RO-RO REPORT: MOST FLEXIBLE OF SHIPS

Reviews current Ro-Ro developments, to coincide with the Ro-Ro 80 Conference and Exhibition in Monte Carlo. The world Ro-Ro fleet, from its modest beginnings in the late 1950's, has expanded to upwards of 1500 ships. The rapid pace of growth during the last decade has now tended to slacken, due to reduced economic progress and industrial activity, but interest in this sector is unabated and many new ships are on order. This suggests that renewed growth will occur if the world economy recovers an upward momentum. Taking into account the firm orders for pure Ro-Ro ships, the current fleet of 514 ships of 3,274,725 dwt is likely to increase in numerical terms by some 24%. The pure Ro-Ro sector is largely composed of new ships with 300 under five years old, mainly due to the intense building activity that took place following Middle East port congestion and the new spending powers of OPEC nations after 1973. This sector also contains nearly 100 ships of ten or more years old, most of which are of the smaller short-sea type popular in the mid 1960's, and which have now been largely superseded by larger and more economical units. The pure Ro-Ro now being built for both short and middle distance trades tends to be of substantial size and considerably more flexible than its smaller predecessors. The concept of the deep sea Ro-Ro carrying its ramp on its back for a utilisation of perhaps a couple of days per month is increasingly being questioned, despite the undoubted freedom that self-sufficiency confers. Controversy and conjecture surround the future directions that Ro-Ro shipping is likely to take. Some consider that the mode offers virtually limitless possibilities for the dimunition of port congestion, and for the best possible utilisation of outdated port systems in the developing world. Others agree that the colossal cargo flows that are necessary to support this type of ship renders it suitable for operation only in regions where there is the wealth to set up the systems, whereas the need in the developing world is for cheap easily operated and unsophisticated ships lending themselves to fast series construction and operations using simple port facilities.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/12263414
• Corporate Authors:

  Fairplay Publications Limited

  52-54 Southwark Street
  London SE1 1UL,   England 
• Authors:
  • Grey, M
• Publication Date: 1980-4-3

Media Info

• Pagination: 7 p.
• Serial:
  • Fairplay International Shipping Weekly
  • Publisher: Fairplay Publications, Limited
  • ISSN: 0307-0220

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fleet management; Marine terminals; Port congestion; Port structures; Ports; Roll on roll off shipping; Roll on roll off ships; Shipping
• Old TRIS Terms: Fleet requirements; Ro/ro traffic; Shipping trends
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319016
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Cargo Handling Coordination Assn
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 8 1980 12:00AM