1.1 Specialization in shipping
The function of shipping is to transport goods and persons across water, that is, across the world’s oceans, along its coastlines, or through its inland waterways.
The two main branches of shipping are the liner service and the tramping.
- liner service - consists of regular shipping operations on fixed routes
- liners are principally carriers of heterogeneous cargoes, made up of hundreds of small consignments of many kinds, as well as passengers.
- Cargoes are accepted under a bill of lading contract issued by the ship operator to the shipper.
- Competition in liner service is regulated by agreements among the ship owners, known as "conferences".
- tramp service - does not follow any strict schedule or routes.
- Tramps usually carry homogenous commodities in bulk
- Tramps operate under a charter party (a contract for the use of the vessel).
The growth of international trade has encouraged the development of some specialization in shipping, which led to ships designed to carry certain types of cargo or to participate in trade along well-established routes.
Container shipping: has become an essential component of modern maritime trade, facilitating the exchange of goods on a global scale. It relies on the use of standardized containers, which allow for easy loading, unloading, and transfer of goods between different modes of transport, such as ships, trucks, and trains. Container ships have significantly evolved in size and capacity, with some vessels capable of carrying thousands of containers at once.
Industrial carriers: Industrial carriers are vessels operated by large corporations to provide transportation essential to the processes of manufacture and distribution. They sail to ports and on schedules determined by the specific needs of the owners. The ships may belong to the corporations or may be chartered. Many oil companies maintain large fleets of deep-sea tankers, towboats, and river barges to carry petroleum to and from refineries.
Tanker operation: The transport of petroleum products by sea is a special branch of the shipping industry which has greatly expanded in the 20th century. Liquid cargoes need ships to be subdivided into compartments in order to restrict the movement of the free surface so as not to upset the stability of the vessel. Owing to the inflammable nature of the cargo, special precautions must be taken against the risk of fire. A major problem with the giant tankers is the severe environmental damage of oil spills, resulting from collision, storm damage, or leakage from other causes.
Coastal and short-sea shipping: Coastal shipping is another branch of the shipping industry confined to the coastal waters of a particular country with continental coastlines, such as the United States, Australia, and India. It may be regarded as complementary to the inland system of transport communications, as well as a link with neighbouring countries. In coastal and short-distance shipping, special-purpose ships are employed, such as car and train ferries.
Inland waterways: A major part of the world’s shipping moves on inland waterways, such as rivers, canals, and lakes. Such shipping employs smaller, lighter vessels, although in some cases oceangoing ships navigate inland waters. Containerization has facilitated the shipping of cargo between oceangoing vessels and those of the inland waterways, sometimes penetrating thousands of miles into the heart of a continent.
Ancillary services: At the port, the sea and inland transport systems meet, and a number of ancillary services must be provided for ships, such as stevedoring, towage, warehousing, repair, and maintenance. These services are delivered by independent contractors, or by the shipping companies themselves.