Do you dream of discovering the world with your own camper? Are you considering shipping your camper to another continent? Then you probably have the same questions as us. In this article, we share comprehensive insights into the costs, introduce various Shipping companies, the different types of shipping, and explain how container sharing works. Our tips are based on our own experience of shipping our camper to South America in October 2023.
Shipping a Camper: RoRo vs. Container Shipping - Which Option is Right for You?
There are two main options for shipping your camper: RoRo – Roll on Roll off or Container Shipping. Both variants have advantages as well as disadvantages.
RoRo – Roll on Roll off Shipping
RoRo stands for Roll on Roll off. With this option, a crew member drives the vehicle onto the ship and off again at the destination port.
Advantages of RoRo Shipping
- Lower costs compared to container shipping. The price is calculated based on the vehicle's dimensions, making it individual for each vehicle.
- No size limit for vehicles. Compared to container shipping, larger vehicles can also be shipped. For large motorhomes, RoRo is often the only shipping option.
Disadvantages of RoRo Shipping
- Higher probability of break-ins.Your vehicle is left unlocked at the port and on the ship for an extended period. This is necessary so that in case of an emergency, a port or crew member can move your motorhome. However, this also gives the possibility of break-ins.
Container Shipping
Container shipping is only suitable for smaller vehicles since freight containers come in standard sizes. For vehicle shipping, either 20-foot containers or 40-foot High Cube containers are typically used.
The dimensions of a 20-foot standard container are 5.89 m x 2.35 m x 2.39 m, with a maximum entrance height of 2.29 m. They are commonly used for shipping single vehicles but are only suitable for low vehicles due to the entrance height of 2.29 meters. The dimensions of a 40-foot High Cube container are 12.03 m x 2.35 m x 2.69 m, with a maximum entrance height of 2.59 meters. Therefore, they are also suitable for slightly taller vehicles. With a length of 12 meters, it is also possible to ship a car along with a caravan or two vehicles as part of a container sharing arrangement.
Advantages of Container Shipping
- Safer shipping option compared to RoRo shipping. The container remains closed throughout the shipping period. You are present during packing and sealing of the container. A seal is applied upon closing, which is only removed when the container is released at the destination port. You are present during this process as well. This procedure virtually eliminates the possibility of break-ins that are common with RoRo shipping.
Disadvantages of Container Shipping
- Higher costs compared to RoRo shipping. The disadvantages mainly lie in the higher costs. However, these can be significantly reduced by sharing a container, known as container sharing.
Providers for Shipping Your Camper
There are various companies, some of which specialize in shipping campers. Below, we introduce you to 5.
- Overlander Shipping: Overlander Shipping is one of the best-known providers, with a strong online presence. Many Overlanders we met have shipped with Overlander Shipping and seem to be consistently satisfied. Our contact with Overlander Shipping was positive from the start. The advice from Ricardo Gomez was friendly, insightful, and competent.
- Caravan Shippers: Caravan Shippers has a somewhat lower online presence, which is why we only became aware of the shipping company later. Here too, especially with Torben König, the contact was very competent and friendly from the beginning. All our questions were answered patiently, and emails always received a timely response.
- ITS International Transport & Shipping Ltd: This Swiss company offers transport from Basel via the Rhine, making it interesting for southern Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, as it saves the trip to Hamburg. At the time of our first quote request, the costs were very similar to those of other shipping companies. However, at the second quote, they were significantly higher, which is why they were excluded from our choice for price reasons.
- Seabridge: We only requested a quote from Seabridge and had no further contact with the company. The offer was prompt and the costs were in a similar range as the other quotes.
- IVSS: We did not request a quote here.
Costs of Shipping
Various factors influence the cost of shipping.
- The Route: This affects the amount of the shipping costs. Additionally, port fees for both the departure and destination ports vary greatly from country to country. There may also be country-specific costs.
- The Vehicle Size: For RoRo shipping, costs are calculated based on the route either by vehicle length or volume. In the case of container shipping, the size of the vehicle determines the choice of the appropriate container. A 40-foot high cube container is correspondingly more expensive than a 20-foot standard container
- The Shipping Company: Costs can vary slightly from provider to provider. Therefore, it is best to obtain several quotes to compare.
- The Insurance: It is advisable to have transport insurance to cover your vehicle against damage or loss. With Overlander Shipping and Caravan Shippers, this was directly included in the quotes.
Our Costs for Shipping from Hamburg to Montevideo in a Container
Costs can fluctuate significantly over time. The first quote we received about 10 months before the planned shipping date was almost €2000 higher than the quote three months before shipping. To give you some concrete figures, here are our costs with Caravan Shippers from Hamburg to Montevideo (as of October 2023).
Our Puch, including roof boxes, has a height of 2.56 meters, so it only fits into a 40-foot high cube container. Since it is 4.62 meters long, there was plenty of space left in the 12-meter-long container, so we opted for container sharing. This allowed us to share both the container costs and the local costs in Montevideo, as these are only charged per container and not per party.
- Container shipping from Hamburg to Montevideo: €2700 including transport insurance for two vehicles - 1350 € per party.
- Local costs in Montevideo: €2500 for two vehicles - 1250 € per party.
- In total, our shipping costs from Hamburg to Uruguay were 2600 €.
Container Sharing: Sharing Costs When Shipping a Camper
Finding a Container Buddy through the Shipping Company
Both Caravan Shippers and Overlander Shipping offer help for travelers with the same destination port to find a container buddy. Overlander Shipping requires a deposit of €1000 from both parties. This is part of the price but will be credited to the other party if one party cancels, providing you with more security.
Caravan Shippers also offers these services for travelers but do not require a deposit (as of October 2023), which offers less security if your buddy cancels.
Finding a Containerbuddy in Forums and Communities
Moreover, there are various forums and WhatsApp communities where Overlanders frequently seek partners for container sharing. We found our container buddies through the Panamericana Forum . After a short phone call, and coordination of suitable shipping dates we were able to book our container together.
Shipping a Camper with Caravan Shippers – Our Experience
In the end, we chose Caravan Shippers, as the costs were 500 euros less than the offer from Overlander Shipping. Additionally, the competent and friendly advice left a positive impression. Torben König always took a lot of time on the phone to answer all our questions thoroughly and with great patience. We are very satisfied with the entire process and can 100% recommend Caravan Shippers. You can read the details of the shipping process and our experience with Caravan Shippers here: Shipping a camper to Uruguay: Process and experiences with Caravan Shippers
