Multi-vehicle racking systems are – quite literally – making waves. But does car container shipping really save money? From safety to efficiency, here’s a quick guide to cheap car shipping.
The End Of RoRo?
The humble ferry is an ancient form of transportation. Meandering across waterways and taking life at a steady pace has always been the quintessential hallmark of the roll-on-roll-off (RoRo) ferry. When cars started to become mainstream in the 1950s, it was only a matter of time before island countries such as Japan and the UK began to design vessels that would allow vehicles to amble on, make a short hop, and amble off again.
However, the rest of the world has been focused on developing containerised transport. Conceptualised in the 1960s, containerisation is about efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and safety. 90% of global goods now make use of the oceanic superhighways, which are both streamlined and unswervingly effective.
What Are The Main Problems With RoRo?
Theft is by far the biggest challenge with the RoRo shipping method. Unless it can be bolted down, it tends to go AWOL during the many port stops and changes at sea. Typical casualties are number plates, hubcaps, and engine parts. During a RoRo journey, many different individuals will drive the vehicle, and this means that interior electronics are also prone to going missing. This is one of the reasons that containers were invented. Once a valuable item is locked inside a steel box, the risk of theft is radically reduced.
How Can Containerised Car Shipping Save Money?
Containerised car shipping saves money in several ways. Firstly, it is faster and has a greater choice of shipping routes and ports, and this offers greater flexibility and efficiency. More important is the cumulative effect of investing in advanced car racking systems.
With high-grade steel racks, four vehicles can be securely loaded into a single container. Those racks can then be folded down into neat pods that can be re-used for between seven and ten years. This means that the initial investment starts to make money very swiftly. To find out more about our range of efficient, reusable racking systems, please get in touch today.
