RoRo Shipping from the UK — Roll-on Roll-off Car & Vehicle Export

A RoRo vessel is essentially a multi-storey floating car park. Internal ramps connect dedicated decks for cars, vans, trucks, plant equipment and project cargo. At the load port the vehicle is driven up the ramp by a port stevedore, parked in its designated bay and secured with chains and chocks. On arrival the process reverses — the vehicle is driven off and released to your nominated clearing agent or driver.

RoRo is fundamentally a port-to-port service. UK collection (we pick up anywhere in the mainland UK), UK export clearance, port receival and lashing are bundled into the freight rate. Destination clearance, duty, port storage and onward delivery are paid locally on arrival.

RoRo wins on price and speed for a single running vehicle to a major port. Container shipping wins on protection, the ability to ship non-runners, and the option to include personal effects, classic cars, motorbikes or a second vehicle.

If your destination is a primary RoRo port (Lagos, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Dubai, Jeddah, Melbourne, Auckland, Halifax, New York, Baltimore) and your vehicle is in driving condition, RoRo is almost always the right choice. For high-value cars, classics or any destination only served by container vessels, choose container.

Every RoRo booking with us includes UK door-to-port collection, port receival and stevedoring fees, UK HMRC export clearance under our own EORI, vessel space booking, lashing and securing, Bill of Lading issue and milestone tracking by sailing.

Typical UK RoRo prices for a standard saloon car: West Africa £950–£1,250, East Africa £1,150–£1,450, Middle East £1,250–£1,650, USA East Coast £1,150–£1,450, Australia & New Zealand £1,950–£2,450, Caribbean £1,350–£1,650. SUVs and 4x4s add 15–25%, pickups and vans add 20–35%, motorhomes are priced per cubic metre.

Lead time from booking to delivery typically runs 4–8 weeks total: 1 week to collect and deliver to port, 1–6 weeks ocean transit depending on lane, plus 1–2 weeks destination clearance and delivery.

We need the original V5C log book (we endorse and submit the V5C/4 export slip to DVLA on your behalf), photo ID for the registered keeper, and proof of purchase if the vehicle has been registered to you for under 30 days. For commercial exporters we also need an EORI number and a commercial invoice. Outstanding finance must be cleared before export — we can hold the vehicle while finance is settled.

Carrier liability under the Hague-Visby Rules is capped at roughly £100 per package — nowhere near the value of a modern car. We arrange all-risks marine insurance through Lloyd's-backed underwriters at typically 1.5%–2.5% of declared value, covering total loss, partial damage, theft and general average door-to-door.