Merchant vessel

Merchant vessel- is a ship that transports cargo and passengers during peace time.

1) Dry cargo ships=freighter - ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another)
a) Bulk carriers - is ocean-going vessel used to transport bulk cargo items such as iron ore, bauxite, coal, cement, grain and similar cargo.

b) Container ships - cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size containers.

2) Tankers - ship designed to transport liquids in bulk.

3) Specialized ships - heavy lift goods or refrigerated cargo (Reefer ships), roll-on/roll-off cargo (RoRo) ships for vehicles and wheeled machinery.

4) Coasters - smaller ships for any category of cargo which are normally not on ocean-crossing routes, but in coastwise trades.

5) Passenger ships - ship whose primary function is to carry passengers.
a) Cruise ship=Cruise liner - passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are considered an essential part of the experience.

b) Ferries - a form of transportation, usually a boat or ship, but also other forms, carrying (or ferrying) passengers and sometimes their vehicles.



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_ship

Bulk carriers – 6 categories in terms of size

bulk carrier=bulk freighter=bulker
- is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds.

Size categories

Bulkers are segregated into six major 6 or 5 categories:
1) small
2) handysize







3) handymax






4) panamax






5) capesize






6) very large - Very large bulk and ore carriers fall into the capesize category but are often considered separately.

Facts
1) 40% if merchant ships made up by bulkers.
2) >50% of bulkers have Greek, Japanese, or Chinese owners
3) >25% registered in Panama.
4) 82% of these ships were built in Asia.
5) In 1852, first specialized bulk carrier was built
6) Largest single builder of bulkers is Japan.
7) Capesize ships are too large to traverse the Suez or Panama canals and must round the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn to travel between oceans.
8) 93% of capesize bulkers’ cargo is iron ore and coal.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulk_carrier