Once a vehicle is bought, the shipping method is the largest remaining variable in the landed cost. The two mainstream options are container shipping and RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off). Neither is always cheaper — the right answer depends on vehicle size, destination port, volume and whether the units are electric.
How each method works
Container shipping
Vehicles are secured inside a standard container — usually a 40’ High Cube for cars and light commercial vehicles, or a 20’ for one large unit.
- Loading: driven in on ramps or lifted by forklift, then lashed to the container floor.
- Capacity: typically 2–4 cars per 40’ HQ, 2–3 SUVs, or 1–2 trucks depending on dimensions.
- Advantages: flexible schedules, works at almost every container port, protects vehicles from weather and salt spray, allows mixed loads (vehicles plus spare parts).
- Disadvantages: loading and unloading labour, container rental, less suitable for very large trucks.
RoRo shipping
Vehicles are driven onto a dedicated car carrier and parked on multiple decks.
- Loading: driven on and off by port drivers.
- Capacity: hundreds to thousands of units per vessel.
- Advantages: usually the lowest cost per unit for standard cars, fast loading, no container handling.
- Disadvantages: limited to ports with RoRo service, fixed schedules, no protection from salt air during the voyage, and EV restrictions on many operators.
Cost comparison per unit
Actual rates move with fuel, season and route, but the structure is stable:
| Cost line | Container | RoRo |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean freight | Per container (split across 2–4 units) | Per unit |
| Loading / unloading | Forklift or driver, both ends | Included in port fee |
| Container rental / cleaning | Yes | No |
| Securing / lashing | Yes | Included |
| Marine insurance | Optional, similar | Optional, similar |
| Port handling | Similar | Similar |
For a standard sedan to a major RoRo port, RoRo is often 10–30% cheaper per unit. For a single high-value SUV or a mixed load, container shipping can be competitive because you fill the container and control the humidity. For trucks and oversized vehicles, RoRo is usually the only practical option — container loading becomes difficult or impossible.
Always compare landed cost per unit, not headline ocean freight. A cheap RoRo rate to a port 800 km from your yard can lose to a container rate at a closer port.
The electric vehicle problem
Battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are classified as Class 9 dangerous goods for sea transport. This changes shipping economics:
- Many RoRo operators refuse EVs outright or apply a surcharge.
- Some container lines accept them only with UN38.3 test summaries, MSDS, and the battery disconnected or state of charge limited (often to 30%).
- Documentation must be ready before booking, or the container is rejected at the gate.
If you are importing EVs, plan the shipping method early and confirm the carrier accepts them. Container shipping with a complete dangerous goods file is usually the more predictable option.
Weather, damage and insurance
Container shipping protects vehicles from salt spray and weather, which matters for high-value units and long voyages. RoRo vessels carry vehicles exposed on deck, and minor paint or glass damage is more common. Marine insurance covers both methods, but read the deductible and the claims process before you ship.
For a fleet of ten units, a container programme with proper lashing and a pre-shipment inspection is often the lower-risk choice even if the per-unit freight is slightly higher.
How to choose
Use this order of questions:
- Does the destination port offer RoRo? If not, container is the only option.
- Are the vehicles electric or hybrid? If yes, check carrier acceptance first.
- Are the vehicles oversized (trucks, buses, machinery)? If yes, RoRo is usually required.
- How many units, and how urgently? Container schedules are more frequent.
- What is the total landed cost per unit? Compare freight, port handling and inland transport together.
What we need to quote freight
To give a firm shipping quote, we need:
- Destination port and country
- Vehicle model, dimensions and quantity
- Whether the units are electric
- Preferred Incoterm (FOB / CIF / DDP)
- Target shipping window
Send these details and we will return both container and RoRo options where available, with the documentation list for each.