AnalysisCar shipping · What sets the bill on a vehicle
How much does RoRo shipping cost, and what the published band leaves out
Roll-on/roll-off shipping for a standard car ran between $900 and $2,500 across the vendor bands SeaRates read on 07/25-26/2026, against $3,000 to $5,500 for a sole-use container on the same routes. Those are ranges published by sellers, not medians from a quote array, and none of them includes what the destination bills. The method matters less than most guides suggest; the destination matters more.
What the two methods actually buy
RoRo means the vehicle is driven onto a purpose-built vessel and secured on a deck. Container shipping means it is strapped inside a box, alone or shared. The price gap between them is mostly a capacity question, and the practical differences decide more than the money does.
| Method | Published band per car | What may travel inside | Which cars are accepted |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoRo | $900-2,500 | Nothing, in most tariffs | Running vehicles only |
| Shared container | $1,500-3,000 | Limited, by carrier policy | Running and non-running |
| Sole-use container | $3,000-5,500 | Usually permitted | Running and non-running |
The "nothing inside" rule on RoRo is the one that surprises people most often. Personal effects in the vehicle are excluded from most RoRo tariffs and from the cover behind them, and a customs inspection that finds them can hold the whole booking.
The destination moves the bill more than the method
A $1,400 RoRo booking to one market and the same booking to another can differ by several thousand dollars once the vehicle lands, and nothing in the ocean quote signals it. Import duty on vehicles is set by the destination and turns on age, engine, emissions class and origin. Port charges, clearance and any compliance modification are billed locally and separately.
None of that is in the band above. What sits inside the ocean quote and what does not is the single most useful thing to establish before comparing two prices.
Marine cover, and the bill nobody expects
Marine cargo cover for a vehicle typically runs 1.5% to 2.5% of declared value and pays for physical loss or damage. It does not cover General Average — the ancient rule under which, when a vessel suffers a casualty, every cargo owner contributes to the salvage in proportion to value.
General Average is declared a handful of times a year across the world fleet, and when it is, the cargo is held until each owner posts a bond or a guarantee. Standard marine cover with a General Average clause handles that; a bare declared-value arrangement does not.
The two 72-hour duties
Exporting a vehicle from the United States carries two separate filing duties, both keyed to 72 hours, and they are not the same duty. The vehicle's title and export information must be presented to Customs and Border Protection at the port of export at least 72 hours before lading, and the electronic export filing must be lodged in the same window.
Ten of the 47 pages SeaRates measured quote a transit time in days and none says where the figure came from. The 72-hour rule is the reason no booking sails immediately, whatever a quote page implies about next-day departures.
Where this goes next
Three pages carry the rest of this question: the number behind it, the comparison of whoever would do it, and the check that runs before you pay.
- the landed-cost model and what it deliberately does not price — the figure behind it
- who ships vehicles from the USA, and what is verifiable — who does it
- how to read a company out of the federal register — check the licence
Two neighbouring pieces sit closer to this one than any of them: what the entry actually costs, and Can I negotiate demurrage charges.
Frequently asked questions
How much does RoRo shipping cost?
Published vendor bands ran $900 to $2,500 per standard car as read on 07/25-26/2026. Those are seller ranges rather than medians, and they exclude destination duty, port charges and clearance.
Is RoRo cheaper than a container?
Usually, yes: the published container bands run $3,000-5,500 for sole use. A shared container narrows the gap, and for a non-running vehicle a container is often the only option.
Can I put belongings in the car?
On RoRo, generally not — most tariffs exclude personal effects, and so does the cover behind them. In a sole-use container it is usually permitted, subject to the carrier and to the destination customs regime.
How long does RoRo shipping take?
The ocean leg depends on the route, but nothing sails inside 72 hours of the vehicle reaching the port: both the customs presentation and the export filing carry a 72-hour requirement before lading.
Does insurance cover General Average?
Standard marine cargo cover with a General Average clause does. A bare declared-value arrangement does not, and General Average is the bill that holds cargo until a guarantee is posted.
Sources
- SeaRates measurement of 27 pages ranking for international car shipping queries, 07/25-26/2026.
- Published vendor bands for RoRo and container vehicle shipping, read 07/25-26/2026. Ranges, not medians: SeaRates holds no quote array for vehicles.
- Customs and Border Protection — vehicle export requirements, title and export information presented at least 72 hours before lading.