Roro ships refer to roll-on/roll-off ships that are designed to carry wheeled cargo such as cars, trucks, trailers, and more. Unlike Lo-Lo (lift-on/lift-off) ships where a crane is used for loading or unloading the cargo, Roro ships have a built-in ramp that is used for wheeling in the cargo. In most of the Roro vessels for sale, you will see that the ramp is built on the stern of the vessel referring to the backside of the ship. But the design may vary in some cases and the ramp is found on the bow of the vessel, which is the front side.
Advantages of RoRo vessels
Ro-Ro ships were used in the 19th Century to carry large railway vehicles that were too wide to be transported via bridges. These vessels continue to be popular even in today’s age, thanks to the following reasons.
- One of the biggest positives of Roro vessels is speed. Since the cars and trucks that need to be transported can easily drive onto and then drive off the ship, thanks to the ramp, the process becomes much more efficient. The cargo does not need to be loaded or unloaded on the orts, thus, saving time for the shipping company.
- Roro ships also have the upper hand in terms of integrating well with other transport development, such as containers. Using Customs-sealed units of shipping containers enables these vessels to cross frontiers with a minimum of delay. This, in turn, increases the efficiency and speed of shipping.
- When it comes to transporting private vehicles across the seas, Roro ships are the best option for holiday takers and private car owners. They can either be deep sea (ocean going) or short sea vessels. Depending on the distance, these vessels can be used for private transportation with minimum hassles.
Different Types of RoRo Vessels
Till now, it has been pretty clear that Ro-Ro ships are used to transport wheeled cargo such as cars or other vehicles that can be rolled in and rolled off the ship. But when you look at Roro vessels for sale, you will find different classifications of Ro-Ro ships. Let us try to understand the different types of Roro vessels.
ROPAX
Roro vessels that are used for freight vehicle transport as well as passenger accommodations are known as ROPAX vessels; the acronym stands for roll-on/roll-off passengers. These are usually used for short sea transport. If a ROPAX ship can accommodate more than 500 passengers, it then falls under the category of cruise ships.
ConRO
ConRo vessels are a hybrid design between a Roro ship and a container ship. These vessels have two areas for storage. The space below the deck is used for wheeled vehicles, and the space above the deck is used for freight containers. There are internal ramps installed to access the freight cargo deck for the containers to be easily rolled in and rolled off.
RoLo
RoLo ships are also hybrid vessels; the acronym refers to roll-on/lift-off vessels. It has two storage areas, the vehicle deck and the cargo deck. Ramps are only available for the vehicle deck, while the cargo deck can be accessed by cranes. Shipping cranes are used to load and discharge heavy cargo items on this type of vessel.
Final Words
Roro ships are popular in the shipping industry for both vehicle transportation and cargo movement. If you’re looking for Roro vessels for sale, get in touch with Norwegian Ship Sales. They provide expert consultancy in purchasing of marine vessels.
