1. RORO Shipping: The Workhorse
RORO (Roll-on/Roll-off) vessels are purpose-built car carriers. China's major RORO ports: Nansha (Guangzhou), Shanghai Waigaoqiao, Tianjin, Ningbo. RORO handles ~70% of Chinese vehicle exports. Advantages: lowest per-unit cost, fast loading (2,000+ cars in 8 hours), purpose-built handling. Risks: sea air exposure (salt corrosion), limited to RORO terminals, weather delays (monsoon May-Oct), cannot ship cargo inside vehicles.
2. Container Shipping: The Premium Option
40ft high-cube containers with racks fit 3 compact sedans (Corolla) or 2 mid-size SUVs (RAV4). Advantages: complete weather protection, any container port worldwide, consolidate with spare parts, better insurance coverage, reliable tracking. Risks: higher cost, requires professional loading (improper lashing = damage), higher port handling fees, needs forklift/crane at destination.
3. Real Freight Rates (July 2026, Guangzhou Nansha)
- Dubai (Jebel Ali): RORO $750-$950 | Container $2,200-$3,000 | 14-18 days
- Mombasa (Kenya): RORO $950-$1,200 | Container $2,800-$3,500 | 20-25 days
- Lagos (Nigeria): RORO $1,200-$1,500 | Container $3,200-$4,000 | 28-35 days
- Dar es Salaam: RORO $1,100-$1,400 | Container $3,000-$3,800 | 22-28 days
- Tema (Ghana): RORO $1,000-$1,300 | Container $2,800-$3,600 | 25-30 days
4. Decision Matrix
- Economy car under $10K, standard port: RORO
- Luxury car over $30K: Container — damage risk not worth savings
- No RORO terminal at destination: Container only
- 3+ cars to same buyer: Container — per-car cost drops below RORO
- Shipping with spare parts: Container only
- Urgent delivery: RORO — more frequent sailings
- Electric vehicle: Container — many RORO lines restrict EVs
5. Hidden Costs
- Terminal Handling (THC): $80-$150/car RORO, $200-$350/container
- Bunker Adjustment (BAF): Currently adding 8-12% to base freight
- Port storage: Free 3-7 days, then $20-$50/day. #1 profit killer in Lagos
- Customs exam: $150-$400 if selected (~20% of containers)