Every vehicle import from China starts with the same decision, and it is rarely the one importers research properly: does the car travel on its own wheels on a RoRo vessel, or inside a container? That single choice changes your unit cost, your damage risk, the ports you can use, the paperwork your electric vehicles will need, and how fast you can consolidate a mixed order. Choose badly and you either pay for protection you did not need, or discover at the cut-off that the model you ordered was never going to fit. This guide explains how both methods work in practice and how to choose with your eyes open.
RoRo (roll-on / roll-off). The vehicle is driven onto a dedicated car carrier at the loading port and driven off at the destination port. It is charged per unit or per cubic metre, using a rate table broken down by size class and destination. There is no packing, no racking and no container to return. RoRo requires a port that has a RoRo ramp and berth, plus a scheduled liner service on your lane.
Container shipping. The vehicle is secured inside a standard container, usually with steel racking or timber bracing that lifts one car above another, and sometimes with wheels removed to gain height. It is charged per container for the ocean leg, plus the origin handling, racking, lashing and loading work. Container services reach almost every container port, and continue inland to rail terminals and inland container depots (ICDs) under a single through document.
The commercial difference is simple: RoRo sells you space on a ship, container shipping sells you a box that you then have to fill and secure properly.
| Comparison point | RoRo | Container |
|---|---|---|
| Charging basis | Per unit / per CBM by size class | Per container + racking, lashing, handling |
| Typical best fit | 1–3 standard passenger cars, repeat orders | 2–4 smaller cars, mixed vehicle + parts loads |
| Port reach | Only RoRo-served ports | Most container ports, plus inland ICDs |
| Weather exposure | Open decks, salt spray on passage | Fully enclosed and weather-protected |
| Electric / hybrid units | Carrier battery procedures apply | Additional stowage and battery rules apply |
| Consolidation with spare parts | Not possible with unrelated cargo | Parts and accessories can travel with the cars |
| Booking pattern | Fixed monthly schedules, earlier cut-off | Weekly sailings, easier to slot in at short notice |
| Origin work needed | Almost none beyond delivery to port | Racking, bracing, stuffing and container return |
Freight rates and RoRo tariffs move with the market, so the numbers are only comparable when they are all-in. Ask for both quotes against your exact model, route and sailing month, and compare the landed cost at the destination port rather than the headline ocean freight.
New energy vehicles can travel either way, but the documentation burden is different and heavier. Lithium batteries are regulated as dangerous goods, so carriers ask for battery documentation such as a UN38.3 test summary, a state-of-charge limit at the time of loading, and confirmation that the battery is undamaged. Container shipments frequently require a dangerous goods declaration and a defined stowage position, often on deck. RoRo carriers usually handle new energy vehicles under their own battery procedures, which may differ again.
Because these rules are carrier-specific and are revised regularly, treat your shipping line's written confirmation as the only final answer, and build extra days into your schedule before the cut-off.
A 40ft high cube container gives you roughly 12.0 m of internal length, 2.35 m of internal width and 2.69 m of internal height. Cars are therefore almost always carried in racking that lifts one vehicle above another rather than side by side. The practical result is that a 40ft high cube normally takes two to four passenger cars, but only one to two large SUVs, pickups or vans — and a vehicle with a roof rack, a raised suspension or a long wheelbase can drop the count further.
Before you accept a container quote, measure the actual unit: overall length, width with mirrors, height including roof fittings, and kerb weight. If the model is close to a limit, ask the loader to confirm the racking configuration in writing. A height overrun discovered at the yard is far more expensive than a RoRo quote you did not use.
Both methods need the same commercial documents — commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading instructions and a certificate of origin where the destination grants preferential treatment — but the operational deadlines differ.
Container shipping protects the vehicle from weather and from most casual handling, but it introduces its own risks: damage during stuffing and unstuffing, and movement inside the container if the racking or lashing fails. RoRo exposes the unit to salt air on open decks and to terminal drivers who move it on and off, yet it involves far less manual handling around the vehicle itself.
In either case, arrange marine cargo insurance before the vehicle is loaded, not after. Insure the full commercial value plus your expected margin, and if damage is found at destination, request a survey before you take delivery — a claim is much harder to win once the unit has been driven away.
It depends mainly on how many vehicles you ship. RoRo is usually the better value for one or two standard cars, while a container becomes competitive when two to four smaller cars share it, or when vehicles travel together with spare parts. Compare the all-in landed cost — ocean freight, racking, handling and terminal charges — for your exact model and route, never the base rate alone.
No. Vehicles that are too long, too tall or too heavy for container racking, or that cannot roll, are normally shipped RoRo. Full-size SUVs, pickups, vans and buses are the typical examples, and the decision should be settled by the model's measured dimensions and weight rather than its category.
A 40ft high cube is roughly 12.0 m long, 2.35 m wide and 2.69 m high internally, and cars are normally carried in racking that lifts one above the other. In practice that means commonly two to four passenger cars, and only one to two large SUVs, pickups or vans, depending on each unit's dimensions and weight.
Both RoRo and container services carry electric vehicles, but lithium batteries are regulated as dangerous goods. Carriers ask for battery documentation such as a UN38.3 test summary and a state-of-charge limit at loading, and container shipments often need a dangerous goods declaration and a specific stowage position. Ask your shipping line for its current written requirements before you book.
Earlier than most importers expect. RoRo services run on fixed schedules with limited space, so popular lanes are often fully booked several weeks ahead, and container bookings need time for empty pick-up, stuffing and VGM submission. Book as soon as your order and payment plan are confirmed, and keep the cut-off dates from the shipping line in writing.
Buying vehicles from China? Contact Shengyue Auto — we supply new, used and modified passenger cars, pickups, commercial and new energy vehicles, and advise on RoRo and container shipping, loading, insurance and export documentation for importers in Africa, the Middle East and worldwide. Email: shengyue4499@gmail.com | WhatsApp: +86 19121331679 | www.shengyueauto.com