Shipbroker Notes : Ro-Ro Ships

The modern practice was developed by a British shipowner from tank-landing craft used during the Second World War. The term ‘Ro/Ro ships’can cover a variety of ships, such as car ferries, specialist vehicle carriers, of which over 50% are owned by the Japanese, and general-cargo ships which are described as having Ro/Ro capability. It is this latter type that we are going to consider here. These Ro/Ro ships are expensive: a 15,000dwt size would be about twice the price of a conventional ship of this size and the ‘wasted space’can be considerable, but their productivity is very high and their extreme flexibility –virtually anything can be rolled on, containers, heavy loads, large objects etc –makes them attractive to operate. These ships have also been referred to as STO/ROs in cases where the cargo is rolled on board by forklift trucks which stow and handle the cargo as in a warehouse. Ro/Ros have also proved very useful in areas where congestion has occurred. It was originally considered that Ro/Ro was only suitable for short distances, but many such ships have been operating for years between Europe and Australia and across the Pacific. There are also ships which are part cellular containership and part Ro/Ro. PTCC (Pure Truck Car Carrier) are Ro/Ro ships and are used for long distances and many are large.