Cargo Ships

Generally all categories of ships other than passenger ships, fishing vessels and recreational craft are considered cargo ships. Cargo ships are usually divided into categories according to their function and arrangement, the type of cargo they carry or the type of cargo handling system they use.

Special safety standards are imposed on cargo ships that transport cargoes that are dangerous to human health and the environment.

Tanker ships

Ships whose cargo hold is designed especially to carry liquid cargo such as oil, petroleum products, chemicals and gas in refrigerated, liquefied form.

Bulk cargo ships

Ships whose cargo holds are designed to carry dry bulk cargo such as iron ore, coal or grain.

General cargo ships

The cargo hold is designed carry various types of goods, free-standing, packaged or palletised. General cargo ships include several different types of vessels with special load handling systems, such as:

Ro-Ro ships (roll on - roll off)

The cargo is rolled onboard on a large, open deck, either on its own wheels or prepackaged in cargo transport units transported with trailers.

Container ships

Ships with cargo holds specially designed for standardised container sizes; usually loaded and unloaded with cranes through an opening in the deck.

Refrigerated ships

With refrigerated cargo holds for transporting food.

Working ships of various kinds

Designed mainly to perform services at sea, e.g., tugboats, hydrographic ships, icebreakers and supply ships.

Ships for transportation of no more than twelve passengers

Cargo ships may carry up to twelve passengers without being considered passenger ships. Many small vessels on national voyages are designed solely for this kind of limited transportation of passengers.