same, especially when you’re dealing with builds that have clearly been put together with a lot of passion behind them.

This particular shipment involved two Land Rover Defender 110 models (1996 and 1997), and although this wasn’t our first container, it’s one that stands out.

Built for the Overlanding Dream

One vehicle in particular, the Icarus Black Defender was clearly built with the American overlanding dream in mind.

Running a 300Tdi for reliability, it was carrying close to 1000 lbs of equipment. That included three inverters, an exterior shower setup, awning, and a full roof rack system. It’s the kind of build you don’t rush. It’s also definitely not one you underestimate when it comes to loading.

The result of all that equipment was a vehicle height pushing nearly 2.6 metres. It got to the point where our 40ft high cube container was just tall enough to take it.

And true to Defender form, it’s not the fastest thing on the road, but it’ll get you where you’re going. Eventually. Reliably.

The RAW Edition Replica

The second vehicle was a 1997 Defender 110 300Tdi RAW edition replica.

Finished in Nara Bronze with black trim all round, and a custom brown leather interior (a nice change from the usual black), this one had a completely different feel to it. Cleaner, more refined,but still very much part of the Defender world.

When the Schedule Moves Forward

One thing that made this job slightly different was the timing.

In shipping, you expect delays. What you don’t expect is a vessel schedule moving forward, but that’s exactly what happened here. It meant a quicker turnaround on loading than usual, and unfortunately no interior photos were taken in the rush.

Equipment availability can often be a headache in situations like this, but thanks to solid relationships on the shipping side, we were able to keep everything on track without delays.

Prepping the Container and Vehicles

Load day itself couldn’t have been better, clear skies, no wind, which made collecting and positioning the 40ft high-capacity container straightforward.

Before anything gets loaded, the container is checked thoroughly. In this case, an A-grade unit was inspected for any leaks or openings to make sure everything was properly sealed for the journey.

From there:

• Batteries were disconnected
• The three inverters on the Black Defender were switched off
• Vehicles were prepared in line with UN3166 Class 9 requirements

For the RAW edition, removing the terminals on the 658 battery and securing them to SP 961 and 962 requirements was quick and straightforward.

Loading and Securing

Once ready, both vehicles were driven into the container and secured by the lashing team.

With the Black Defender’s height, loading had to be done carefully. There wasn’t much room for error. Once positioned, everything was strapped down and checked.

Moisture absorbers were placed both inside the vehicles and within the container to reduce any risk of condensation during transit.

Final Checks and Dispatch

Before sealing, the container was checked again. A second set of eyes to make sure nothing was missed.

Once sealed, it was sent for VGM (verified gross mass), and then moved into stack, ready for departure.

A Shipment to Remember

Two very different builds, both with their own story, heading off to the US.

Not our first Defender export and definitely not the last, but one that stands out.