Types of vessels

Barge

Large capacity, flat-bottom, towed or self-propelled vessel. Usually seen transporting garbage such as the ones sailing in the Hudson River in New York. They also transport other bulk cargo. Due to their flat bottom, they are ideal for transport in shallow waters such as rivers and canals.

Barge loaded with cars

Bulker

A Bulker (Bulk carrier) is used for transporting cargo in bulk like grains, coal etc. Bulk carriers can be ore carriers, liquid tankers, forest product carriers or just normal bulk carriers with a general purpose cargo hold. Bulk cargo is stored in the cargo hold. The hatch cover is opened and cargo that is scooped from a crane is dropped into the hold.

Bulker

Hatch covers on a break bulk transporting cargo ship (Bulker)

Usually before loading grains or food items, the cargo hold must be fumigated.

Container Ships

Container ships are vessels that carry all their cargo in containers. Containers come in 2 standard sizes 20' and 40'. These containers are packaged with cargos and the containers are loaded upon the vessel.

Containers loaded on the vessel

Liner

Often called a cruise ship or a luxury ship, a liner is used to transport people from one port to another. It is often used to ferry tourists across the sea but it is bigger than a ferry, enabling it to travel in deep sea. Liners, as used by shipping companies, is used to vessels that run on a schedule, delivering cargo from port to port. As such, the vessel runs on a "line" and is called a liner.

Liner complete with passenger rooms

Tanker

Oil tanker, Chemical tanker, Gas carriers. These are examples of tankers. Tankers are used to carry liquid bulk cargo. Liquid bulk includes cargo that is fluid in nature such as water, oil, LPG, LNG, liquid chemicals etc.
If a ship is caught in a storm and huge waves crash against it, liquid cargo can shift all its weight to one side and destabilize the vessel. There is also the risk of liquid cargo escaping from the vessel through holes e.g. oil spills occur when there is rupture in the cargo hold. Therefore tankers need to be strong with (usually) hermetically sealed cargo hold and good stabilization. They counteract the shifts in stabilization caused by liquid cargo using ballast tanks.

Example of strengthened cargo hold of a Tanker

A chemical tanker

Tankers are usuallly classified by DeadWeight Tonnage (DWT) which is the maximum capacity of cargo a vessel can carry safely, inclusive of water, bunker fuel, crew, ballast and provisions. Tankers are some of the most gigantic, sturdiest and most modern vessels in the shipping world.

Supertanker

Supertankers are used to transport oil. They are some of the biggest vessels in the world since it is economical to carry a lot of oil per voyage. Supertankers are so big that it is quite common to be on board the ship and not know that you are in the ocean, unless you go over to the side of the vessel. To give an idea of supertanker size, they are big enough to house 4 tennis courts on the deck.

Supertanker

Categories of supertankers

Categories of supertankers

supertanker size dimensions

Tug Boat

Tug boats push or tow vessels (called piloting). This is usually done to bring ships in crowded or shallow harbor.

Tug Boat

Open Hatch Bulk Carrier

Open Hatch bulk carriers are ideal for transporting timber and logs. The hatch cover opens along the full width of the vessel and logs are easier to load.

Open Hatch Bulk Carrier

Cable Layer

A deep sea vessel used to lay cables such as the internet and telephone cables laid down on the ocean bed of the Atlantic and the Pacific. Cable ships are preceded by CS initials as opposed to MV (Marine Vessel) initials used on merchant ships.

Cable Ship complete with cables extended out ready for laying

Reefer Ships

Reefer ships are refrigerated ships which are used to transport cargo that needs to be refrigerated during the voyage otherwise it will go bad. Most of the cargo is shipped on reefer containers however some also have refrigerated cargo holds. Reefer ships look like container ships or dry bulk cargo ships except their cargo holds are refrigerated.