RoRo or container: how the car travels from Korea
The choice of shipping goes into the final price and into the timeline. The difference between the two is not only money.
A car from South Korea travels by sea one of two ways: as RoRo, where it is driven onto the ship under its own power and travels lashed on deck, or in a container, where it is enclosed and secured inside. RoRo is usually the cheaper option for a single car, while a container gives more protection and is preferred for expensive, non-standard or immobile cars.
This article is part of the complete guide to importing cars from South Korea.
Terms in this article:RoRoDuty
This is a working draft. The Korea Cars BG team is still expanding it — for your specific case, write to us and we will answer in writing.
How RoRo works
RoRo comes from roll-on/roll-off: the car is driven on and off the ship under its own power. The ships are purpose-built and sail to a schedule, which makes the timings more predictable.
The car travels with no personal luggage inside. That is a requirement, not a recommendation — RoRo ships do not carry contents in the cars.
How the container works
The car is secured inside a container and travels enclosed. A container can be shared with another car, which brings the cost down against a sole-use one.
The container protects against salt, weather and surface damage during loading. On expensive cars the difference in cost is often smaller than the risk it covers.
What drives the choice
The value of the car, its condition (running or not), the sailings available and the receiving port. For a standard car in running order RoRo is usually the sensible choice.
The shipment is insured either way. That insurance goes into the base on which duty is charged.
How long it takes
The crossing itself is around 30–35 days either way. The difference in the overall timeline comes from waiting for a suitable sailing and from loading, not from the speed of the ship.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper — RoRo or a container?
- For a single standard car in running order RoRo usually works out cheaper. A shared container narrows the gap, and a sole-use container is the most expensive option.
- Can I put luggage in the car during shipping?
- With RoRo, no — the ships take the car empty. With a container the rules differ, but anything carried is subject to customs declaration and is agreed in advance.
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