Like container shipping, economies of scale can be applied to RORO vessels, but this requires a corresponding capability of the market to generate demand. The growth of the RORO fleet is closely tied to the expansion of global vehicle trade, particularly in the automotive sector. Conventionally, the car industry was characterized by regional production clusters servicing national markets, with most vehicles shipped by land transportation (road and rail). There was an export market, but it was of limited size, as car consumption in developing economies was also limited. Ships around 3,000 CEUs were adequate to service such a demand level.
The massive entry of Japan in the 1980s as a car exporter led to a push to increase RORO ship sizes in the range of 5,000 CEUs. Then, in the 1990s and 2000s, Korean and European car manufacturers expanded into global markets as RORO ships reached 8,000 CEUs.
Electric vehicle exports from major Chinese manufacturers have driven the latest wave of RORO ships to exceed 9,000 CEUs. The Anji Ansheng, a 9,500 CEU vessel owned by SAIC Anji Logistics, a subsidiary of China’s giant car manufacturer SAIC, is the world’s largest car carrier in terms of capacity. The ship measures 228 meters in length and 37.8 meters in width, slightly longer than the 219-meter-long BYD Shenzhen, which, at 9,200 CEU, was the largest RORO carrier prior to its launch.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen has ships of 11,700 CEU on order, via newbuilds or existing orders upscaled, with deliveries scheduled to start in late 2027. These ‘Shaper+’ Class vessels count 14 decks and measure 238 meters in length overall (LOA) with a beam of 40 meters.