A large part of the global economy is managed by maritime transportation. From agricultural produce to manufactured raw materials, the shipping industry moves all sorts of goods across the globe. This is why investment in the maritime sector is always a profitable decision. But should you be looking at passenger ferries for sale or second-hand RoPax vessels? Before you decide to purchase a ship, first get a clear understanding of the different types of marine vessels used in the shipping industry.
In this blog, we take a closer look at the types of different commercial ships used globally.
1. Cargo Ships
As the name suggests, these ship vessels are used to transport cargo from one place to another. They are vital in maintaining global trade. Cargo ships are typically used to carry food, machinery, petroleum, metals, and so on. Cranes other equipment is used to load and unload stuff on these cargo ships. They come in varying sizes, depending on the need.
2. Container Ships
Container ships are a type of cargo ship, the only difference being that the goods are loaded in heavy containers. This shipping process is known as containerization, which is commonly used for international freight. A standard container has a loading capacity of around 3,500 shoe boxes. Container ships are widely used in exchanging goods between two nations.
3. RoRo (Roll on Roll Off)
Ro-Ro ships are specifically designed for carrying movable cargo like cars, trucks, trailers, railroad cars, and such. The loading process is easier and faster as the cargo can be simply wheeled onto the ship, instead of being lifted by a crane. Ro-Ro ships can be designed as cruise ships, passenger ferries, and cargo ships. They are used for international shipping as they have great speed, which saves time.
4. Bulk Carriers
Bulk carriers refer to merchant ships that have been specially designed to carry a bulk amount of cargo such as cement, coal, grains, and mineral ores. They are also known as bulker or bulk freighter. They have greatly influenced the growth of world economy.
5. Tanker Vessels
Tanker ships are essentially designed to carry large quantities of liquids and gases. They are used to carry bulk quantities of oil, water, wine, and different kinds of chemical gases. Tanker vessels can be classified into Gas carrier, Oil tanker and Chemical tanker.
6. Passenger Ships
Like the name says, passenger ships are meant for carrying passengers on the sea. As an official definition, any ship that carries more than 12 passengers can be termed as a passenger ship. There are certain safety regulations that must be followed. If you’re interested in passenger ferries for sale, this category also includes cruise ships, ferry ships, and holiday ships.
7. Fishing Vessel
Fishing vessels refer to any type of boat or ship that is used to catch fish in the sea, or river, or lake. They can be used for both leisure and commercial fishing. This includes various types such as seiners, trawlers, gillnetters, drifters, longliners, and more.
8. High Speed Craft
Also known as fast ferries, high speed crafts are designed to be used as passenger ferries for civilian use. This includes hovercrafts, catamarans and hydrofoil boats. They use air pressure and powerful turbine propellers, which makes them go faster.
Conclusion
Before purchasing a shipping vessel, get a professional consult from shipbroking firms to understand the profitable market trends. If you want to look at passenger ferries for sale to expand your business, get in touch with Norwegian Ship Sales.
