RORO (Roll On, Roll Off) Car Shipping

Roll-on/roll-off car shipping, also referred to as RORO transport, is one of the primary ways that vehicles are shipped overseas and internationally. Suppose you plan to ship a car to an international location. In that case, it’s essential to understand your available options and how the process works from beginning to end. In this post, we’ll review some of the details of RORO car shipping and explain the key points and advantages of roll-on/roll-off transport.

What Is RORO Car Shipping?

In the simplest terms, RORO car shipping is a method of auto transport that involves loading the vehicle onto a boat by “rolling” or driving it onto the ship and securing it in a cargo area. RORO is such a popular delivery method because it simplifies the loading and unloading process so that the shipper can more easily accommodate the shipment of multiple vehicles at once.

To use RORO transport, the vehicle must be delivered (or driven) to the nearest hauling port for loading. This part of the transport process is called overland shipping (see below), which is done via the standard method of auto transport on a truck designed to haul vehicles. Once the vehicle arrives, it is then “rolled on” to the ship, which is secured in a cargo area to prevent it from moving during transit.

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RORO v. Container Carrier

The other option for overseas carriers is container shipping, which is a little more labor-intensive. Container carrier, as you might expect, involves loading the vehicle into a shipping container, which is then loaded onto the hauling ship using a crane or container lift. Just like RORO transport, the car is secured firmly to ensure it doesn’t move or roll around inside the container while it’s being delivered. As you might imagine, not all cars fit inside a shipping container since they have a standard size that limits the height and width of which vehicles will fit inside.

Since containerized shipping is more labor intensive, it can slow the delivery time compared to RORO auto transport. A lot of cargo is moved around the U.S. using hauling containers, and the ships that haul them are typically huge and carry many containers at once. The logistics of loading, hauling, unloading, and cataloging all of that cargo is a time-consuming process, as opposed to simply rolling off the vehicles that are stored in the cargo area during RORO shipping.

Overland Transport with RORO Hauling

When a vehicle is shipped using RORO transport, it is delivered to a shipping port or storage warehouse, so you’ll need to coordinate the remainder of the shipment yourself. This can mean you pick up the vehicle and simply drive it home, or you can hire an overland auto transport company to deliver it the rest of the way. While this does involve an additional cost, it is typically a minimal amount compared to the total you will pay for RORO transport, which allows you to have your car delivered right to your door.