RoRo vs Container: A Detailed Cost Comparison for Shipping a Car

On a typical Southampton-to-Mombasa lane, RoRo freight for a mid-size saloon runs approximately £1,300–£1,600, while a shared 40ft container slot for the same vehicle costs roughly £1,450–£1,850, and a sole-use 20ft container can reach £2,600–£3,400. The gap narrows considerably once you factor in shared container cost savings from splitting a 40ft box with two or three other vehicles.

Marine cargo insurance premiums for RoRo shipments are typically 10–20% higher than for identical vehicles shipped by container, because open-deck exposure and multiple handling touchpoints (driven on, driven off) increase the statistical risk of scuffs, dents, and theft. On a £15,000 vehicle, this can mean a £40–£90 premium difference in favour of container shipping.

Port handling fees also differ: RoRo vehicles are charged per unit at a flat rate, while container handling is charged per container and split between co-loaded vehicles in a shared box. For a single vehicle shipped alone, RoRo handling fees are usually lower; for two or more vehicles travelling together, shared container handling per vehicle often undercuts RoRo.

RoRo shipments carry lower risk of demurrage since vehicles typically clear faster through simpler RoRo customs lanes, whereas container shipments can face delays waiting for other co-loaded vehicles' paperwork to clear, risking storage charges if one shipment in a shared container is held up.

For a single mid-size SUV to East Africa: RoRo totals roughly £1,750–£2,100 including insurance and handling, versus £2,000–£2,450 for a shared container slot, and £3,300–£4,000 for a sole-use container. The premium for a sole-use container only makes sense for high-value vehicles, classics, or shipments requiring maximum security and privacy.

For a single standard vehicle, RoRo almost always wins on pure cost. For two or more vehicles shipped together, or where personal effects and higher security matter more than the lowest price, a shared container frequently closes the cost gap while adding meaningful protection.