RORO versus Container:
Which is a better way to ship your used car?
Is it always “pay low with RORO” and “ship faster with container?” The most straightforward answer is – no. Shipping by RORO is not always cheaper and shipping by container is not always faster, although they often are. If that didn’t sound confusing at all, then here is the real score.
RORO row your boat
The RORO offers many advantages. If you look at the process of loading and unloading the vehicles, the RORO method makes a lot of sense. The vehicle is simply driven on and off the vessel. Hence, roll on/roll off, RORO. Indeed it is faster compared to containers in terms of loading and unloading time.
But what really matters is lead shipping time, the waiting period between paying for the vehicle and receiving it in your home port. This is when the quirks of vessel availability, shipping schedules and shipping routes come into play. Unfortunately, there are not many RORO vessels plying long distance routes and their service frequency is way lesser than container ships. Booking a space in a RORO vessel can be a very daunting task.
So, is RORO really cheaper? Most of the time, yes. RORO rates are fixed based on the vehicle’s size. If you compare shipping, say a sedan in RORO and a sedan in a 20-foot container then RORO will come out cheaper. But if you ship 3 or 4 vehicles together in a 40-foot container, the cost will be much lesser. It is a very common practice for different customers with the same destination ports to share a container.
Thinking inside the box
Why do importer-dealers prefer shipping their inventories via containers? Is it because they can receive their vehicles sooner or because they get to pay less by shipping 3 or 4 units in a 40-foot container? The answer is yes and yes on both counts plus more.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of shipping your vehicle in a container is security as it ensures that your vehicle would not be dented and scratched during loading and unloading or knocked about during the sea voyage. At the same time, sealed containers eliminate the risk of having your car stereo and other accessories stolen. If you plan to ship spare parts with your vehicle, the only good option is by containers.
The wrap
The better way to ship your vehicle depends on several factors. If you can book a space on a RORO; if you can find a vessel which can bring your vehicle from the port of origin all the way to your preferred final destination port; if you can’t share container space with other customers; if you can afford the risk of minor scratches and dents; and if your vehicle does not have a stereo or easily detachable accessories – use a RORO vessel.
Otherwise, use a container.
i will like to know if your company can ship cars to west africa? how long it takes and how much is the cost. please i will be glad if you can help me with this request
If I am to ship a vehicle ( Nissan X-trail costing £3500) from the UK in a container, straight to Harare(final destination , how much would it cost (total) me on average in terms of freight , handling etc? Would the container be opened in between transit or is it only opened in Zimbabwe (Harare). Given the present duty , how much would I be expected to pay?
Thanx
Diva
An intersting post. We ship cars from the UK to South Africa, Namibia and other countires in Africa both roll on roll off and in containers.
Roll on roll off is generally the cheapest option but you are not permitted to load the vehicle with effects or spare parts and the services are less frequent compared to the container services.
With regard to damage, we have had very few problems with roll on roll off or container shipments.
Best regards
Glen
Need to know about your charges for imports and procedures to egngage your company.
Thanks.
i would like to ship a passenger transit van from UK, costed £2000. i want it delivered to beitbridge and want to know how much it will cost including clearing.
anybody know how much it costs to ship a toyota camry from the usa to durban and / walvis bay?
We clear and transport cargo that come through durban ports
+27787597900
hello i wonder if anyone would be able to tell me the amount of time it will take for the whole process from the time the container ships off to arriving in s.a?
also how much is the container and are there any other charges besides the exit fee and the inbound fee from s.a to zim ?
please contact me directly on calvinchihanya@caltholclearing.co.za so we can assist you
Kindly advise how much it would cost me for you to bring my 1998 Benz C200 from Durban to B.Bridge.The car is on th way from Japan and would appreciate if you could itemize the bill so that I can make an informed decision.
Regards
Phil