Shipping a Car from Korea: RoRo vs Container — Cost, Time and Safety Compared

RoRo: the car is driven onto the ship

With Roll-on/Roll-off shipping the car is driven into a purpose-built car carrier and secured on an enclosed deck. Pros: the cheapest method, regular sailings to Gulf ports (Jeddah, Dammam, Jebel Ali, Shuwaikh, Hamad, Sohar) as well as North Africa and Latin America, and fast loading. Limits: no personal items inside the car, and the car must be drivable.

Container: more protection, more flexibility

The car is secured inside a 20 or 40 ft container. Pros: full protection from weather and handling, the option to ship two or three cars in a 40 ft container to share the cost, and room for spare parts. Cons: more expensive for a single car, and it needs unstuffing at the arrival port.

Quick comparison

Cost: RoRo is cheaper for one car; a container is cheaper per car when shipping 2–3 together. Time: similar (20–45 days depending on destination), RoRo is usually quicker to load and unload. Safety: a container offers the highest protection; RoRo is safe for most cars and run by major lines. Marine insurance: recommended either way for high-value cars.

Our recommendation

Everyday or mid-range car: RoRo. Luxury, sports or classic car: container with insurance. Dealer shipping several cars: 40 ft container. In every case we quote both so you can choose.

Frequently asked questions