MARITIME TRANSPORT: HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES, ADVANTAGES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The shipping is a means to transport passengers and / or cargo, and develops through the sea. It allows exporting and importing goods around the world in various types of vessels. The merchant marine is the fleet of ships of a country, manned by seafarers trained and approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

A high percentage of international trade is carried out on ships. Large volume and bulk cargoes are generally transported by this means since it is more profitable in terms of costs, depending on the great distances, quantity and weight of the merchandise.

Cruises are maritime transport for tourism. Source: pixabay.com

Man has built means of transportation to overcome the barriers and distances that separate him from other nations and continents. In its efforts to conquer, establish links, strengthen and develop its economic policies through national and international trade, it has found in maritime transport a wide-ranging tool.

Maritime transport has a high impact on the world economy despite the fact that it does not enjoy obvious social and public recognition considering the various benefits it brings, especially to the daily lives of human beings, since much of what they possess has traveled before by sea.

Much of the industrial and economic development of countries is possible thanks to international trade, which depends in a high percentage on maritime transport. Millions of tons have been transported in recent years in the world through this route, which has contributed billions of dollars to the economy of the entire planet.

History

Throughout history, man has had the need to move from one place to another. Transportation has been one of the means that has allowed it to carry out discoveries, settlements, conquests and cultural and commercial exchange ventures.

There are territories that, separated by the relief, were later united by the sea. The first means of maritime transport date back to 3500 BC. At that time, small loads and few sailors could be carried over short coastal routes.

The distances became greater and greater as technology advanced and novel materials began to be used.

The Vikings built ships that could sail across rivers and seas. It should be noted that it was they who first went from the Scandinavian peninsula to England, to the Mediterranean Sea and finally to North America. Later this feat was also accomplished by the Europeans.

Maritime transport has played an essential role over the centuries for the transfer of objects, people and goods to and from different parts of the planet that had extremely long geographical distances.

Overseas wealth and discovery

The sailing ships created by the Romans were the first vessels to sail the sea. Then other types of boats also propelled by the wind emerged that evolved in terms of their displacement capabilities.

Other ships such as galleys were built with large sails but moved due to the force of the rowing prisoners and slaves, propelling them over the surface of the sea.

Later the caravels appeared, which managed to optimize the incidence of the wind on the arrangement of the masts; in this way they achieved the ability to maneuver and speed. In ancient times these caravels were the ones in charge of overseas transport to the New World.

Trips like that of Christopher Columbus (who landed in America) and that of Juan Sebastián Elcano around the world were emblematic in nautical history. Another example is the transfer of gold found in South America to Spain, which was quite a technological challenge: up to 2 tons per vessel were stored.

From the sails to the engine

Warships or frigates emerged between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries to assume the protection of overseas traffic. They were efficient in fighting corsairs due to their great speed.

These vessels also carried out actions during the war against enemy traffic and the larger units assisted the ships that were in line.

They served as radars and radios (before the appearance of these) in a kind of exploratory mission on the flanks and in front of the navy to detect where the danger could be. Europe had fleets of frigates that were popular in the Cold War and that protected from submarine and aerial attacks.

After two hundred years, sailing and transporting merchandise across the sea has had an irrepressible and precipitous growth with the arrival of the motor.

Ships became so efficient and effective means of transport that the construction of port stations where large ships dock, forming a global connection network, has arisen.

The most important ports are mainly in the hands of the so-called four Asian tigers (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea), which have overtaken the western economy by gaining power through maritime trade.

In the West, the Port of Long Beach located in Los Angeles also stands out. It ranks sixth among the most important on the planet. As for the European continent, Rotterdam is the most powerful representative of that region.

characteristics

The effect produced on the environment and energy savings are characteristics that give this activity a profitable value that must not be lost sight of. Additionally, the contribution to economic and industrial growth in the world is undeniable.

Among the multiple characteristics that this service has, some very relevant can be cited, which are what make it an advance within the technological developments achieved by man. These are the following:

Permanent service

It is an activity that works constantly and without causing inconvenience to the social environment, day and night without interruption. It is the basis of international trade and adapts to the time changes that govern the different continents without hindering its efficiency.

International in nature

It is designed to connect remote geographical points to each other through the transfer and delivery of goods, people or industrial products in solid and liquid state. This favors the construction of maritime highways and short-distance transport service.

Large capacity

Maritime transport can store large quantities in all its forms, either in bulk or in containers. Its capacities are measured in deadweight tons (DWT).

This is a great advantage because in a single trip a significant number of materials and people can be transported within the same cost.

Versatile and flexible

They are transports built of different sizes that adapt to different types of cargo such as solid, refrigerated cargo, container ships and those that transport liquefied natural gas, among others.

Generally these loads are carried from the countries that produce it to the place where the consumers are.

Types

The maritime transport has a wide range of models and types of boats that have been designed under strict safety laws that guarantee the arrival on time and in optimal conditions of their loads. Among the various types of boats, the following can be highlighted:

The bulk carriers

These vessels carry solid cargoes that are raised and lowered by cranes, and generally consist of grains, minerals, cereals, and mixed cargoes. When the loads are very heavy, the holds are reinforced to resist strong impacts.

Container ships

In the 1950s Malcon Mclean built a metal box that he hauled on a trailer to the dock and hoisted to the ship.

This was the first container that existed and gave way to the maritime transport model with the greatest capacity to move dry cargo safely and profitably with the least environmental impact.

Oil and tankers

These vessels are specially designed to load oil and its derivatives, as well as liquid products and liquefied gases. They also carry chemicals like alcohol and acids.

Likewise, they transport crude oil from producing countries to importers; those that transport refined products are smaller.

Refrigerators

They transport frozen cargo such as perishable goods and food, especially fish and shellfish. They have cellars built with thermal insulation and are usually painted white so as not to absorb light; thus they avoid heating.

Rolling load

These boats transport merchandise with wheels that go up and down on platforms designed to stop the movement of any vehicle.

They have a sophisticated pump system that supplies water to correct the inclination that the ship could suffer due to the load being able to move to one side and make it lose vertical alignment.

Cruise ships

They are huge boats destined for tourism and pleasure in which people who distinguish themselves between crew and passengers travel. They generally dock in different ports during their itinerary for the rest of the people, since they are usually long trips.

Advantage

- Storage is greater than the capacity of other means of transport.

- The freights are very cheap and competitive.

- They are more stable and safe.

- They have less ecological impact.

- They make large shipments over long distances.

- They are ideal for large loads.

Disadvantages

- Customs processes are complicated and require a large number of requirements.

- The delivery of the products takes longer.

-They're slow.

- They are affected by the weather and could alter their itineraries.

References

1. Pérez, Juan, "Maritime transport" in EOM. Retrieved on June 23, 2019 from EOM: elordenmundial.com
2. "Maritime transport, essential for the world" in Magazine of the maritime sector. Retrieved on June 23, 2019 from Magazine of the maritime sector: sectormaritimo.es
3. "Maritime transport" in Wikipedia. Retrieved on June 23, 2019 from Wikipedia: wikipedia.org
4. Rivas, José M. in "History of maritime transport", in Ocean Containers. Retrieved on June 23, 2019 from Ocean maritime containers: containersmaritimos.eu
5. "Shipping" in Euston. Retrieved on June 23, 2019 from Euston: euston96.com
6. "Maritime freight transport, a continuous evolution" at Moldtrans Group: moldtrans.com