Containerised vehicle transport is fast becoming the go-to solution for international auto shipping companies. Here are the top five reasons why:
1: Safety
Transporting vehicles by Roll-on-Roll-off (RORO) ferries carries significant risk, with hazards occurring at every stage of the journey. From cars being stored in large carparks that are open to the elements to the multiple people who must be trusted to drive them on and off numerous ferries, the RORO journey is dangerous and unpredictable. Containers – the ‘envelopes of the sea’ – see the vehicles safely sealed at Point A until they are neatly delivered at Point B. This eliminates the risk of damage, theft, and loss.
2: Speed
Global waterways are not designed for deep-hulled RORO ferries. While fine in the open ocean, they cannot traverse the Suez or Panama Canals, and the majority of ports are closed to them due to the shallow depth of the water. This makes RORO journeys arduous and time-consuming, with vehicles having to be loaded and unloaded onto multiple vessels. Today’s maritime infrastructure is built for containerised transport. This means that container ships can make the fastest and most direct journeys with no need for delays.
3: Covid-Safe
International transport has become increasingly challenging since the start of the pandemic. RORO transport has been particularly affected because drivers need to physically enter the vehicles as they are manoeuvred between ships and holding stations. This prolonged contact with the confined interior of the cars causes numerous transference opportunities for Covid-19.
By safely sealing the vehicles into a container at the start of the journey and leaving them locked away until the point of delivery, the risks are greatly reduced. This is a safer solution for both employees and customers.
4: Strength and Reliability
The first containerised racking solutions relied on improvised wooden frames and gurneys to lift the cars into place. This is a baffling choice because wooden frames are not strong enough to guarantee the safe storage of a vehicle. This gave rise to the opinion that container-transporting vehicles was risky – which, when frames were made of wood – it was. Steel frames are all about strength and reliability. Their advanced design means that vehicles are locked securely into place, so that even the most dramatic ocean turbulence is absorbed. This means that cars reach their destination without a scratch.
5: Environmentally-Friendly
Trans-Rak’s steel racking solutions are re-usable and ultimately recyclable, avoiding the waste that comes from single-use wooden racking. Once they have reached their destination, the racks fold up into neat pods that can be shipped back in a single container. This process can be repeated for between seven and ten years, at which point the steel can be repurposed.
What Next?
For more information about our containerised steel racking solutions, please get in touch today, or [click here] to download our free Containerised Car Transport Guide.
Image source: Unsplash
