How to Ship an RV Abroad

How To Ship an RV Abroad
Plus, important notes on RVs with Lithium Batteries.

By: Peter & Kathy Holcombe

Traditional international travel usually involves flights and hotel accommodations (a sure recipe for travel fatigue). However, over the last decade, there has been a bourgeoning growth of RVers who are crossing borders and traversing continents from the comfort of their own home on wheels. In 2019, we shipped a Winnebago Revel to Europe (for approximately $2,200 each way), and have just spent the last year driving our Winnebago Revel from the top of North America, in Deadhorse, Alaska, all the way down through Central America. 

In June, we shipped our RV around the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia, and the adventure continues in South America. In our experience, traveling the world in a Winnebago is safe, affordable, and a delightful way to keep travel fatigue at bay while exploring the far reaches of the globe. In this article, we share what you need to know about shipping a vehicle abroad.

You can also watch the video below for an overview about RV shipping and our experience shipping our RV around the Darien Gap ...

Three Methods of Shipping an RV

There are three primary methods by which you can ship a vehicle, and your route and vehicle size will likely play a large role in determining which method will work best for you. For the sake of comparison, I have included an estimated cost for temporary import/export for the various options based on a Winnebago Revel with the following dimensions: 6.4m Length x 2.3m Width x 3m Height (CBM = 44.16) with a total weight of 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg).

The rate quotes were obtained from IVSSUK.com in August 2024 for transport from Panama to Colombia.

1. Roll-On/Roll-Off (RORO)

A RORO ship is essentially a giant, floating parking garage that transports vehicles around the world, and it is how new cars are shipped from where they are manufactured to where they are sold. Vehicles are driven on and off the ship and are stored safely inside the hold during transport.

RORO transport is typically more reliable and often faster than container shipping, and vehicles are less likely to be damaged during transport. There is no limitation on vehicle size with RORO transport and that is why it is a great option for large expedition trucks. 

Estimated Cost: $4,508 + $1,500 import/export fees

2. Container Shipping

A container is a great shipping option for smaller vehicles (unfortunately, a Winnebago Revel is too tall to fit in a container). High cube containers come in two lengths: 20ft (5.9m length, 2.34m width, 2.28m door height) and 40ft (12.03m length, 2.34m width, 2.58m door height).

The cost of shipping a container is typically more than via RORO, but a forty-foot container will often fit two vehicles (or one vehicle and several motos), thus making a shared container the most cost-effective shipping solution. Since the container is sealed while in transport, this is the most secure method to transport personal items within a vehicle; however, minor damage to the vehicle while in transport is not uncommon.

Estimated Cost for Shared Container: $2,800 + $2,000 import/export fees

3. Flat Rack

A flat rack is a forty-foot metal platform on which a vehicle can be driven. The vehicle is driven onto the rack and is hoisted onto a container ship, leaving the vehicle exposed to the elements while in transit. Minor damage during loading is common, and if the vehicle is held for inspection, exorbitant storage fees can add up very quickly. 

Estimated Cost: $5,815 + $2,000 import/export fees

Booking Your Voyage & Prepping Your RV for Shipping 

Some shipping companies are easier to use than others. If you feel overwhelmed when researching the best shipping option for your RV, there are shipping brokers that can help you book the correct voyage. They also know many of the nuances of shipping between various countries and can offer important insights to make the process go smoothly.

Once you have your voyage booked, be sure to follow any instructions you receive for preparing your RV for shipping. This often includes arriving with a clean and empty vehicle as well as limiting the amount of fuel in your tank. You may also need to provide specific documentation at the time of booking and/or upon arrival at the port.

Be sure to know where drop off is and arrive on time with your properly prepped vehicle. Also make sure you know what to expect for pickup and what their estimated arrival date is. Remember those dates are an estimate and be prepared for potential delays in picking up your RV from the port.

Insurance for Shipping an RV Abroad

Marine Cargo Insurance is optional (but recommended) when shipping a vehicle. It starts at $210 for vehicles valued at up to $25,000 and ranges up to 0.55% of the value of the vehicle for those worth over $50,000. We’ve also heard there is a new insurance option coming soon that will allow overlanders to purchase additional insurance to cover the personal contents of their vehicle (up to $15,000) while in transit.

What to Know About New Lithium Battery Regulations

Unfortunately, over the past year, there have been numerous fires aboard the transport ships, and two vehicle carriers were lost at sea due to fires aboard that are thought to be caused by lithium batteries. The crews sustained injuries, at least one person perished, and thousands of vehicles were lost when the ships went down. The financial losses were immense. The backlash of those accidents is that many of the shipping companies who transport private vehicles overseas have reacted by either imposing strict restrictions on the transport of lithium batteries, or in many instances, are reluctant to transport private vehicles at all. 

This, combined with the remaining backlog of shipping from the pandemic, has resulted in a situation where shipping a private vehicle has become a lot more complicated and expensive. Many overland travelers, particularly with larger vehicles and expansive battery arrays, have been left with an expensive and logistically difficult conundrum as they attempt to move vehicles around the world. 

Breakdown of Current Options

Each of the different shipping methods has different regulations for the transport of lithium batteries, and the rules are adapting as new problems and solutions present themselves.

Here is a breakdown of the current regulations:

For RORO transport, each carrier imposes different rules, and there are different regulations for different routes around the world. Some carriers have completely restricted the transport of all types of lithium batteries, while others will accept certain battery types, in good condition, on a case-by-case basis as hazardous cargo.

The good news is that Winnebago batteries are some of the safest available and are more likely to be accepted by carriers willing to make an exception. The best option is to discuss your personal situation with a licensed freight forwarder who can work directly with the carrier to address your individual needs.

One of the benefits of shipping via container (if your vehicle fits) is that the lithium battery regulations are much more relaxed. Lithium batteries still need to be declared, and a Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) must be submitted for your specific battery, but typically a limited number of batteries are allowed in each container.

Freight forwarders have recently been coordinating container shipments to accommodate the transport of RORO customers' batteries. The primary disadvantage to this solution is that it is expensive, and the shipping dates do not always align. Oftentimes, travelers are forced to wait for a week or more for their batteries to arrive. 

Another new service that is now being offered is through a Facebook group called Lithium Battery Exchange. It serves as a connection point to “trade” batteries in select locations (Uruguay, Panama, and Colombia). Overland travelers can leave their lithium batteries with an agent near the port, and then collect someone else’s batteries in the destination port.

The batteries can either be donated or posted for sale. This is a new group with a limited number of members, but it could serve as a connection point for travelers looking for an alternative to the expense of shipping their batteries as hazardous cargo. (Note: Be sure to do your own research since you would be using the service at your own risk.)

Important Note on Following Regulations

There are rumblings along the PanAmerican campgrounds of overlanders “smuggling” lithium batteries in their vehicle aboard a RORO ship in various ways. This is not only highly unethical and illegal, but it also poses a serious risk for the ship’s crew. The penalty is serious, with a $50,000 fine if you are caught transporting undeclared hazardous cargo. 

Beyond that, it also jeopardizes the future of RORO transport of private vehicles. The shipment of private vehicles is such a small segment of the RORO shipping industry, and if travelers continue to ignore the rules surrounding the transport of lithium batteries, the shipping companies could decide that the risk of transporting private vehicles is not worth the financial gain. 

An Unlikely Solution for Transporting Our Lithium Batteries

When we shipped our Winnebago Revel via RORO around the Darien Gap in June of 2024, our freight forwarder (IVSSUK.com) was able to secure transport for our five LiFePO4 batteries in a separate container that was transporting two other vehicles via the same route at a cost of $300/battery. Overland Embassy, a local company who specializes in shipping around the Darien Gap, quoted us the same amount for coordinating transport of our batteries via a shared container. Fortunately, we did a little research and discovered that there was a third option. 

Instead of flying from one continent to the next, we could take a sailboat tour from Panama to Cartagena, via the San Blas Islands, and take our batteries aboard the sailboat with us for a total cost of $1,300 including meals and accommodation for five days. 

This proved less expensive than shipping the batteries via container, saved us the cost of flights and hotels while our Winnebago Revel was in transit, AND allowed us to spend a glorious five days exploring the San Blas Islands. Win. Win! WIN!! As of August 2024, the company that we used to book the sailboat is no longer accepting lithium batteries, but it would certainly be worth reaching out directly to the boat captains that regularly travel that route to ask permission to transport you and your batteries around the Darien Gap. (Watch our video about the experience here.)

Final Notes on the Logistics and Cost of Shipping an RV

While I wish that I could offer up hope that shipping prices will return to pre-pandemic lows, and that shipping companies will repeal the lithium battery regulations, this is simply not a realistic expectation. However, it is not all bad news for international vehicle transport. The supply chain for container shipping has finally caught up with demand, and carriers have been more willing to negotiate rates in recent months, driving the overall price of shipping down. We can only hope that RORO pricing will follow suit. 

As for the transport of lithium batteries, it is an emerging issue, and the regulations will likely go through several iterations before a stable solution takes hold. In the meantime, it is up to all of us to be respectful ambassadors of our overland community, and to play by the rules, so that we can continue to enjoy the privilege of transporting our vehicles abroad and exploring the far reaches of the globe.

Regardless of the high cost of shipping and the emerging regulations surrounding lithium batteries, international RV travel is booming. With more remote work and school options available, families, young people, older people, couples, and singles are all hitting the open roads around the world in search of adventure and understanding of the people and places that comprise this big, beautiful planet.

For us, this journey down the PanAmerican highway has introduced us to wonderful people, fabulous culinary delights, and spectacular scenery. It has given us a much deeper understanding and appreciation for our southern neighbors. 

We can’t wait to discover what awaits us just over the horizon! Onward…