roll-on/roll-off ship
thumb|upright=1.5|Roll-on/Roll-off car-carrying ship being boarded by articulated haulers at the [[Port of Baltimore]] thumb|RoRo ports and Inland waterways of the United States|inland waterways of the United States Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle, such as a self-propelled modular transporter. This is in contrast to lift-on/lift-off (LoLo) vessels, which use a crane
Article
13 sectionsContents
- Description
- Car carriers
- Seaworthiness
- RORO variations
- History
- Invention
- Expansion
- The landing ship, tank
- ROROs for road vehicles
- Further developments
- See also
- References
- Further reading
thumb|upright=1.5|Roll-on/Roll-off car-carrying ship being boarded by articulated haulers at the [[Port of Baltimore]] thumb|RoRo ports and Inland waterways of the United States|inland waterways of the United States Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle, such as a self-propelled modular transporter. This is in contrast to lift-on/lift-off (LoLo) vessels, which use a crane to load and unload cargo.
RORO vessels have either built-in or shore-based ramps or ferry slips that allow the cargo to be efficiently rolled on and off the vessel when in port. While smaller ferries that operate across rivers and other short distances often have built-in ramps, the term RORO is generally reserved for large seagoing vessels. The ramps and doors may be located in the stern, bow, or sides, or any combination thereof.