Luxury vehicles are high-value assets for all stakeholders in the supply chain, and therefore require a transport strategy which prioritises security at every step of the journey. The increased risk profile of many luxury and high value vehicles, as well as their specialist handling requirements, can make the general RoRo (roll on/roll off) shipping approach used for other finished vehicle logistics inappropriate or unnecessarily risky. So, is container shipping a viable option for luxury vehicles, especially when dealing with multi-vehicle transport? This is the question we will address in this article.
High Value, High Risk: The Logistical Complexities Of Luxury Vehicle Transport
Let’s look more closely at the issue of risk management, which is one of the primary concerns for any logistics provider dealing with luxury vehicles. Luxury vehicles are as susceptible to damage from weather, road debris, and potential mishandling as any other vehicle. The heightened risk comes from the relatively high cost of these hazards, with even minor repairs on some cars running into thousands of pounds. Luxury vehicles are also more vulnerable to theft and deliberate vandalism than other categories of car. These factors increase the cost per unit of multi-vehicle transport, while also impacting insurance premiums. To compound these issues, luxury electric vehicles (EVs) also have all the problems affecting the transport of mid-market EVs, such as the dangers of shipping hazardous lithium-ion batteries.
It also helps to explain the growing popularity of containerised transport in luxury finished vehicle logistics. Out of sight, out of mind. When you seal a luxury car into a dedicated steel shipping container, you create a protective barrier that significantly mitigates these risks, while keeping it safe from prying eyes and hands. Container shipping minimises exposure and gives you a secure and private environment from collection to delivery.
Scalability and network reach are also critical operational factors when shipping electric vehicles. Ro-Ro services are often restricted to major transport hubs located around deep water ports, which can increase your reliance on inland transport. And it is during the inland legs of the journey that luxury cars are most at risk – from theft, accidental damage, vandalism, and the rest. Ideally, you want to keep your cars at sea for as long as possible, with only a short drive down the road for the ‘last mile’ to the dealership or customer. Container shipping is beneficial in this regard because it provides access to a much wider network of global ports, allowing you to offer your customers more direct and efficient routes, reduced transit times, and expand your service to reach more diverse markets.
Removable Racking To Improve Efficiency
On their own, shipping containers are not very efficient vessels for transporting vehicles. If you are lucky, you might get two luxury vehicles in a container. Any more and you risk damage from vibrations and items moving around in transit, or you simply run out of floor area. In any case, it’s a chronic waste of space, with most volume within the shipping container going unused. However, with a modern removable racking system, this is no longer the case. Specialist, reusable steel racks, such as the R-RAK and EL-RAK from Trans-Rak, allow you to safely secure multiple vehicles inside each shipping container.
By optimising container space in this way, you can dramatically improve your cost per unit, making container shipping a more financially viable and competitive option for luxury cars. The process of loading and unloading vehicles is also less risky than driving a premium car on and off a ferry. Once it’s secured in place, that’s it; the car doesn’t need to be moved until its final destination, removing all the pinch points at which damage can occur.
Find Out More
If your business handles luxury vehicle transport, it’s worth exploring how a container-based transport strategy could enhance your service offering, improve operational efficiency, and give superior protection for your customers’ valuable assets. To find out more, please contact Trans-Rak today by clicking here, or by calling 01926 408282.
