As you are aware, the ocean freight shipping industry has been growing in volume and complexity since the industrial revolution, and today it represents a significant proportion of world trade . In order to be able to transport goods from one continent to another, various companies have created many different types of cargo ships , each type of cargo requires different conditions and a specialized ocean transport mode. This leads us to review the types of ships in existence, based on the types of loads they transport. These include heavy lift ships , multi-purpose vessels , special cargo ships , offshore platform supply vessels , chemical tankers, bulk carriers and many more.
Sea freight refers to cargo carried on a vessel. This includes: general merchandise, bulk, break bulk and project/heavy lifts. Each type of cargo requires different conditions and a specialized ocean transport mode. This leads us to review the types of ships in existence, based on the types of loads they transport.
Dry bulk carriers (also known as dry bulkers) is one of different type of cargo ship which transport dry, non-perishable goods that aren’t hazardous or corrosive, such as sand, cement, and ore. This type of vessel is a favorite among owners because it offers stable earnings, according to Seatrade Maritime. Dry bulk carriers mostly work on fixed schedules and can offer predictable cash flow for investors.
Among the different types of cargo ships Liquefied gas tankers , or gas carriers is one among the cargo ships which, transport liquefied gases in cryogenic form. There are two main types of tanks used for these cryogenic gases: single-point mooring and double-point mooring. Single-point mooring is when a pipe protrudes from either side of a tanker ship, both at its bow and stern, which attach to anchors on land.
A passenger liner ship (also known as a Passenger Liner or simply liner) is a type of ship that transports passengers, which makes it different from freight shipsand play an important roll in transportation and secures the place in the list of different type of cargo ships list. The passengers and crew on these vessels usually travel on short voyages and paid passage. A passenger liner is typically an ocean-going vessel designed to transport passengers from one place to another, but some can also carry cargo. In addition to transporting people, liners often deliver mail and express shipments such as parcels.
A tanker ship secure a important place in the list of different types of cargo ships. A bulk carrier that carries its payload in liquid form. They can be used to transport oil, chemicals, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and other liquid products. Depending on how they’re constructed, tankers can carry their load in either segregated or combined tanks. They’re also referred to as oil tankers since they were originally built to transport crude oil across seas and oceans.
When most people think about ocean shipping, they immediately picture container ships. These are large vessels with specialized facilities for handling containers, which can be loaded and unloaded quickly. The largest container ships can carry up to 13,000 containers, although most only handle 4,000 to 8,000. Containerships make up 80% of ocean shipping in terms of TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), and they’re used by all types of businesses including large corporations and international shippers. This catogery ships plays a very important roll in cargo movement and hence have got its own place in the list of different types of cargo ships.
These vessels come in all shapes and sizes, but they’re all used for a specific purpose: transporting people across water. They can be used for large-scale transport (ferries), or small-scale transportation (pleasure craft). Often, they carry both passengers and vehicles, like cars or motorboats. They can be any size but typically range from around 10 to 1000+ feet long.
The name reefer comes from reefer ships, a contraction of refrigerated vessels. Reefer vessels carry perishable commodities that require temperature control to preserve their value. Such goods may include meat and seafood, fruit, vegetables, and flowers. Reefer vessels generally take two routes: across oceans from ports in North America to European and Asian ports or along coastlines between inland waterways and major ports.
A Roll-on/Roll-off ship is a vessel designed to carry wheeled cargo such as cars, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers, and railroad cars (on car floats). This is different from container ships that usually carry boxed freight. A Roll-on/Roll-off ship is not limited by the number or size of its load; it can load or unload while at sea. This leaves a port’s terminal available for handling other loaded containers.