Car Carrier (PCTC)
A Car Carrier is a specialised roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ship designed to transport cars, trucks and other wheeled vehicles, which are driven on and off via ramps. The dedicated forms are the PCC (Pure Car Carrier) and the more versatile PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier), whose multiple internal decks — some adjustable in height — pack thousands of vehicles into a tall, box-like hull.
These ships are instantly recognisable by their slab-sided, high superstructure and stern (and sometimes side) ramps. A large PCTC can carry 6,000–8,000+ car-equivalent units. They serve the global trade in new vehicles from manufacturing hubs to markets, and also carry high-and-heavy and static rolling cargo. Loading and lashing thousands of vehicles safely and efficiently is a specialised operation. Car carriers are a distinct segment of the RoRo and vehicle-logistics sector, central to the automotive supply chain's ocean leg.
Every imported car crossed an ocean on a car carrier — a floating multi-deck garage that drives thousands of vehicles on and off via ramps. These distinctive RoRo ships are the ocean leg of the automotive supply chain, and their specialised loading and lashing make vehicle logistics a segment of its own.
What is the difference between a PCC and a PCTC?
A PCC (Pure Car Carrier) carries cars; a PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier) has adjustable decks to also carry trucks and high-and-heavy cargo.
How are vehicles loaded onto a car carrier?
They are driven on and off via ramps (roll-on/roll-off) and lashed on the ship's multiple decks.