Merchant shipping

Ship transport is watercraft carrying people (passengers) or goods (cargo).

Freight transport has been achieved widely by sea throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises. Transport by water is cheaper than transport by air, despite fluctuating exchange rates and CAF charges to account for such.

Ship transport can be realized over any distance by boat, ship, sailboat or barge, over oceans and lakes, through canals or along rivers. Shipping may be for commerce, recreation or the military purpose; while extensive inland shipping is less critical today, the major waterways of the world, including many canals are still very important and integral parts of worldwide economies. Virtually any material can be moved by water; however, water transport becomes impractical when material delivery is highly time-critical such as various types of perishable produce. However, water transport is highly cost effective with regular schedulable cargoes, such as trans-oceanic shipping of consumer products— and especially for heavy loads or bulk cargos, such as coal, coke, ores or grains. Arguably, the industrial revolution took place best where cheap water transport by canal, navigations, or shipping by all types of water craft on natural waterways supported cost effective bulk transport.

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