Facts you should know about international auto shipping

For international shipping, the automobile has to be filled with a minimum amount of gasoline, and it has to be kept underneath the deck of the vessel. Extensive documentation is required for customs regulations for international auto shipping – original titles as well as multiple copies showing both sides of the titles are required.

According to Scotiabank’s Global Auto report, automobile sales grew 25% year-over -year in March, which marks the 6th consecutive double digit increase.

A written permission from the lender is required for the transportation, if the car is under a loan. Most international companies handling auto shipping offer up to $10,000 as insurance for each vehicle being shipped. The car must be kept totally empty with no other item put inside.

The original title and the keys must accompany the vehicle. The car has to be in working condition and there must not be too much gasoline in the tank. After all the paperwork is completed which includes a certificate of health assuring its good condition, the car is loaded onto the ship.

Ship transport is much less expensive than air shipping, so international auto shipping is mostly done by sea. RO/RO, or Roll on, Roll off ships are used. The type of RO/RO used for auto shipping is known as a Pure Car Carrier. While it is docked, a portion of the hull on the stern or the bow of the ship lifts up and a loading ramp descends.

The cars are “rolled up”, or driven, onto the ship, and placed in areas that are like common parking spots. The loaders make sure that the automobile is secure for transportation and then move on to the next car.

When all the automobiles are in their place, the ship’s crew reviews the stored cars and double check that they have been stored properly. Then the RO/RO end closes and the ship departs with all the autos on it, across the seas.

When the ship arrives at the destination port, all its contents must clear inspections and customs. The cars and the paperwork are inspected to make sure everything meets the import laws and the shipping regulations. When this bureaucratic procedure is over, the ship aligns with the dock, raises its hull and lowers the shipping ramp.

The automobiles are then “rolled off”, or driven on to the loading dock where their owners claim them; they are then loaded onto a shipping truck for delivery to the retailers, or moved to a warehouse for storage. The ship and the crew receive a new load of automobiles, or they leave for their next port for taking up another load of cargo.