What Are the Two Basic Types of Sea freight?

Sea freight is a type of transportation used to transport cargo and passengers overseas, oceans and other waterways. sea freight can be divided into two basic types:

Cargo Transportation: Cargo transportation involves the transportation of various products by sea. This type of transportation is usually carried out using large container ships or dry cargo ships. Cargo transportation enables the transportation of trade goods, raw materials, automobiles, containers and many other products by sea.

Passenger Transportation: Passenger transport aims to transport people by sea. This type of transportation is carried out via cruise ships or ferries. Transport vehicles such as touristic trips, cruise ships, ferries and sea buses are used in passenger transportation. Passenger transportation meets the needs of holidaymakers, business travelers or those traveling by sea for other purposes.

Sea freight forms an important part of world trade and enables the transportation of large amounts of cargo and people. These two basic types represent the main categories of shipping.

Basic Types of Sea Freight

Sea freight is an essential part of world trade and offers a variety of methods of transporting many different types of cargo. Here is a detailed article about the basic types of sea transportation:

Basic Types of Sea Freight

Sea freight provides a wide range of services as an alternative to land transportation and covers a large portion of world trade. sea freight usually transports large amounts of cargo and covers long distances. The basic types of sea transport are:

Container Transportation:

Container transportation is a sea transportation method that has gained popularity especially in recent years. In this type of transportation, containers of standard sizes are used. Once the containers are loaded onto the ship, handling is minimal, which saves time and labor. The advantages and features of container transportation are:

• Fast and effective: Containers have standard sizes and can be easily handled, allowing cargo to be loaded and unloaded quickly from ships.
• Cost effective: Container ships capable of carrying large amounts of cargo reduce costs.
• Safe and reliable: Cargoes are protected in containers and are not affected by weather conditions.
• Extensive range of uses: Container transport is suitable for many industries, especially ideal for the retail sector.

The disadvantages are:

Not suitable for small-scale transportation: Container shipping can be costly for small businesses.

Cargo Ship Transportation:

Cargo ship transportation is the traditional method of sea transportation before container transportation. In this type of transportation, cargo is loaded directly onto the ship and larger and specialized ships are usually used. Types and features of cargo ship transportation are as follows:

Dry Cargo Transportation: It is generally used to transport bulk cargo such as grain, iron ore and coal. These cargoes are cargoes that are too large or non-liquid to fit into containers.

Liquid Cargo Transportation: Special tanker ships are used to transport liquid cargo such as oil and kerosene.

Roro (Roll-On/Roll-Off) Transportation: In this type of transportation, vehicles and equipment can be transported without being driven onto the ship.

The advantages of cargo ship transportation can be:

• Wide area of ​​use: Suitable for different types of loads.
• Capacity to carry large amounts of cargo: Suitable for large-scale trading operations.
• However, cargo ship transportation also has its disadvantages:

Handling difficulty: Handling and loading loads may require more labor.

Transport times may be longer: It may take longer than container shipping.

Sea freight remains the backbone of world trade and is becoming more efficient with developments such as container shipping. Businesses can choose one of these transportation methods according to their needs and load types.

The Role of sea freight in World Trade

Sea freight plays a critical role in world trade and is an important factor in the functioning of the global economy. To understand the role of sea freight in world trade, we can focus on these basic points:

Large Volume Transportation: Sea freight makes it possible to transport large amounts of cargo over longer distances and to different continents. Modern sea freight vehicles such as container ships enable the transportation of goods with high capacity and efficiency. This increases the volume of trade around the world.

Engine of International Trade: Sea freight accounts for a large part of trade between countries. It facilitates the transportation of goods and services around the world. sea freight is of vital importance, especially in energy resources, raw materials, automobiles, consumer products and many other sectors.

Cost Effectiveness: Sea transportation is generally a more economical option than other transportation methods. Since it carries large quantities of goods, the transportation cost per unit decreases. This gives consumers access to cheaper products.

Global Supply Chain: Sea freight is at the heart of global supply chain management. Manufacturers rely on sea freight to transport their raw materials and products to markets around the world. This enables manufacturers to reach a wider customer base and gain access to more diverse markets.

Strategic Importance: Sea freight is also considered an indicator of a country's strategic power. Control of sea lanes can provide a significant military and political advantage.

Environmental Effects: However, the size and prevalence of sea freight also brings environmental impacts. Ships powered by fossil fuels can harm the marine environment and increase the carbon footprint. Therefore, developing sustainable sea freight solutions and environmentally friendly technologies is becoming increasingly important.

As a result, sea freight is an indispensable part of world trade and contributes to the growth and connectivity of the global economy. However, this growth needs to be managed by taking sustainability and environmental impacts into consideration.