The name “Rolls Royce” has always been synonymous with superior engineering and elegant styling, and as such is a status symbol of luxury and opulence with an air of prestige. At Autoshippers we ship our fair share of Rolls Royce’s to countries in the far reaches of the globe, by shared container, dedicated container and Ro/Ro shipping services.
On this occasion however, we were approached by Trevor, who not only needed his Rolls Royce shipped to him in South Africa, he needed it faster than can be managed even with our best efforts through seafreight services (and believe me, our best efforts just can’t be beaten) But, luckily for him, we have an airfreight car shipping service that we can offer when time is of the essence.
Shipping a Rolls Royce by Airfreight with Autoshippers
The Quotation Process
Trevor, a returning customer, previously shipped a 2015 Rolls Royce Wraith to South Africa with us in 2019 using our shared container service. This time however, he needed a service that was quicker than anything on offer by seafreight.
Our airfreight services aren’t as cost-effective as our seafreight services, but they are available for urgent vehicle shipments requiring fast delivery. Once Trevor contacted us and gave our sales team the specifications of the Rolls Royce, along with the UK collection address and delivery address in South Africa, we were able to discuss this with our contacts at the airlines that have regular services, who then provided us with preferential costs.
Some airfreight carriers may not have daily services to all destinations, and some have transhipment services meaning that they do not have a direct flight from the UK. On this occasion we looked at several options, and the most effective balancing cost, availability and service options, was with Air France-KLM, an airline based in France and The Netherlands with regular flights to South Africa via their hub in Amsterdam.
Why Autoshippers?
Besides competitive pricing, there are other crucial factors in deciding to ship a high-value vehicle, and Autoshippers covers all these aspects. We can handle all of the shipping paperwork, have the expertise to handle the export Customs clearance process and are able to coordinate the shipment effectively with our contacts at the airline.
We also have Marine Insurance policies, offered through specialist vehicle shipping insurance brokers Basil Fry and Company, that cover our customers for any damages that can rarely occur during transport. There are 3 different policies on offer, to suit everybody’s requirements.
Autoshippers have been handling vehicle shipments for private individuals for over 25 years, and we have a knowledgeable and dedicated team that will look after your vehicle as if it were our own.
After checking that the cost, flight frequency and transit times met his needs for this urgent shipment, Trevor then confirmed the booking with us by completing our simple online booking form.
Preparing a Rolls Royce for Airfreight to South Africa
Collecting on a Specialist Transporter
As Trevor wanted us to arrange to collect his Rolls Royce from an address in the UK, we included the cost of utilising our specialist UK wide vehicle collection network to pick up from the dealer’s address and deliver directly to the airport.
There are various options that we can offer for vehicle collections, which include a multi-car transporter, a single car trailer collection or a fully enclosed, covered transporter. We also have a service where we can collect the vehicle and deliver to the port or airport by road using a driver.
On this occasion, due to the high value of the Rolls Royce, we recommended the use of the fully enclosed, covered transporter, and included this cost on our quotation. Trevor agreed, and we arranged to collect in accordance with his preferred collection date, and coordinated delivery to the airport for its onward journey by air to South Africa.
Vehicle Condition Report
As with all of the vehicles that we collect, we ensured that a Non-Mechanical Vehicle Condition Report, or VCR, was completed before this Rolls Royce was released to the airline. This is in accordance with our marine insurance policy, and ensures that any discrepancies can be recorded correctly in the event of any insurance claim.
This not only serves the purposes of the marine insurance cover, but is also additional peace of mind for our customers who aren’t able to be in the UK to collect the vehicles themselves before shipping.
Preparing a Rolls Royce for Airfreight Shipping
Several preparations are necessary to ensure your vehicle is suitable for airfreight shipping. Firstly, it is important that your vehicle is in running condition, and that you check to make sure that there are no leaks, otherwise your car could be refused for shipment by air.
The car must be clean inside and out, and there should be no more than ¼ fuel left in the tank on delivery to the airline. There should be no personal belongings left inside the vehicle, and all alarm or anti-theft systems should be deactivated to prevent them before triggered during transportation.
The Car Airfreight Shipping Process
Customs and Shipping Documentation
As part of our service, Autoshippers also handled all Customs and shipping documentation on behalf of Trevor. This needs meticulous attention to detail to ensure that the export and Customs process is as quick and issue free as possible.
When the booking is completed, Autoshippers needs a copy of the Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5) which serves as a proof of ownership. The original will be needed to release from Customs and register in South Africa, so it is important that this does not travel in the vehicle and is sent separately. For shipping a car to South Africa a Letter of Authority and an Import Permit is also needed, for more information we have a South Africa Car Shipping Guide on our website that takes you through the whole process.
Autoshippers’ knowledgeable in-house Customs team prepared and submitted the necessary Customs documentation using the HMRC CDS Customs Declaration Service, and worked closely with the airline to make sure that the Rolls Royce was released in time to meet the booked flight.
The Rolls Royce is classified as dangerous goods for shipping by airfreight, so a Dangerous Goods Declaration was issued and travelled with the vehicle to South Africa. This is also stipulated on the Air Waybill. The Air Waybill is a document that contains all details of an airfreight shipment, including the sender and receiver addresses, a description of the cargo and the flight details. It serves as a contract between the shipper and the airline.
Aviation Security Screening
Shipping cargo by airfreight involves strict security controls, including aviation security screening, similar to the x-ray process for passenger luggage. Without having the security checks in place and completed, this Rolls Royce would not be accepted onto the flight.
As well as x-ray scanning, there are other techniques that can be used in the security screening process, such as physical inspections, explosive trace detection and even the use of dogs that are specially trained to locate the scent of explosives and are approved and certified by the Department of Transport.
When delivered into the airline, the Rolls Royce was stipulated as “Unknown Cargo”, but once the security screening process is successfully completed becomes “Known” and is then transferred to a secure storage facility within the airport cargo centre.
Loading and Securing the Rolls-Royce on the Aircraft
After release from Customs, and successfully maneuvering through the aviation security process, the Rolls-Royce was then ready for loading. To be loaded onto the aircraft, the vehicle first is loaded onto a specialist aircraft pallet, known as a Unit Loading Device (ULD). The ULD used specifically for vehicles is a reinforced platform, which not only provides a stable base for the vehicle but also facilitates efficient loading and unloading in the time sensitive airfreight world.
Once positioned correctly onto the aircraft pallet, a system of heavy-duty ratchet straps and securement points are used to secure the vehicle into place safely, much in the same way as loading a vehicle into a shipping container. The straps are constructed from high strength fabric materials, and are strategically placed and tightened to minimise movement during the flight.
The next step is to load the aircraft pallet onto the aircraft itself, using a specialised rolled bed system, which is a set of transportable rollers that extend from the cargo terminal out towards the aircrafts open cargo door, as well as into the cargo hold of the aircraft. The rollers are motorised which helps to guide heavy loads quickly and easily into place. These rollers can be clearly seen in the picture above.
The Flight
When all cargo was loaded onto the aircraft, it was time for departure from Manchester airport to Amsterdam for the first leg of the journey. Often, especially with cargo aircraft that is suitable for shipping a Rolls Royce by airfreight, there aren’t direct flights from the UK as routes are taken up with passenger aircraft, so the first leg of the journey takes the cargo to a main hub airport in Europe, this is often serviced by road.
Air France/KLM are a French company with hubs in France and The Netherlands and they operate one of the largest cargo networks globally, serving hundreds of destinations across the world. They are one of the key trusted air cargo partners of Autoshippers and they have specialist vehicle shipping services using purpose-built airline pallets and securing methods.
Even though the Rolls Royce did not fly directly from the UK to South Africa, it still arrived in Johannesburg within 2 days of departing from Manchester. This is much quicker than the 22–26-day port to port transit for seafreight services from the UK to South Africa, and shows that if you do need a vehicle to arrive within a strict deadline then airfreight is the option for you.
Touchdown in South Africa and Safe Delivery
Import Customs Clearance, Unloading and the Final Mile Delivery
Once the aircraft touches down at Johannesburg airport and is marshalled to the cargo terminal, the loading process is reversed. Again, for ease of unloading and safety, a roller bed system is used to unload all airline pallets from the plane, including our precious Rolls Royce shipment.
The vehicle was taken to the secure holding area, where it awaited the import Customs clearance process to be completed. The process includes submitting the necessary paperwork and documentation to the Customs authorities, payment of any import duties and taxes which are based on the vehicles value, age and engine size and often a physical inspection of the imported vehicle by Customs before it is cleared.
After Customs released the Rolls Royce, another Vehicle Condition Report was undertaken and it was carefully unloaded from the airline pallet and into a specialised car transporter for the final delivery to Trevor. Once again, an enclosed transporter was used to ensure that the sparkling Rolls Royce is delivered in the best condition possible.
The Timeless Allure of Rolls-Royce Automobiles
For over a century, the name Rolls-Royce has been synonymous with unparalleled luxury, exceptional craftsmanship, and an unwavering pursuit of automotive perfection. Tracing its roots back to 1904, when founders Charles Rolls and Henry Royce forged their iconic partnership, the marque has stood as a paragon of British engineering excellence and opulent design.
At the heart of every Rolls-Royce lies a masterful blend of innovative engineering and timeless design. Take for instance the 2019 Rolls-Royce Dawn, a masterpiece of open-top motoring. Powered by a potent 6.6-liter V12 engine that produces an astonishing 563 horsepower, this four-seater convertible represents the epitome of Grand Touring luxury. Its sleek, sculpted lines and retractable canvas roof seamlessly marry performance with sophistication.
Yet, the allure of a Rolls-Royce extends far beyond its physical attributes or technical specifications. These automobiles have become intrinsically woven into the fabric of popular culture, representing not just a mode of transport but a lifestyle of uncompromising elegance and prestige. Whether gracing the silver screen or adorning the driveways of the world’s most affluent individuals, a Rolls-Royce commands attention and admiration, a testament to the enduring power of its legacy and the aspirations it embodies.
Autoshippers: Expertise in Luxury Vehicle Airfreight Shipping
At Autoshipper we have been shipping cars, motorbikes and other vehicles overseas for over 25 years, including this Jensen Interceptor Shipped by Airfreight to Dubai and we are experts in safely delivering cars to destinations worldwide by airfreight and seafreight.
Amongst our seafreight services are shared and dedicated container options as well as Roll on Roll off which uses specialist vessels that allow vehicles to be driven on and off using a ramp, rather than loaded into shipping containers.
We have marine insurance policies that are suitable for vehicles of all values, and we have shipped many high value and rare vehicles to far flung places across the globe. For an idea of the types of services available and vehicles we have shipped take a look at our Car Shipping Blog on our website.
If you have a car to ship, then contact us by completing our quote form, found on this page, by e-mail on, sales@autoshippers.co.uk by completing our contact form or by phone on 0117 982 8123 / 0800 389 0784. Our dedicated and knowledgeable sales team will be happy to help.
