In port logistics, we know that there are several types of cargo, so specific types of ships are required for each of them.

It is important to know this in order to make more appropriate logistics planning for your export or import operations, especially because each of these vessels will have different costs and documentation in order to be used.

So, come with us to learn about the main types of ships that exist and understand which one best fits your type of foreign trade operation.

Happy reading.

How many types of ships are there?

The list is long, because when we talk about naval vessels, we have to consider all types of large watercraft, and this includes passenger ships, oil tankers, and so on.

So, to better organize our list, we decided to bring the main and most relevant ships, thinking mainly about port logistics, which is our main subject here.

Learn about the types of ships as well as the type of material they transport and where they are most used.

Types of ships according to their use:

We start by dividing them into categories, which is the most comprehensive way to understand how ships are used for each type of situation.

It is worth remembering that any vessel intended for long-distance navigation is considered a ship, regardless of size, so we will see examples ranging from river transport to gigantic ocean liners.

Transport ship

When we talk about a transport ship, it is generally related to passengers specifically, which is why it is a term that includes cruise ships, catamarans, and the like.

Other categories of ships usually carry only the crew, so we consider transport ships only those that carry passengers.

This category includes small catamarans, which sail on rivers and seas, and even large ocean liners such as the Titanic in its heyday.

Cargo ship

A cargo ship is one of the types of ships.

Source: Brazilian Logistics Institute

The second and perhaps most widely used category of vessel is cargo ships, which are responsible for moving the global economy and are the most widely used mode of transport in foreign trade.

To give you an idea, according to the latest estimates released by the UN, around 80% of global trade is carried out by sea, which shows how essential cargo ships are to the world’s economy.

Within the category of cargo ships, there are several types, specifically built to transport certain materials. This is undoubtedly something you need to know in order to develop a good logistics plan for your company.

Later on, we will discuss the variations of cargo ships that can be useful depending on your business sector.

Warship

A warship is one of the types of ships.

Source: Wiki Commons – US Navy

The third category of vessels are warships, whose main references are in history classes where we talk about World War II.

However, even with the world at relative peace, warships are still widely used, not only in combat, but also in humanitarian rescue and aid missions that some countries carry out.

The Brazilian Navy, for example, has several vessels in its fleet, as we can see in the list from the Ministry of Defense.

The main objective of these vessels is to protect the Brazilian coast, which is quite extensive, which is why we have a very robust fleet of warships.

Finally, it is worth highlighting our largest warship, the Atlântico A 140, with capacity for 1,100 military personnel, as we can see in this video:

There are types of vessels for the most diverse uses!

All of these categories of vessels have several different types of ships, for the most varied uses.

What defines where each ship will be used is the objective and demand.

Types of cargo ships: learn more about each one!

As we mentioned, there are several types of cargo ships, so we have set aside a space to explain each of them in more detail.

Bulk carrier ships

Starting with bulk carrier ships, also called bulk carriers, which are undoubtedly widely used in the Brazilian export sector, as their main function is to transport grains.

These are vessels that have hatches over the holds and receive cargo directly in them, without specific packaging or commercial brand, and must be loaded and unloaded at port warehouses specific for this type of cargo.

Refrigerated ships – Reefer ships

Another type of vessel that is also widely used to export products from Brazil are refrigerated or reefer ships, which transport goods that need to be refrigerated, such as the beef that our country exports a lot.

In addition to reefer vessels, designed to refrigerate the contents in special chambers, it is now possible to use reefer containers and thus transport the goods in conventional cargo ships.

Crude Oil Tankers + Oil Industry Ships

Crude Oil tankers or Oil Industry Ships are one of the types of ships.

Source: Wiki Commons

Oil tankers are vessels built for the sole purpose of transporting oil and derivatives and do not store other types of liquids.

They also have an interconnected piping system to distribute the oil evenly throughout the vessel to distribute the weight evenly.

In the oil industry, there are other types of ships that carry cargo, but they transport barrels and not crude oil, as crude oil tankers do. This is why there is a distinction between oil tankers and oil industry ships.

Vehicle carriers – Ro-Ro ships

A ro-ro vehicle carrier is one of the types of ships.

Source: All Ships

This type of vessel is also known in some places as a ferry, and is used to transport vehicles from the mainland to islands and vice versa.

Ro-Ro is an abbreviation for roll on and roll off, which is nothing more than the movement of getting on and off the ship while aboard your vehicle.

Its structure consists of floors and is completely enclosed, as if it were a vertical maritime parking lot.

Vessels for live cargo

When we talk about ships for live cargo, we exclude those for transporting passengers, as in this case it usually refers to vessels that transport animals.

The most common is the transport of cattle and horses, so the ship is equipped to be a kind of corral, with individual space for each animal.

They also have ramps so that they can be boarded and unboarded without difficulty.

Gas carriers – Tanker ships

Tankers or gas carriers are extremely specific vessels and transport gases.

These are vessels with tanks of various types depending on the material stored there, and are designed to distribute weight evenly, while ensuring the integrity of the gas contained therein.

Shipowners, an efficient shipping agency can be a game changer for you

Knowing the types of ships available for each type of operation will help a lot when designing your port logistics plan, but that alone is not enough to be truly efficient.

To achieve this, a shipping agency service, provided by someone with experience in the role, is the best way to ensure good port management, reducing costs and optimizing the transportation of your cargo, helping to avoid headaches such as container demurrage, for example.

We have already explained a lot about shipping agency in this article, it is worth checking it out to go deeper.

For now, it is worth mentioning that having the right agent by your company’s side will be the game changer for achieving good performance in foreign trade.

Lachmann’s Shipping Agency can help your logistics. We have national coverage, as well as agents around the world. Learn more!

Conclusion

Finally, all these types of ships serve the most varied purposes, and understanding a little more about them implies better choices than importing or exporting, considering the logistics and costs involved.

And to do this in the most assertive way, count on Lachmann’s services, after all, we have been working in foreign trade logistics for over 95 years, so we have plenty of experience.