Long distance driver accompanied RORO shipping

[Nigel Evans]

My Mercedes Vario won’t fit in a container and I can’t stand the thought of my baby being abused by thievery, the elements or cack handed Dockers.

I’ve been looking at alternatives to shipping by RORO or flat rack.

All I’ve come up with is grimaldi-freightercruises.com they take passengers on a number of RORO services from the UK and Europe to South America and West Africa.

Anyone have any experience or details of other shipping lines?

 

[AeroNautiCal]

Have you considered the shipping containers specifically designed without sides or roof, which are used for transporting vehicles?

 

[Nigel Evans]

I've no personal experience of shipping a vehicle, all I know has been gleaned from forums and over landing books. All I seem to read are horror stories of theft, damage and port bureaucracy. From reading these it would appear that if your vehicle won't fit inside a shipping container you may as well kiss goodbye to any of your vehicle contents that aren't bolted down. I realise that if nothing happens e.g. your vehicle is delivered safely and on time, then the tendency is not to write about it but it doesn't stop me from worrying about entrusting my newly converted campervan to the vagaries of flat rack shipping.
I think I may have a shipping line that would suit my trip: DAL Kalahari is a German cargo ship that takes passengers; it sails several times a year from Tilbury to Cape Town. Nice cruise down to Cape Town, get off, jump into the truck and a steady drive home to Gloucestershire!
If anyone's interested I'll let you know how too much it costs.

 

[grizzlyj]

Merv is just about almost (I think) boarding a Grimaldi ship with his Mog

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...f-Montevideo?p=1155825&highlight=#post1155825

http://www.moglander.com/

 

[Nigel Evans]

Montevideo sounds interesting. I'll be following his travels.

 

[ianc]

See the South & Central America section on http://www.xor.org.uk/travel/index.html
Steven gives lots of details on using Grimaldi returning from this trip.

I'm pretty sure Grimaldi is the only one where you can accompany your vehicle.

If you want to head to North America then see the detials on the current Canada trip.

He has a really good section on camper builds also.

I

 

[Nigel Evans]

Thanks for the link. Great site, loads of good advice from someone whose been there (everywhere by the looks of it). Did you notice how his vans have got bigger and bigger!

 

[ianc]

Did you also see the detailed section on camper construction here http://xor.org.uk/silkroute/equipment/choosevan.htm

 

[incognito]

Hy,

i was also searching a lot in the spring 2012 for some SMART shipping compagnies who let you sail along with your camper from Canada to Europe and back.I've found NONE. i've called directly the shipping lines, was ok for the camper, around 65$ cubic meter for shipping the camper but won't take passengers. what a convenient way it would be to get off and having your camper ready to go. no planes, taxis , hotels and other fuss.
what i found there is 2 compagnies meretvoyages and voyageencargo for travelling by cargo but they won't arrange for the camper and i couldn,T contact those cargo who take passengers directly.

it seems to be a ferry to columbia but it's very not sure.
http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20522

i thing the way to go is to find the cargos who take passengers and arrange with the owner of that cargo directly

FRom Europe to North America there is no ferry for passenger/camper. to Halifax would take 1o-14 days from Europe. there are around 2000 camper coming to North America each year!!!!!! do some math a lot of money guys

there is Grimaldi From Europe to South America, another ferry from Columbia to Panama, and there should be another one from North America to Europe to close the circle.
So i sold my Sprinter in Canada, i'll buy directly in Europe next year, untill having a ferry service from Canada to Europe
for theft issue i was thinking of a temporary shipping divider between cab and camper space like a wood plate or a flexible metal grill with some 8-10 attach points
also i've heard some shipping compagnies don't want anything inside for the shippment , others tolerate things inside
let us know if you find more
mike

 

[Nigel Evans]

I like the photos at the end of the XOR site. Vario getting stuck or falling over!

If you're looking for a flexible grill, try stainless steel cargo nets. I've built some anchor points between the cab and the back.

 

[charlieaarons]

I've no personal experience of shipping a vehicle, all I know has been gleaned from forums and over landing books. All I seem to read are horror stories of theft, damage and port bureaucracy. From reading these it would appear that if your vehicle won't fit inside a shipping container you may as well kiss goodbye to any of your vehicle contents that aren't bolted down. I realise that if nothing happens e.g. your vehicle is delivered safely and on time, then the tendency is not to write about it but it doesn't stop me from worrying about entrusting my newly converted campervan to the vagaries of flat rack shipping.
.
View attachment 114958

Your fears may be slightly exaggerated. My vehicle has been shipped across the Atlantic round trip, also across the Pacific: LA to Brisbane, Brisbane to Tacoma to Anchorage - both via Panama.
Nothing was stolen. I did take elementary precautions like putting the GPS in the back. but there was a key to the back (camper part) for customs inspection, and there was a LOT of stuff in the back including valuable items like tools and computer and satphone.
Admittedly, shipping to and from Africa and other places may be a different story.
The bureaucracy is bad no matter whether you accompany the vehicle or not; perhaps worst in countries like US and Australia, surprisingly.

Charlie

 

[Nigel Evans]

Thank you for your feedback. You're probably right about my fears but it would be good to know others experience. It seems not many actually ship their truck campervans on this foum.

 

[ColinTheCop]

Although if you're reading Stephen Stewarts current travel blog, you'll see it's not confined to the less developed countries....

http://www.xor.org.uk/travel/canada2012/20120608.htm

 

[JRhetts]

Your fears may be slightly exaggerated. ... I did take elementary precautions like putting the GPS in the back. but there was a key to the back (camper part) for customs inspection, and there was a LOT of stuff in the back including valuable items like tools and computer and satphone.
Charlie

Charlie

From what you know, is it the case that one cannot lock and retain all keys to the back [house] until you yourself are present at customs clearance to open and observe customs inspection?

Do you know, does this vary by country or even by shipper or inspector? Or is it universal?

I installed a heavy sliding panel between house and cab, so as to pretty much eliminate undesirable entry during RORO. Am I SOL on this?

John

 

[DiploStrat]

Look here: >> ==> http://moglander.com

The Mog has landed.