Of all the vessels at sea, yachts are easily the most luxurious and comfortable ones. They offer a wide array of treats while at the same time looking elegant and stylish. This is why, for those few who have the privilege of owning one, a yacht represents not just a luxury boat, but a lifestyle.
This is why, while the great choice of yachts offered by overseas markets is definitely worth considering, very few people actually stop to think about how detailed and complex international yacht transportation is. In fact, buying a yacht from abroad is less than half of everything involved in bringing it over from foreign waters. This is due to all the import policies and customs regulations involved in the process, which can take a considerable amount of time and effort on behalf of the buyer. And all that, without even considering the choosing of the actual transportation method.
Transportation methods for shipping a yacht from abroad abound, yet the best way to ship a yacht (or any small vessel for that matter) is no doubt the Roll-on Roll-off method.
The Roll-on Roll-off shipping method consists on placing a yacht on a trailer or a cradle and to simply drive it into the transport vessel for shipping. Once the vessel reaches its destination, it is simply driven off the transport ship and is ready for usage.
However, before considering this shipping method for any yacht, both its pros and cons need to be considered:
On one side, the Roll-on Roll-off transportation method is charged by the volume being transported, which means that the bigger the yacht, the more expensive that this method will prove to be for the future owner. With this method, the yacht to be shipped needs to be measured in its length, width and height in order to calculate its entire volume. The good thing is that owners are completely free to remove any part they wish from their yachts in order to decrease their volume and save a little on shipping.
Now, on the bright side, the reason why the Roll-on Roll-off method is so popular is because, contrary to other international shipping methods, when using Roll-on Roll-off yachts are safely stored in the bowels of the transport vessel where they are protected from the environment. Also yachts transported this way are tightly secured to the transport vessel, which causes less impact during their journey to their new home. And to make things even better, since yachts are loaded simply driving them on and off the transport vessels, they are completely free from any damage caused by lifting them on and off the shipping vessel.
All in all, the best way to transport a yacht internationally is by using the Roll-on Roll-off method. And, in order to carry it out perfectly, the best way to go is to hire the services of an International Boat Transport company that knows how to take care of all the shipping process and, most importantly, of all the paperwork and regulations involved.