What Types of Ships Carry Cars?

What's in this article?

Types of Ships that Carry Cars
How are Cars Loaded onto Pure Car Carriers?
The Design of Car Transporting Ships
A Brief History of Car Shipping
Different Types of Car Carriers
Pure Car Carrier (PCC)
Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC)
Car-Passenger Ferries
Bulk Carrier
Container and RoRo Ships
General Cargo and RoRo Ship
Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on, Roll-off (LMSR)
Traditional Ro-Ro Vessels
Let's Finish Up

Have you thought about how automobiles arrive on the opposite side of the world? It's like a worldwide game of transportation puzzles. But if you look closer at how they get, it becomes increasingly apparent: ships.

But all ships are not made the same—different ships carry different kinds and sizes of cargo. So when it comes to cars, what types of boats carry them?

The number of different ships that do so may surprise you. In this article, let's check out the shipping industry and its methods for carrying cars worldwide.

Types of Ships that Carry Cars

Ships explicitly designed for carrying cars are a specialized kind of RoRo ship. RoRo stands for "roll-on, roll-off" cargo ships specifically designed to transport wheeled vehicles. They are the most common type of ships that carry cars on board.

Cars and trucks roll onto this vehicle transporting ships like giants latching onto a lifeboat. Most are called Pure Car Carriers (PCC) or Pure Car And Truck Carriers (PCTC).

How are Cars Loaded onto Pure Car Carriers?

For the transport of cars, vehicles are loaded onto Pure Car Carriers (PCCs) using a combination of cranes and ramps. The cars are driven or towed onto the ship's upper decks, where they are secured to prevent them from shifting during the voyage.

The vehicles are placed in rows and held in place with straps or chains to keep them stable during transit. Cranes can also be used to load cars onto the top decks and move them around the ship for unloading.

When the vessel arrives at the port, drivers are typically at the terminal to receive the vehicles. The keys for the relevant vehicle may be included, with the driver responsible for transporting it onto/off of the ship.

The Design of Car Transporting Ships

Car carriers come in a bunch of different shapes and sizes, yet all have particular features that make them suited for the transport of cars. The most common type of car carrier is a Pure Car Carrier (PCC), which has large open decks designed to hold vehicles securely during transit.

These vessels typically have several cargo decks, with the lowest for heavier vehicles and the highest for lighter ones.

The decks are usually open to the elements, with no roof or sides to protect the vehicles from weather or sea conditions. This helps make them more efficient in terms of loading and unloading times, as well as in terms of fuel consumption.

A Brief History of Car Shipping

Car shipping has been around for centuries. The original car carriers were essentially giant floating bridges that could be moved, but they were significant in laying the groundwork for the development of future vehicle transport.

Edinburgh, Leith, and Newhaven Railway's Leviathan, constructed in 1849, is a superb example of an early car carrier'.

It wasn't until World War II and the development of landing craft that ships were built to transport road cars. Fast forward to the modern day, and the technology and design of these vessels have evolved, eventually leading to the development of the Pure Car Carrier.

Modern car carriers have sophisticated navigation systems, allowing them to traverse the oceans relatively easily. Many vessels also have advanced cargo-handling systems allowing faster loading and unloading times.

In addition to carrying passenger and commercial vehicles, car carriers can also transport boats, motorcycles, and other types of recreational vehicles.

Different Types of Car Carriers

Car carriers come in various forms, each classified as a RoRo ship. This sort of vessel can be anything from a cargo ship to a ferry to a vessel that transports military equipment like tanks. There are several distinct kinds of car carriers.

Car carrier ships are considered a type of RoRo ship, as we have established, and as we have seen, there are PCC and PCTC vessels; however, what other types of ships are there, and what does each of these specific terms mean?

Let's look at some types of ships that can carry cars.

Pure Car Carrier (PCC)

Pure Car Carriers (PCCs) are specialized ships specifically designed for transporting cars and other vehicles. They have large open decks with multiple levels, allowing them to hold several vehicles at once securely.

The vehicles are typically driven or towed onto the ship's upper decks and secured in place with straps or chains. Cranes can also load cars onto the terraces and move them around the boat for unloading.

Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC)

A Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) is a specialized type of RoRo designed to carry cars and trucks. It has large open decks with multiple levels, enabling it to pack several vehicles at once securely.

The vehicles are typically driven or towed onto the ship's upper decks and secured in place with straps or chains. Cranes can also be used to load cars onto the decks and move them around the ship for unloading.

Car-Passenger Ferries

Car-Passenger Ferries are RoRo ships designed to transport cars and people. They typically have a car deck on one level and several passenger decks on the upper levels.

The cars are loaded onto the deck via a ramp or lift and secured with straps or chains. The passengers enter the ship via a gangway, where they can access the other decks.

Bulk Carrier

Bulk carriers are large vessels designed to transport various cargo, such as coal and ore.

They can also transport new cars from manufacturers to dealerships. Bulk carriers have open decks that can be loaded with vehicles on board, and secured, so they don't move during transit.

Bulk carriers generally have more space for motor transport than cargo ships and can carry more vehicles.

Container and RoRo Ships

A ship that combines the characteristics of conventional container vessels with those of a roll-on, roll-off ship.

These container ships are vessels designed to carry large containers filled with goods. They can also be used for freight vehicles, typically new cars from manufacturers to dealerships or between countries.

These container ships have open decks that can be loaded with multiple rows of vehicles, which are secured, so they don't move during transit.

The main advantage of using container ships for the transportation of cars is that the vehicles can be quickly loaded and unloaded and easily tracked during transit.

General Cargo and RoRo Ship

A ship that combines the characteristics of a small conventional cargo ship and a roll-on, roll-off ship. The size and capacity of these vessels are typically lower than that of a Container and RoRo ship.

Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on, Roll-off (LMSR)

Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on, Roll-off (LMSR) vessels are specialized ships designed to transport large numbers of vehicles and other cargo, primarily used by the American military.

These military ships are specialized ships designed to transport military equipment, such as tanks and large vehicles. These vessels typically have large open decks with multiple levels and are designed to hold several vehicles at once securely.

The vehicles are typically driven or towed onto the ship's upper decks and secured in place with straps or chains. Specialist equipment can also be used to load cars onto the decks and move them around the ship for unloading.

Traditional Ro-Ro Vessels

Traditional Ro-Ro ships are some of the oldest boats used to carry cars. These vessels feature an open deck with multiple levels that securely hold several vehicles at once. The vehicles are typically driven or towed onto the ship's upper decks and secured in place with straps or chains.

Traditional Ro-Ro vessels also have cranes that can be used to load cars onto the decks and move them around the ship for unloading.

Other cargo ships can also transport cars, but they are not ideal.

Let's Finish Up

In conclusion, cars and other large vehicles are often shipped worldwide via ferries and Ro-Ro vessels. These ships provide access to loading ramps and enough room on cargo decks for multiple cars or trucks.

The largest car carriers in the world can carry thousands of vehicles.

Auto transport companies also consider value, timeline, and safety when selecting the correct type of vessel for transporting large cargo-like vehicles.

A1-Auto Transport makes the transport of cars accessible. We offer an instant quote to compare rates and pick a specific service that fits your budget.