The maritime transport industry features a wide range of specialized ships, each designed to meet specific shipping needs. Merchant ships, in particular, are classified based on purpose, size, type of cargo and more. Let’s delve into the different cargo ships and their functions in more detail.

Container Ships

Among the most used for sea shipments are container vessels. As the name implies, this type of ship is structured to contain large quantities of cargo compacted inside various types of containers. Container ships are available in different sizes (Panamax, Suezmax, Post-Panamax, Post-Suezmax and Post-Malaccamax) and can be structured for specific purposes. For instance, there are refrigerated container ships, designed for transporting goods at a controlled temperature (used in the shipments of food and beverages).


Bulk Carrier Ships

Along with container ships, another widely used type is bulk carriers. These are especially designed for the transport of dry cargoes in bulk quantities. The cargoes are, indeed, transported without specific packaging. There are various types of bulk carriers: conventional bulkers, geared bulkers, gearless bulkers, self-discharging bulkers and more.


Tanker Ships

There are also ships specialized for transporting liquid cargoes: tanker ships. These are divided into various types depending on the type of cargo they carry: oil tankers (for transporting crude oil and by-products), liquefied gas transport ships (for transporting LPG, LNG and other liquefied chemical gasses) and chemical product transport ships. There are other types of tanker ships: from integrated tug-barges to tanker ships for shipping wine and spirits.


Roll-on and Roll-off Ships (Ro-Ro)

Lastly, we have Ro-Ro ships (an acronym for Roll-on/Roll-off), designed for transporting wheeled vehicles: from cars to railway wagons, through industrial and agricultural machinery. These ships are available in various types: some transport only cars (PCC), others both cars and trucks (PCTC), others combine the features of both a traditional container ship and a RoRo ship (ConRo) or are regular cargo ships equipped with the RoRo structure (GenRo).


Advantages of maritime transport

As previously mentioned, ocean shipments offer certain advantages over other international shipping services, such as air or land transport. Let’s look at them in detail.


Ability to ship goods in large quantities


Merchant ships are indeed designed to transport large quantities of goods, as well as to carry bulky and high-volume products. The loading capacity of these ships reduces the need for multiple shipments, offering a more efficient and sustainable approach.


Ability to ship dangerous goods


Sea shipments are also ideal for handling dangerous goods. Everything is regulated by international standards, designed to ensure maximum safety and environmental protection during transport.



Ability to reach remote and inconvenient destinations

Sea routes connect continents and countries around the world, offering unprecedented access to global markets. This allows ships to reach the most remote destinations, ensuring companies can transport goods even to less accessible places.


Lower Costs Under Similar Conditions

Sea transport solutions are often less expensive, compared to other transport methods, especially when dealing with large volumes of goods. Based on the needs of each business, the freight forwarder will find the most suitable solution for each specific shipment.


Conclusions

Is shipping your goods by ocean the right choice? Based on the information above, it is generally a very advantageous option. Moreover, if the route is very long and the amount of goods to be transported is significant, shipping by ocean is the most suitable choice, especially from an economic perspective.


Are you looking for a reliable and experienced maritime freight forwarder to transport your goods? Rely on the maritime shipping services of Savino Del Bene. Contact us to request a consultancy: our experts will create the right customized solution for your business needs.