Long before we had the luxury of using FedEx or even the railroad to ship freight, people used ships. The first known ships date back to around 10,000 years ago, but these vessels were rudimentary and used mainly for fishing and hunting. It wasn't until a few thousand years later that ships became the fastest way to ship freight and people. Today, commercial vessels are still one of the best ways to ship freight around the world.
Commercial vessels, also known as merchant ships, can be divided into three categories: cargo ships, passenger ships, and special-purpose ships. Passenger ships generally only move people, but some do carry cargo as well. Special-purpose ships don't actually ship freight. They perform special tasks and include tugboats, rescue boats, and research vessels. Cargo ships on the other hand, do in fact ship cargo. They are used to transport either dry or liquid goods and come equipped with special machinery to load and unload the ship. Cargo ships can be categorized even further depending on the freight they carry. General cargo vessels can carry anything from food to garments to machinery. Tankers carry petroleum products and other liquid cargo. Dry bulk carriers ship grain, coal, and other similar products in loose form. If multiple types of cargo need to be shipped, they go in multi-purpose vessels.
Commercial vessels come in all different sizes depending on the freight. Container ships are one of the most common cargo vessels used. Instead of loose boxes being packed on a ship, cargo is held in giant containers. The first container ships were converted tankers, built from a surplus after WWII. The first American container was the Ideal-X and it had its first voyage in 1956. Today, about 90% of non-bulk cargo is shipped on these vessels. This ingenious ship has actually revolutionized the shipping and trading industry. A container ship can be loaded in a matter of hours compared to days with a general cargo ship. It has cut labor costs, reduced travel time, and resulted in less damaged cargo.
Cargo ships remain one of the most economical forms of transportation in the shipping industry. Unfortunately, even in modern times ships are still subject to acts of piracy. We all enjoy the rebellious nature of pirates on television and in films, but real piracy is not fun and games. It is estimated that there are about $13 billion losses per year, worldwide. It is a frequent occurrence in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somali, in the Strait of Malacca, and in Singapore. It has become such a problem in Somali that the US now patrols the waters in that area. Most pirates target small ships because they are easy to capture. They also take advantage of developing countries who ship a lot of cargo but have significantly smaller navies.
Advanced technology and precautionary measures are taken to decrease the amount of piracy among cargo ships. Regardless, commercial vessels still remain the best method to ship freight. Even with the inventions of cars and planes, ships reign supreme.
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