Automobile Shipping

Overseas shipping, container shipping, automobile shipping or any shipping for that matter requires a lot of planning and coordination between the importer, exporter and authorized agencies. In all cases, you need to know the types of documents required for shipment and clearance of the goods at the destination port. In the case of vehicles, you have to take extra care of your vehicles when shipping them. There are different types of vehicles that should be considered, such as motorcycles, sports utility vehicles, mini-vans, full-size vans, pick-up trucks, and even boats. One of the methods used in shipping is the RO/RO shipping vehicle service. RO/RO (roll-on roll-off) is a method of transporting wherein vehicles are rolled onto the vessel at the departure and rolled off at the destination point.

RO/RO ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks and trailers that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels. The vessels have ramps that allow the vehicles to roll on and roll off the ship when in port. The term RO/RO is normally used for large ocean-going vessels, and not for small ferries that operate across rivers and short distances, although they have ramps for vehicles. The term Pure Car Carrier (PCC) or Pure Car Truck Carrier (PCTC) is used for ships that cross the oceans carrying purely vehicles to distant countries worldwide. Prior to the RO/RO concept, vehicles were transported like cargo, which required emptying their fuel tanks, disconnecting the batteries and being hoisted into the ship’s hold. The vehicles would then be chocked and secured. The process was tedious and difficult. There was a potential risk of vehicles being damaged or scratched during the voyage. Once they reached their destination, the vehicle had to be rechecked before it could be used for regular travel.

The concept may have originated in WWII where landing ships used ramps to offload their army vehicles and tanks directly into battle. Later on, the idea was used for short ferry crossings, and eventually applied to further distances. Container shipping provides security to your vehicle. It is enclosed in a sealed metal container and will only be opened upon reaching its destination. You can cover your vehicle with marine insurance to ensure total protection. When shipping vehicles, you need the original title of the vehicle. There should be no gas in the vehicle or at most, should be less than 1/8 of a tank of gas. It should be sufficient to roll off the vehicle and load up with gas at the destination point. The battery wires should be disconnected. In some ways, the requirements are similar to the old fashioned hoisting method except that the vehicle is not hoisted but rather goes on and off via the ramps using its own power. If the vehicle is shipped in a container, you can load some boxes of household and personal goods in the vehicle. However, if your car is shipped by RO/RO, the vehicle has to be empty. Check on the cost for the various alternatives. Also consider the benefits of being able to load other goods in the vehicle. Determining the cost requires knowing the pick-up and drop-off points. A port-to-port service is relatively cheaper than a port-to-door service. When securing quotes from different companies, make sure they reflect the total price and there are no hidden charges or fees. Some companies require a deposit while others require full payment up front. It is possible that no company will agree for you to pay the bill upon delivery of the automobile because of the potential risk of non-payment of the balance.