RoRo Shipping Complete Guide 2026: How Roll-On Roll-Off Works

RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) is the global standard for ocean transport of wheeled cargo. The vessel has built-in stern or quarter ramps; drivers steer your vehicle directly into a fixed deck, secure it with lashings, and drive it off at the destination port. There is no crane, no container and no packing — the vehicle is its own packaging.

The method was invented in the 1950s and now moves more than 30 million units a year, from family cars to combine harvesters. From the UK, RoRo accounts for roughly two-thirds of all vehicle export volume.

1. Book a sailing with a forwarder such as Ship Cars RoRo using the live RoRo schedule.
2. Deliver the vehicle to the cut-off date at Southampton, Tilbury or Liverpool.
3. Receipt clerk records VIN, mileage, fuel level, condition and dents.
4. Stevedores drive the car up the ramp and lash it to the deck.
5. CDS export declaration is filed before vessel departure.
6. Vessel sails; you receive the Bill of Lading by email within 3–5 days.
7. On arrival, the line discharges the car at the destination terminal.
8. The consignee or their agent clears customs and drives the car off the dock.

- 20–40% cheaper than a sole-use 20ft container on most routes.
• Faster terminal handling — no stuffing or destuffing.
• Higher sailing frequency — multiple departures per month on big routes.
• Suits oversized vehicles, vans and machinery that will not fit a container.
• Less paperwork at destination because there is no container release fee.

- Non-running vehicles. RoRo needs a driver behind the wheel. Use container instead.
• Personal belongings inside the car — strictly forbidden under RoRo line rules.
• Concours classics or supercars where you want enclosed protection.
• Destinations that do not accept RoRo (a small number of ports in the Pacific and some African deep-water terminals).

Indicative ocean freight only, standard saloon:

- Southampton → Jebel Ali (UAE): from £695
• Tilbury → Lagos (Nigeria): from £750
• Southampton → Mombasa (Kenya): from £895
• Tilbury → Dar es Salaam: from £950
• Southampton → Halifax (Canada): from £1,150
• Southampton → Baltimore (USA): from £995

Port charges, marine insurance, and destination duty are extra. See the international shipping costs guide for the full picture.

- UK → UAE: 18–22 days
• UK → Nigeria: 21–26 days
• UK → Kenya/Tanzania: 28–34 days
• UK → USA East Coast: 12–16 days
• UK → Canada East Coast: 14–18 days
• UK → Australia (East): 38–48 days

Transshipment routes (UK → hub → final port) can add 7–14 days.

Hoegh Autoliners, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, Grimaldi, K Line and Glovis dominate UK RoRo. Each carrier has its preferred lane: Grimaldi for West Africa and the Mediterranean, Hoegh for the Middle East and East Africa, K Line for the Gulf and the Far East, Wallenius for North America. We book across all five so we can always match the fastest sailing to your cut-off date.

Get a sailing-specific RoRo quote in under an hour. Call or WhatsApp +44 (0)1495 320540, email info@shipcarsroro.co.uk or request a written quote.

Before any international shipment, vehicles need to reach the loading port — and many customers ask us to handle the UK leg too. Our recovery and transport network covers every postcode, 24 hours a day.

Start with the main hubs: Car Recovery UK, Vehicle Recovery UK, 24/7 Breakdown Recovery and Nationwide Vehicle Transportation.

City coverage includes London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield and Bristol.

Pre-book a port run on a flatbed transporter from Southampton, Portsmouth, Liverpool or Felixstowe via Ipswich, or call 24/7 for breakdown recovery in London, Birmingham or Manchester.