Understanding Limited Shipment Options For Cargo Boats

The term cargo refers to the goods carried aboard a ship for hire, while freight refers to the act of transporting such cargo. In casual usage, the words cargo and freight are often used interchangeably. When transporting goods by car, the term used is shipment.

There are several types of cargo ships, each designed to carry specific types of cargo. These include container ships, general cargo ships, tankers, dry bulk carriers, multi-purpose vessels, reefer ships, and roll-on/roll-off vessels. The type of cargo being transported determines the vessel used.

Container ships

Container ship capacity is measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). Typical loads are a mix of 20-foot (1-TEU) and 40-foot (2-TEU) ISO-standard containers, with the latter being predominant. The largest container ships can carry over 24,000 TEU.

Containerization has significantly reduced shipping time and costs. For example, the cost to ship a washing machine from China to Northern Europe is around $10, or 2-3% of the product cost. Additionally, the environmental cost is low, with container ships emitting an average of 30g CO2/tonne nm, compared to 140g CO2/tonne nm for a heavy goods vehicle.

General cargo vessels

In addition to general cargo vessels, there are other types of cargo ships, including container ships, dry bulk carriers, multi-purpose vessels, and roll-on/roll-off vessels, each designed for specific types of cargo and transportation needs.

Tankers

There are several types of tankers, including:

• Oil tankers (or petroleum tankers)
• Chemical tankers
• Gas carriers
• Asphalt/bitumen carriers
• Bunker tankers
• Crude oil tankers
• Product tankers

Different products require different handling and transportation methods, so specialised variants have been developed. For example, chemical tankers are designed with stainless steel and specially coated tanks to safely carry dangerous chemicals, while product tankers have corrugated bulkheads, complex piping systems, and deep well pumps to transport refined and processed oil products.

Dry bulk carriers

Dry bulk cargo is usually a solid material, shipped in large quantities, and measured in deadweight tonnage (dwt). It is loaded and shipped in loose form without packaging and can include a combination of particles, granules, or large pieces. The dry bulk shipping industry plays a central role in global trade, facilitating the transport of essential goods such as grain, iron ore, and coal.

Multi-purpose vessels

The Hartmann Group operates a fleet of modern multi-purpose vessels that comply with the highest safety, environmental, and performance standards. Their vessels can load various cargo, from paper to containers, bulk goods to huge steel pipes. These ships are used worldwide, with a focus on European short sea shipping.

Some other examples of multi-purpose vessels include:

• Landing craft multi-purpose vessel
• Dredger multi-purpose vessel
• Patrol multi-purpose vessel
• Offshore patrol multi-purpose vessel
• Yacht support vessels multi-purpose vessel
• Crew transfer multi-purpose vessel
• General cargo multi-purpose vessel

Frequently asked questions