A roll-on roll-off shipping company transports all kinds of vehicles that have wheels. Usually a roll-on roll-off shipping company transports large numbers of vehicles for sale by exporters. They carry cars, trucks, semi- trucks, trailers, farm equipment, motorhomes and even boats and any other type of vehicle that can be driven or towed onto and off of the ship. Roll-on roll-off shipping company ships are equipped with built in ramps that lower to allow the cargo to be driven on board.

A roll-on roll-off shipping company can move cargo internationally from all major ports in the United States to worldwide destinations. The ships are designed to be flexible and carry rolling and non-rolling cargo. Inside the roll-on roll-off cargo area, it looks similar to a large parking garage. Most ships can store more than 3,000 vehicles and may have up to 12 storage decks. Roll-on roll-off vessel is typically measured by a unit of lanes in meters (LIM). The lanes in meters is measured by multiplying the length of the cargo in meters by the number of decks and then by the width in lanes. Because lane width may vary from ship to ship, industry standards are applied to ensure uniformity in calculation of area among shipping companies.

The ship is required by law to provide a minimum amount of insurance per cargo package. This amount is only $500 USD. A roll-on roll-off shipping company can provide cargo insurance to cover the replacement value of the cargo. Insurance is available to cover risks suck as ocean water damage, fire, explosions, loss overboard, jettison, and theft. Automobile manufacturers export millions of vehicles via a roll-on roll-off shipping company every year. Because this is the preferred method for shipping, insurance rates for roll- on/ roll- off shipping is affordable with competitive rates.

Shipping companies moving goods from the United States typically handle all export documentation required by customs and make available adequate marine insurance for automobile exporters. If new vehicles are to be exported from the United States via a roll-on/roll-off shipping company the manufacturer’s statement of origin must be provided to the US Customs office at least 72 hours in advance of the departure date. United States Customs will inspect these documents and the cargo before releasing it for export. Two copies and the original manufacturer’s statement of origin must be presented to the customs agent prior to inspection. International shipping companies are familiar with the governmental requirements for international shipping and customs.

Roll-on roll-off shipping company agents can help the exporter prepare the necessary documents prior to customs inspections. Once the ship arrives at its destination, vehicles that have been shipped by the roll-on roll-off method are driven from the ship containers to pre-designated holding area to await customs inspections. A roll-on roll-off shipping company moves thousands of vehicles every year. Every day cargo arrives safely in ports around the world.