RoRo vs. LoLo: Picking the Right Solution for Your Cargo

When a shipper is searching for the perfect solution to transport their cargo over water, the most popular options to choose from are RoRo and LoLo vessels. RoRo, short for Roll-on/Roll-off, is a method used to load and unload a vessel by rolling the cargo on and off. RoRo vessels typically come with ramps or slips that allow labor to drive wheeled cargo on and off the ship. Wheeled cargo such as automobiles, heavy equipment, containers on chassis, or any cargo that can be towed, can be transported via a RoRo carrier.

LoLo, short for Lift-on/Lift-off, is a method of vertical loading. Vessels of this type are cargo ships that transport containers and/or breakbulk with either on-board cranes (geared vessels), dockside gantry cranes, or by on-dock reach stackers.

While one is not really more advantageous than the other, depending on the cargo being shipped will help determine which type of ocean carrier to select.

Here’s where we can help. For more than 30 years Trailer Bridge has provided both RoRo and LoLo transportation solutions to shippers all over the world. Our fleet of five barges provides weekly sailings for all cargo types from the U.S. to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Virgin Islands, and back to the U.S.

If shipping outside the Caribbean, our international division offers logistics solutions around the globe for freight traveling by ocean, air, or land. Through a single point of contact, our team leverages a global network of partners and contracted carriers to ensure your freight arrives at the right place, at the right time, while remaining cost-conscience in order to meet your service requirements.