Exploring Different Types of Ships and Their Functions

The ocean has been home to several important discoveries throughout history. It acted as the medium for many travelers to travel on. Back then, there were no giant vessels or innovative machines to traverse on. Some ships made use of the wind to get from one point to another. Yet, these were enough to lead to many mind-blowing discoveries and finding new land. At present, there are machines built for traveling the ocean that would amaze the people of the past. These ships can be at sea for many months without maintenance.

There have been many innovations as of late regarding ships and technology that support them. For example, the invention of a floating boat dock has made parking portable in the ocean. There are hundreds if not thousands of ships in the ocean even now. They act as transport, military, or even cruise ships. When it comes to these giant ships, a variety of categories is present. It is important to know what each type of ship does and why it is different from the rest. Below are a few types of these ships summarised and explained. Note that only substantially sized ships are included.

1: Cruise Ships

These are gigantic vessels that act as tourist hotspots. They are wildly popular among the public and are considered life goals for some too. Think of cruise ships as portable hotels where people come and go. These ships often go on cruises for a limited amount of time. This can be a few weeks to even a few months. They are available mostly in cities that are next to the ocean and are generally expensive.

These ships house facilities that are the very definition of luxury. The high hotel price tag is justified by this and many other features. Activities such as concerts or indoor sports are common within these ships. The ship balances and the route is designed to avoid high-risk waves. This is to reduce motion sickness and to ensure a safe ride. Some famous cruises include a cruise of the Arctic and Antarctic.

2: Cargo Ships

These are the large ships that you mainly see at busy seaports in cities. They are designed with transport in mind and house many heavy containers that they carry. The entire process can take up to a few months to finish. These are mainly used by companies to transport raw materials or even finished goods over long distances. There are many reasons that companies invest in these ships.

One of the biggest reasons for this investment is because transport via sea is low cost and low risk. The only drawback to sending items via sea is that the delivery time is increased considerably. The crew needed for this kind of heavy lifting needs to be specialized. The containers need to be handled with care when offloading. These ships have a variety of sizes but are often reasonably sized and fitted with cargo.

3: Tanker Ships

These are very important vessels and they carry a specific type of cargo over the ocean. These ships are designed to carry liquid over long distances. This means the ship has to not only be durable to avoid leaks but also plot a suitable route. The route should be devoid of high waves and storms to make sure the liquid does not leak. There are many subcategories of Tanker ships that carry unique liquids.

The most famous of Tanker ships are those that carry oil. These ships are fitted to the brim with oil and are ordered to deliver them to different places. These can be transporting oil between countries or derelict bases on the ocean. These types of ships are also under fire for not protecting the oil effectively. Oil seeping into the ocean leads to a corruption of the water and a threat to wildlife. Other transport liquids include chemicals and in some cases liquid gases too.

4: Bulk Container Ships

These ships are similar to the regular cargo ships however have one key difference. These ships carry in bulk and are usually carrying cargo that is non-fragile. The cargo can include anything from cement to mechanic equipment. These ships are the most popular amongst merchants and are less strict with their timings.

These ships have the authority to take their own time to deliver products. This is because there are no set deadlines to meet and the routes are not as carefully planned. These ships are famous for carrying random cargo that can turn out to be anything. For example, one container could be filled with ores while another could hold gardening equipment. To learn more about gardening, visit guyabouthome.

Conclusion

Not so long ago, transport via the ocean was considered impossible and unattainable. This has soon been disproven as much of the world runs on this transport. Important raw materials and entire countries are dependants on ship transport. The tourist industry has also been flourishing with the introduction of luxury cruises. These are just some of the types of giant sea vessels present in the ocean. We hope that you have learned a thing or two about the ocean and its transport options.