Classic, race, high-performance, and veteran cars are hot commodities in the field of international car transport. So, shipping them across the world in containers has its risks and challenges. As they are vehicles of historical interest and high technological or nostalgic value, customers often worry that they're not suitable for container shipping. Thankfully, Trans-Rak has developed a range of racking solutions to address these concerns.
Safety Of Containerised Classic Car Shipments
Shipping cars in containers is safer than more conventional options, such as 'Roll on, Roll Off' (RORO) transportation. The reason for that is that once the vehicles are loaded and secured within the containers, they are not to be handled again until they reach their destination. By contrast, RORO shipping involves handling and moving the cars at every stopover, checkpoint, or transfer onto a different mode of transport (e.g., rail, road, ship). With container shipments, only on-site loading and unloading staff come within reach of the cars, and often only using forklift trucks or cranes. With far less handling and movement, a classic car is far less likely to be damaged, lost, or stolen in transit.
Trans-Rak Systems Boost Classic Car Shipment Safety
The best thing about containerised shipping is that those in the automotive industry who arrange these shipments have access to a wide array of innovative equipment to boost safety. Trans-Rak racking systems are a fine example of how technological innovation can help turn the process of loading and stowing classic cars safely easy and convenient, even for international transport.
Here are a few options for customers who want to maximise the safety of their container shipped classic cars:
- For those in the business of transporting several classic cars at once, the modular R-RAK system is ideal for positioning, raising, tilting, and storing 3-4 of these cars safely together in a single 40ft. HC container, using wheel trays, straps, and chocks to secure them into place after they are loaded.
- Customers can also load classic cars onto the EL-RAK system from outside the container, and have the loaded cassette moved into the container by forklift truck. That way, no driver lays a hand on the vehicle while it inside the container.
- Likewise, the DL-RAK can be used to move and secure wide vehicles into position from outside the container. Once loading is complete and the classic car is mounted onto its racking system, it's moved inside the container with a forklift truck. That way, there's no need for a driver to roll a car into the container and then squeeze out of the car, possibly damaging it.
- All Trans-Rak systems are made of high-strength SPA-H steel, an alloy with great extrusion, machining performance, and anticorrosion properties, with a working life that spans the better part of a decade, and with none of the vulnerabilities of conventional, timber racking.
Next Steps
Whatever the type of vehicle you need to transport by shipping container, our vehicle racking systems can improve safety and security, reducing the risk of damage and maximising the number of vehicles you can stow inside each container. To find out more, please contact one of our service team today.
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