DECIDING BETWEEN SEA FREIGHT AND AIR FREIGHT

Whether you are importing or exporting goods internationally one of the big questions that you will invariably ask yourself is whether to send your freight via air or sea. There are benefits for both forms of transportation and ultimately the decision on how to move your freight will depend upon what it is that you are transporting.

Time

If time is of the essence then air freight provides a quicker alternative to sea freight, with average transit times of a couple of days compared to sea freight shipment times in excess of 1 week. Air cargo operators often provide daily flight schedules whereas sea cargo shipping schedules tend to operate on a weekly basis. The sea freight schedules require you to pre-plan your shipments in order to avoid missing cut off points for loading, airfreight services depart virtually daily which allows a greater degree of flexibility.

‘Slow steaming,’ where shipping companies deliberately slow down their fleet in order to save money on fuel costs has led to an increase in the time taken for shipments to arrive at their ports of call. This shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a bad thing though as whilst goods are in transit there is no need to pay storage costs such as warehouse charges.

Shipping speeds also look set to improve in the future thanks to developments with industry vessel sharing agreements where shipping companies are working together to operate routes, expansion projects on canals and improved technology all playing their part.

Cost

As with all business decisions cost will clearly have an impact on your decision making. It’s often thought that air freight is much more expensive than sea freight, however in reality this is not always the case.

Charges for air and sea freight are calculated differently and in understanding how these costs are calculated it is possible to make an informed decision on shipping methods.

Generally speaking, large-scale shipments or bulky, awkward shaped shipments are usually cheaper being sent by sea, whereas, including handling and other charges, very often air freight is cheaper for weights up to 100kgs, and even up to 200kgs for some destinations.

Making a Choice

So it’s clear there is no preferred option when it comes to choosing whether to use sea or air freight but that it all depends on the items that you are shipping and the urgency of these items getting to their final destination. The speed and reliability of delivery need to be considered alongside the need to maximize your profit margins.

If you are exporting perishable goods such as fresh products you’ll undoubtedly opt to utilise an air freight channel, whereas less urgent items, particularly bulky items and large amounts of stock are probably best sent by sea.

What is certain is that an experienced freight forwarder will be able to advise the best fit for your business model and will be able to oversee the transportation of your items from origin to destination, providing a wealth of knowledge throughout the process.

DUTY ON CARS

The laws governing the importation of vehicles into Ghana is the Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) (Management Law) PNDCL 330 of 1993, Sections 46, 47, 48, 78-94, 123-192. This law is complemented by CEPS (Management) Act 1998, (Act 552), Act 565, Act 598 of 14th April, 2001, Commissioner’s Orders and other Service instructions on vehicles.

Vehicles are categorized by the engine capacity e.g. 1.6cc, 2.0cc, 2.5cc, etc.

• By the seating capacity e.g. 5, 10, 30, 50 persons
• By usage/purpose e.g. Buses, trucks, tippers, lorries etc
• By age

The age of a motor vehicle imported under the law is calculated with effect from the year in which the motor vehicle was first manufactured. The age of a vehicle is a crucial determinant in valuation for duty purposes. In arriving at the age of vehicles, Customs uses the model year reckoning index which normally gives a round year age point e.g. 1990 or 2000 or the dealer chart matrix.

The model year reckoning index vehicles are those whose ages can be determined from a letter in the 10th position in a 17 character rotation counting from the left. Such vehicles include:

• All US and Canadian vehicles
• All Korean vehicles
• Japan (Mitsubishi, Isuzu)
• German (Opel, VW, Audi)
• Sweden (Volvo, Saab)

For example, an Opel Vectra vehicle with the chassis number viz: WOL000087N1658971 is a 1992 model.

Vehicles that have their ages falling under year of manufacture are the vehicles whose age can be determined from charts based on the records of manufacturers’ batches of production. Such vehicles include:
German, Japanese and Dutch vehicles e.g. Mercedes Benz, M.A.N Diesel, Toyota, Nissan, DAF etc. These vehicles have their ages determined by reading a chart furnished by the dealers of the type of vehicle.

NOTE: The use of log sheets and seat belts alone to check or confirm the age of vehicles is not reliable. What is on log sheets are more often dates of first registration of such vehicles and not dates of manufacture.

Data has been collected and collated on the values and ages of vehicles over the years. Manufacturers and dealers of motor vehicles have furnished Customs with brochures, booklets and other documents which give the values and other information on the vehicles.

All vehicles imported into the country unless specifically exempted under the PNDCL 330 or other enactment attract the following:

• Import Duty - (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%)
• Import VAT - (0% or 12.5%)
• National Health Insurance Levy - (0% or 2.5%)
• ECOWAS Levy - (0.5%)
• Export Development Fund (EDIF) – (0.5%)
• Examination Fee - (1%)

In addition, the various categories of vehicles attract overage penalty when they are more than ten years old.

SAFE SHIPMENT OF CARS IN CONTAINERS

The shipping and freight industry has been booming for the past several years, driven by globalization of the market place. With a large quantity of goods being bought and sold on a worldwide basis, companies and individuals are constantly looking to increase efficiency when moving products.

Among the almost infinite number of items to be shipped from one place to another, including overseas, is cars. Until the internet widened our target audience, used or restored cars were typically bought and sold locally and only the very wealthy could ship them great distances.

TRADITIONAL SHIPPING

When shipping an automobile in a container, traditionally, the shipper used to size up different cars and build a wooden racking system to hold all the cars. Each container can hold more than one so the price is decreased with multiple cars.

This requires building temporary ramps for getting the car from ground level to its place within the container. When the container finally reaches its destination port, the people at the receiving end are tasked with figuring out how to safely get the cars out of the boxes.

The time consuming process usually involves building more temporary ramps and/or the use of forklifts, which are notoriously damaging to the average automobile.

Does this sound like an awful lot of trouble? It is and that’s why ingenuity and the ability to think outside the container has made a huge difference in shipping cars.

REVOLUTIONARY SHIPPING

In 2011, CFR Rinkens introduced a revolutionary new method, called R-Rak, for shipping cars that was ingenious yet so simple.

The design incorporates racks with a series of pulleys that allows the car to be driven into the container and lifted with a built-in hoisting system.

Similar to the auto-hauling trailers that big trucks pull on the highways, cars are stacked one on top of another and safely belted in place.

Since no forklifts or temporary ramps are used, valuable time and resources are saved. Removing the cars at the receiving end is much easier.

WHAT ABOUT DAMAGE?

The possibility of damaging cars with this method of shipping is actually much lower than the traditional method for several reasons.

• Extensive testing has been done with the new system, including slamming containers full of cars into walls and it has been found that the cars stay in place. The testing was already done on special cars procured for this purpose.

• Loading and unloading, without forklifts and temporary ramps, is much less complicated which also decreases the possibility of damage.

• There are no piles of wood for rebuilding temporary ramps added to the container so the possibility of them breaking loose and banging about while in route is not an issue.

• Your car will arrive at its destination in the same condition as when it was driven into the container.

• Besides the lower cost, as a bonus the environment wins because trees are left to grow rather than be cut down for building temporary ramps.

So the next time you are considering shipping your car make sure that you use a shipping company that uses this revolutionary racking technique. This will make sure that your car will be in good hands, or in this case, on good racks, when shipped.

9 PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE AGAINST LOSS DUE TO ABANDONED CARGO

Abandoned cargo could be quite stressful for shipping lines, shippers, port authorities and forwarders alike and is considered to be a big headache for everyone concerned..

A cargo maybe considered as abandoned when the consignee does not take delivery of the cargo covered in the bill of lading even after repeated reminders and notifications..

Consignee could either be untraceable or non-responsive..Or consignee could give notification to the shipping line and/or port about his/her intention to abandon the cargo..

Reasons for abandonment of cargo:

• Consignee may be in financial difficulty rendering them unable to pay the duty, VAT, tax, port or other costs related to clearance of the cargo
• Consignee hasn’t received the proper documents to release and clear the cargo in time
• Cargo received is not the correct cargo and buyer does not want to pay the seller and doesn’t want to incur the additional cost of sending back the cargo
• Consignee may have some dispute with the seller/shipper and doesn’t want to clear the cargo until that is sorted

The first affected and most vulnerable party when a cargo is abandoned would be the shipping line as they are sitting with the liability of paying for the port costs, storage costs, equipment costs, transportation costs and possibly unpaid freights..

Unlike a consignee, a shipping line cannot feign ignorance of the fact that the cargo is sitting at the port or in some yard under their control.. The line uses the port and yard facilities every day and more often than not, the port authorities will directly bill the line and the line is liable to pay the storage costs whether there is anyone to clear  the cargo or not.. Their services could be stopped if the line doesn’t pay the port..

If it is containerized cargo, the line may have to pay for the lease costs of the container to the leaseco.. Even if the container is their own container, the shipping line will still have their equipment operating cost..

Remember, much like a ship, a container generates revenue for the owner only when it is in circulation..

So what can be done to avoid losses due to abandoned cargo..

Other than the consignee/buyer, no one else has any control over cargo being abandoned.. It happens all the time across the world.. But the shipping line, forwarder and shipper/consignee can take some precautions in the early stages of the booking to limit the damage/losses due to cargo abandonment..

Some precautions to detect and avoid cargo abandonment would be:

1. Shipping lines must ask the customer at the time of booking whether the cargo is going to be shipped as Freight Prepaid or Freight Collect (at destination or elsewhere)..
2. If you are a shipping line and you don’t ask for this information at the time of booking, it would be in your best interest to do so..
3. If cargo is to be shipped as Freight Collect or Freight Payable elsewhere, the shipping line’s origin port agent may take the precaution of requesting the destination port agent to get a written confirmation from the consignee that they will settle the freight when the cargo arrives at destination, prior to delivery..
4. This will be all the more important if the shipper and/or consignee are not a regular customer of the shipping line..
5. If there are any issues or delays in receiving this confirmation, it will at least set off some alarm bells at the origin port and the shipping line can discuss this with the shipper and implement precautionary measures such as asking the shipper to prepay the freight at origin..
6. There are some early warning signs that a cargo could be abandoned and shipping lines need to watch for these signs..One such sign would be, even after the shipping line sending the arrival notification to the consignee in time and  after several weeks and months of notifications/reminders, the consignee has not made contact or made an attempt to clear the cargo..
7. From a shipping lines perspective if the cargo has arrived and the consignee is not showing any signs of clearing it within the reasonable average time frame say 7-10 days, all concerned parties such as shipper, load port agent and the shipping line must be notified immediately and try to get the release done ASAP..
8. Load port agent will then try to contact the shipper to alert him to the fact that the cargo has not been cleared, just in case there are some disputes between shipper and consignee due to which consignee is not willing to clear the cargo..
9. In this depressed global economy, financial difficulties can hit anyone at anytime.. Therefore a shipping line and/or their agent at the importing country must be in close contact with their customers and market at all times and be aware of any changes in the company’s financial and personnel situation..

9 QUALITIES TO LOOK FOR IN A WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The key to choosing the right WMS in maximizing customer service and satisfaction.

A good WMS will provide a spike in customer service, leading to greater customer satisfaction and increased profitability. Not having a good WMS means constant struggles to keep a stable customer base.

So, what should you look for in a good warehouse management system? Here are 9 qualities that a good WMS should have.

1) Maximum Functionality

Obviously, the first thing you need to learn about a WMS solution is what it can do for you.

When analyzing a WMS solution, ask yourself, “Will this WMS streamline our business processes?” For instance, if your company has a hard time measuring employees’ productivity, a good WMS solution will help. A WMS should be able to track what tasks an employee has performed (and where they were performed), giving you direct visibility your workforce’s efficiency.

There are dozens of other ways in which a WMS can help you do more with fewer resources (you can read about those advanced WMS features here). The takeaway from this particular point is that a good WMS maximizes the things it can do for you while minimizing the work on your end.

2) Ease of Use

If a WMS is easy to use, it will reduce the amount of time you spend on employee training – for ALL employees, from pickers to senior management. A well-designed WMS lets users spend less time setting up and monitoring daily operations, so they are able to quickly adapt to new requirements.

New employees can also be up and running in a matter of hours, instead of weeks. Most importantly, clear navigation ensures that all employees will be able to leverage the WMS functionality to the fullest.

When choosing a WMS, look for easy to follow menus and help screens that can improve usability. For example, make sure the WMS allows for simplified data entry and creation of template reports and charts. Similarly, a dashboard view (which automatically updates in real-time) provides users with a single location to access all of their most critical data.

3) Complete Transaction Management

A good WMS will let you manage everything from door to door – from receiving to manifesting. 

You want a WMS that gives you detailed information for everything – products, employees, and transactions – every step of the way.

At a minimum, the following are some of the steps that should be tracked:

• Receiving
• Putting away received goods
• Order picking
• Shipping
• Cycle counting (inventory audits)
• Any item movement

When you can track everything that is going on in your warehouse (from people to movement to products), you can do specialized analysis that will help you hire smarter and stock products more efficiently.

4) Flexibility

A WMS solution needs to be able to scale with a company’s growth and adapt to meet future requirements. Otherwise, it’s not a long-term WMS solution.

To look at whether or not a solution is scalable, first find out if a WMS works with the majority of ERPs. Why look at other ERPs? Because you might change ERP systems when your company gets bigger – it’s crucial to know that your WMS will be able to work with other ERPs. Another consideration is if the WMS is built around an open architecture. If it is, your WMS is more likely to work with future applications and operating systems (rather than locking you into in a particular platform).

Another flexible quality would include hardware. A WMS should be compatible with other versions of:

• RF scanners/terminals
• fork truck-mounted RF terminals
• label printers
• scales

Finally, how flexible is your potential WMS when it comes to different business types and sizes? A good WMS should have demonstrable success with wholesale and industrial distributors of all sizes.

If your business is successful, it will grow and continue to grow. Your investments, including a WMS, should be able to grow with your business. That’s why flexibility in a WMS is important – so check to see if a potential WMS works with many ERPs, hardware brands and types, and business models and sizes.

5) Useful, Easy-to-read Metrics
Data is important, but so is data presentation. It’s one thing to have metrics that help you track performance of your warehouse operations; it’s quite another to be able to understand the data.

A good WMS should allow you to easily create reports and charts that let you see how your warehouse is running. For example, a good WMS might track employee and warehouse performance in real-time across organizational groups, allowing management to compare performance of employee sets (morning pickers, evening pickers, receiving, etc.) and operational organizations (east division, west division, etc.). You want to invest in a WMS that measures the performance of individual employees against standards that include both speed and accuracy.

6) Seamless ERP Integration

Your WMS has to work in tandem with your ERP to keep a business running. That’s why it’s so important that you choose a WMS that works with major ERP systems – seamlessly.

The WMS that you invest in must be fully compatible with your current ERP system. When choosing a WMS, ask if it’s compatible with Activant, Infor, JD Edwards, MS Dynamics or Oracle’s business solutions. In addition, a WMS vendor should be skilled at developing additional ERP integrations.

7) Proven Track Record
To find out how well a WMS works, you want to get information from the people who actuall use it. Ask for a list of customer references. When talking to these customers, focus on how well the system performs. Did it meet all expectations? What kind of customer support is available, and how would the user rate the support they receive? How was the follow up?

Make sure to actually go out and visit multiple customer sites.

8) Value for ROI
Price is only one small part of total cost of ownership. Functionality, flexibility, integration, scalability, ease of use, customer support and more all come into play. When choosing a WMS, you obviously need to weigh these factors. Remember that lower upfront cost may seem appealing, but may ultimately cost you more in the long run if the WMS solution (or vendor) is unable to meet your needs as your business continues to grow and develop.

In fact, a poorly chosen WMS can end up costing you more than it saves as you attempt to fix problems with costly integration or customization work to fit requirements. That’s why it’s crucial to look at the overall value of a WMS solution – does the slightly more expensive WMS do more of what you need, now? It might cost you less over the lifetime of the product, even if the initial price tag is more than an off-the-shelf solution that appears frugal.

9) Commitment to Warehousing and Logistics
A final indicator can be found in the vendor’s overall focus (or lack thereof) on warehousing and logistics. In many cases, WMS solutions are available from companies that offer business solution tools spanning many industries and requirements. This may enable those vendors to diversify their offerings, but it also restricts their day-to-day insight into the very specific, niche field of warehouse management.

One concrete way to gauge this commitment is to track how frequently, consistently, and extensively a vendor is upgrading its WMS. Are they proactive in soliciting customer feedback? Are they acting to quickly take advantage of market changes? Are they providing upgrades and updates free of charge?

A good WMS should be just as adept at doing core things like receiving and order picking as handling comprehensive solutions (like manifesting, paperless picking across multiple zones, truck route/stop management or exotic lot number control).

The right WMS saves you time and money and ultimately increases your customers’ satisfaction. On the other hand, the wrong WMS can actually damage your customer service and reputation while dragging down productivity – as it drives up costs.

The difference between purchasing the right WMS and the wrong WMS is simply a matter of knowing which questions to ask.

HOW IoT WILL COMPLETELY CHANGE SUPPLY CHAIN

You might not realize it, but we live in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution, where the internet integrates with physical objects. The Internet of Things (IoT) is slowly becoming the reality; millions of smart devices connect to the internet and communicate with one another seamlessly.

Everything -- from your fitness wristband to a commercial truck -- will send data to a cloud, which will provide businesses with useful, actionable information. For logistics, connected smart devices have an endless potential to transform and enhance all processes, operations and services.

The idea of the IoT isn’t all new. Many industries have been using sensors and tracking devices, transmitting and gathering data, then using the collected information to enhance business processes. Trucking companies can attach sensors to trailers to track location – this has been happening since the early 1990s.

But, the concept has changed due to cloud-based technology and the ability to share data instantly. Before, companies had their own applications and networks for data delivery and analysis; now, cloud services allow companies to store, process and share data with other participants in real-time. For the transportation industry, IoT provides immediate evidence to supply chain performance and allows companies to make knowledgeable decisions.

IoT is expected to become a disruptive trend in the logistics industry in the near future, changing the rules of supply chain management. An IoT supported supply chain will be able to:

·        Precisely predict demand of each item at every point of sale

·        Optimize routes and shipments in real-time

·        Eliminate delays and shortcomings in inbound supply

·        Customize and change orders in the middle of production

·        Maintain optimal inventory volume

Transportation. The Internet of Things will provide a new level of transport visibility and connectivity. Sensors will track more than freight; they will track the freight’s condition, the truck’s location and the package’s security. Real-time tracking provides better customer service and more convenience for the recipient, with the option of changing time and address of delivery. The IoT could help facilitate new ways of shipping freight, like drone delivery.

Inventory management. With IoT technology in place, a company would be available to find the exact demand of every product type in each retail store. This will be made possible with bar-code scanners. A company will capture detailed sales data during checkout, allowing for precise demand planning with greater speed and agility. The same data could be shared with the company’s vendors and supply chain partners, to provide them with an actual picture of inventory. Suppliers will be able to plan inbound shipments and avoid delays.

Warehousing. The IoT will be able to eliminate manual labor and time-consuming tasks for warehouse operations. For example, wireless readers on each pallet will share data on freight volume and dimension with the WMS for further processing. There will be no need to manually count products or measure the dimensions of LTL parcels – this information will be captured (quickly) by smart devices. Warehouse sensors will scan the temperature and humidity to ensure the optimal condition for each stocked item, and alert workers if needed.

Data analysis. Cloud-based technology and smart devices provide end-to-end supply chain visibility. The ability to capture and interpret huge amounts of real-time information will make data analysis more essential. It creates unique insight into the supply chain and transportation processes, including drawbacks and opportunities. The good news is that cloud technology could already be implemented, while IoT innovations are still emerging.

The IoT revolution has only just begun, but it will evolve quickly. According to Gartner, 4.9 billion connected things will be in use in 2015, and will reach as much as 25 billion by 2020. Logistics companies should define the problems that IoT might help with and adopt technology that will support their business goals.

PROTECTING YOUR VALUABLE CARGO FOR SHIPMENT

Good customer service includes packing the cargo so it travels safely and securely to its destination. Improperly packed cargo wastes the company’s time and money in lost merchandise and packaging replacement product. It is important that the shipping department have the right tools and knowledge to ensure that the product reaches the customer in the condition they expect.

Customized Containers

There are standard containers such as polybags and Jiffy bags that can be used to ship smaller objects with protection from weather conditions, but they are usually lightweight and easy to throw during sorting, risking damage to the item inside.

Corrugated cardboard boxes are still a good option for packaging items for shipping. Their durability is hard to match, and double-walled corrugated cardboard is ideal for shipping fragile items such as glass and ceramics.

Specially-designed items such as book wrap and card envelopes are a good option for single books, DVDs and CDs and other small, flat products to protect the corners that could be damaged if dropped in transit.

Heavier objects should be packaged in new containers or crates. Used containers may have been weakened in the last transport, lowering the integrity of the container and risking damage to the product in transit. For manageable heavy objects, a double-wall corrugated box may be suitable because the added wall provides more protection against deformities when lifted. For larger objects, there are companies that can design a container or crate to suit the needs of the item being shipped.

Cushioning Materials

Every item has its own fragile state. Choosing cushioning materials depends on the shape, weight, and composite materials of the product. For example, glass needs cushioning material that will hold it in place or, at a minimum, cushion it within the container in the event of impact.

The cheapest and most easily recycled packing material is Kraft paper or brown paper. For short-transit shipping of non-fragile items, this material is sturdy and provides a nice cushion that will not allow the product to shift too much in the box. Many companies have started using brown paper in lieu of packing peanuts both to save money and to reduce their environmental impact.

Bubble wrap is excellent for wrapping individual items that are fragile. Unfortunately, it can be pricey, so it should be used sparingly. It is possible to get bubble wrap in rolls that are perforated to save time and to eliminate the need for scissors and difficult cutting.

Corrugated cardboard has become a standard in packaging over the past few years, being used to keep the impact between fragile items within a box low. It is also used by photographers and others who need to ensure their package does not get bent during delivery.

Of course there are other cushioning products that specifically mold to the product in the package similar to what’s used with Pelican cases. Preformed foam corners and air bags add an extra layer of protection by securing the product in place and not allowing the product to shift during transport. For large-scale equipment and automobile parts, there are companies that can custom-fit the foam to the product to ensure the safest possible delivery.

Cloth, towels and blankets should not be used as packaging materials. While they may look as if they provide adequate cushioning for items, they can compress during shipping, causing the product to shift within its box.

Filling Space

According to Newton’s Laws of Motion, “an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force,” which means that every bump the cargo truck hits causes the package to be jostled. If the object inside the package has too much empty space around it, then there is a risk of the object being damaged. Filling as much empty space as possible with loose materials and not packing the item against the sides of the container are the best ways to ensure the item will not shake severely within its wrappings. For large items, bracing the cargo by attaching it to a base and then encasing it in a container is an ideal method for transporting it.

Sealing

Once the insides of the package are secure, the container should be sealed properly. For boxes and some larger envelopes, using strong tape designed for packaging is recommended. For pallets of product being shipped, clear plastic wrap is typically wrapped around all the items on the pallet and then shrunk with heat to provide a firm hold so the product being shipped does not shift during transport. Paper overwrap and string are not secure methods for sending an important package.

Weather

Some cargo, such as food or plant seedlings, is sensitive to extreme temperatures, and that should be marked on the outside of the package. For this type of cargo, knowing the climate in the destination region can help the packers plan how to package the product and when to ship it so it arrives in the customer’s hands in good condition. Standard heat, rain and snow conditions should also be considered when determining packaging. Every carrier will have to expose the package to the elements in order to deliver it.

Carriers

Some carriers have a reputation for extreme caution with their cargo, and others . . . don’t. There are also some products carriers will not deliver or are not authorized to deliver due to content, weight or delivery zone. For specialty items, it is important to make sure the carrier is able to deliver the item and that the exterior of the item is wrapped according to the carrier’s specifications.

When wrapping cargo, avoiding breakage is the priority. However, don’t forget that presentation to the customer and cost is also a concern. Sloppy wrapping and waste of costly packing materials will get the product to the receiver in one piece, but it could also cost a business valuable customers.

WHICH IS THE BEST METHOD FOR SHIPPING A VEHICLE, RORO OR A CONTAINER

Diverse reasons and situations would always necessitate the purchasing and subsequent importation/exportation of vehicles from one country to the other or from a geographical location to another.

You may however want to keep your transportation (shipping) cost as low and as convenient as possible especially considering the fact that you may have already spent a fortune in acquiring the car and may probably spend more to get a customs clearance.

Deciding on the method of shipment for your car is therefore a very important aspect in the car purchasing process.  An overseas vehicle importer has two options when shipping vehicles. Either transporting in a container on a container vessel or opting for a Roll-On-Roll-Off (RORO) service also known as a car carrier.

While each of the two options would get your car to you, you might want to consider the pros and cons for each method before making a decision.

Using a  container vessel

Shipping your vehicle through a container basically involves lashing the said car in a container and transporting through a container vessel. This method is more expensive comparably to a RORO service. It however guarantees exclusivity to the space in the container thus if you opted for an  Full Container Load (FCL).

Using a container to ship you car also gives you the opportunity to stuff the container with other personal effects that you might want to ship along with your car. This method is therefore more ideal when you are relocating or moving residence with more than just your car. However, your car in a container may  be handled many more times compared to a RORO service..

Opting for a RORO service (car carrier)

A car carrier is basically a vessel purposely designed and equipped to facilitate the storage and transportation of cars permitting a Roll On Roll Off service, cars are literally rolled into the hold of a vessel lashed , transported and rolled off at the port of discharge.

This is a more cheaper alternative compared to shipping in a container. It also allows for less handling of your vehicle as it is rolled on (at loading) and rolled off (at discharge). The car must however be fully operational as it must be driven into the vessel, a nonoperational car may however attract extra cost during the loading process.(as there may be the need for jump starting)

Car carriers are mostly used by the major car manufacturers to distribute their cars so it is surely  a safe method of vehicle shipment.

Note however that, when you intend to relocate or move residence and may want to send other personal effects in addition to your vehicle then a RORO service would not be the ideal choice for you.

Making a decision

While a container vessel may not be limited geographically ,a Car carrier may be. This is because almost every port has facilities to  service a container vessel and therefore can be used to ship cars  from any location, on the other hand not all ports may be equipped to service a RORO vessel hence some geographic limitation with regards usage. There is  also the issue of frequency of service as there are more container vessels calling at ports comparably to car carriers. Fortunately in Ghana, the Tema port can service a car carrier.

In deciding on which method to use , consider your needs, the cost as well as convenience and most importantly availability. With my opinion however, I would suggest a RORO service since it has a slight advantage over container in terms of cost and convenience.