Shipping Modes
Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo)
A vessel and shipping method where wheeled cargo is driven on and off the ship under its own power or on a trailer, rather than being lifted by crane.
In depth
RoRo vessels have internal ramps and decks like a floating multi-storey car park, and cargo drives aboard. It is the standard method for cars, trucks, buses, agricultural and construction machinery, and any self-propelled or trailer-mounted unit. Loading is fast and avoids the lifting stresses of crane handling, which suits delicate or awkward machinery. The constraints are that cargo must be wheeled or on a mafi trailer, deck height limits apply, and RoRo services run on fixed schedules to a narrower set of ports than container services.
Key points
- Wheeled cargo driven on and off rather than lifted
- Standard for vehicles and self-propelled machinery
- Avoids crane lifting stresses and speeds loading
- Fewer ports and fixed schedules compared with container services