SHIPPING AND OCEAN FREIGHT

LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
Shipping Industry and Business: MODULE1
1. Maritime Industry = anything related to the ocean, sea, ships,
navigation of ships from point A to point B, seafarers, ship
owning and other related activities..
2. Shipping Business = the act of carriage of cargo from point A to
another point using the ships which falls under the Maritime
industry..
3. Freight = the cargo that is carried using the shipping services
offered by the shipping lines using the ships which falls under
the Maritime industry..
4. Logistics Services = the processes involved in getting the cargo
from the manufacturers warehouse to the receiver’s
warehouse including arranging for shipping services offered by
the shipping lines using the ships which falls under the
Maritime industry..
5. Supply Chain = the whole granddaddy process comprising of all
aspects in a product cycle, for example from picking of the fruit
at a farm in Point A to delivering the fruit to the shelf at a store
in Point B using all of the above-mentioned industries,
businesses and services..
6. Trade = is the basic economic concept involving buying and
selling of goods and services, with compensation paid by a
buyer to a seller, or the exchange of goods or services between
parties.. Trade is the reason all above businesses from 1-5
exist..
Maritime Industry
It is fair to say that Maritime Transportation has been and still
remains the backbone of global trade and has been so since the
Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Indians, Chinese, Europeans all
started sailing and improvising the sailing methods from sailboats,
dhows, long boats, dragon boats, steamships to the current ULCVs,
VLOCs, VLCCs etc..
Maritime transportation is a derived demand whose main purpose is
to support trade, business and commerce – whether global or
domestic, whether cargo or people..
An estimated 89.5% of global trade is carried by sea.. As per
UNCTAD figures, in 2019, although the maritime trade growth and
port traffic growth were down, world seaborne trade reached a
volume of 11 billion tons with a predicted growth of +2.6% in 2019
and an annual average growth of +3.4% for the period 2019-2024..
An estimated 793.26 million TEUs were handled in container ports
worldwide in 2019 and as of now there are 6,145 active ships
carrying 23,657,724 TEUs around the world..
The growth, numbers and the volume involved makes the maritime
industry one of the most globalized industries in the world in terms
of ownership and operations..
Not just in terms of ownership, the Maritime industry also provides
employment for an estimated 1.65 million seafarers working in the
global merchant fleet across the world..
Here are a few stats for you to think of, about the Maritime Industry
(all stats compiled/shared from UNCTAD)..
Which country owns the most number of ships..??
By number of vessels

China overtook the grouping of the Rest of the World countries to

reach the highest number of vessels in the world in 2019..
Difference between a ship and a vessel
That big floating thing that carries our cargo from point A to B is
referred to as either a SHIP or a VESSEL.. Is there a difference
between a ship and a vessel..??
Ship :
• A ship is a large ocean going vessel..
• A ship is a sailing vessel that uses wind power or steam power
or other man made energy sources, rigged in such a manner
that will allow it to sail and be controlled..
• A ship is a floating vessel that transports cargo in order to earn
revenue..
Vessel :
• Basically, a vessel is anything that can float and can be
steered/moved, either by own means or by other means (for
example – if it is towed)..
• Apart from a ship, a floating platform, boats, barges etc can
also be called a vessel..

Shipping Industry, the industry devoted to moving goods or

passengers by water. Passenger operations have been a major
component of shipping, but air travel has seriously limited this aspect
of the industry. The enormous increase, however, in certain kinds of
cargo, for example, petroleum, has more than made up for the loss
of passenger traffic. Although raw materials such as mineral ores,
coal, lumber, grain, and other foodstuffs supply a vast and still
growing volume of cargo, the transportation of manufactured goods
has increased rapidly since World War II.
Shipping is a private, highly competitive service industry. The
activity of the industry is divided into several categories, namely,
liner service, tramp shipping, industrial service, and tanker
operation, all of which operate on certain well-established routes.

Trade Routes
Most of the world's shipping travels a relatively small number of
major ocean routes: the North Atlantic, between Europe and eastern
North America; the Mediterranean-Asian route via the Suez Canal;
the Panama Canal route connecting Europe and the eastern
American coasts with the western American coasts and Asia; the
South African route linking Europe and America with Africa; the
South American route from Europe and North America to South
America; the North Pacific route linking western America with Japan
and China; and the South Pacific route from western America to
Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and southern Asia. The old Cape
of Good Hope route pioneered by Vasco da Gama and shortened by
the Suez Canal has returned to use for giant oil tankers plying
between the Persian Gulf and Europe and America. Many shorter
routes, including coastal routes, are heavily traveled.
The ADVANTAGES of maritime shipping
We’ll begin by discussing the positive aspects of maritime shipping.
As we said, in some situations, these advantages will be enough to
tip the scales in favor of choosing maritime freight services.

• There’s a lot of room on vessels and they can transport heavy

goods
One of the biggest advantages of maritime shipping is that ships can
carry all kinds of rather heavy goods. You will have to use ocean
freight services if you’re running a business that imports or exports
heavy objects, as airplanes usually cannot transport such goods. And
if they can, the cost of shipping will be very high. Automobiles,
various machinery, industrial parts, and so on, are just some of the
things you won’t be able to transport by air (if you don’t want to
spend a fortune, that is).
Generally, maritime-shipping companies provide their customers
with much more space than their air counterparts. Not only can they
transport heavy goods, but they can transport a lot of them. This
makes for high competitive rates and allows maritime shipping
companies to easily take care of large demands. Whether you’re
transporting heavy goods or a very large amount of lighter goods,
maritime shipping is your best option.
• Maritime shipping is highly affordable
The fact that there’s so much space on cargo transportation vessels
means that it’s not hard to find the space for your goods. Then,
there’s also the fact that all businesses whose goods are being
carried will share the cost of the specific vessel arriving at its
destination. It is primarily because of these reasons that maritime
shipping is among the most affordable ways to move your cargo. And
when compared with its biggest rival in terms of long-distance
shipping (we’re talking about air shipping options, of course),
maritime freight services are much (much) less expensive. What’s
more, with maritime industry reshaping its supply chain, more
accurate cost models are now being introduced.
• Vessels are more eco-friendly
When compared with aircrafts, vessels also provide much better
options for eco-friendly shipping. Aircrafts use a lot of petroleum,
leaving a very large carbon trail. This, in turn, damages the
atmosphere. Such carbon trails disrupt the ecological balance and
contribute to the negative effects of global warming. Even the slight
cirrus clouds that form behind aircrafts contribute to impact these
negative effects on Mother Nature.
As vessels don’t use a lot of petroleum, they leave a small carbon
trail. In most cases, this makes them a better option for business-
owners who are concerned with helping the planet Earth.
• Safety guarantees – as maritime security increases and
containers are being constructed to be sealed and locked
during the journey, cargo loss is significantly reduced
• Foreign trade contacts – connecting the global trade markets is
an essential part of ocean shipping
• Reduction in duties and VAT – these are much less expensive
as they’re calculated as a percentage cost of the total plus the
applicable export and import fees
• Flexibility – smaller shipments can be arranged in a group with
other cargo, and bulk cargos fitted into single containers
The DISADVANTAGES of maritime shipping
Depending on the situation, the advantages we’ve discussed
sometimes won’t suffice, as these cons could make you choose
another form of shipping.
Maritime cargo transportation is slow
If you need to transport your goods quickly, then maritime shipping
will prove to be far worse for your needs than air shipping. Vessels
usually have a long way to travel and they’re much slower than
aircrafts. In a situation where an aircraft would transport your goods
in a day or two, a ship would need an entire month to do so (and
that is if there are no delays). While the situation is improving and
maritime shipping is becoming faster, if you need fast shipping –
vessels won’t do.
The key here is in deciding whether faster shipping will bring you
more profit. If a much slower transportation speed won’t negatively
influence the profits, then opting for much more affordable maritime
shipping seems like the right thing to do.
Ocean freight services can suffer from delays
However, keep in mind that ocean freight shipping options can
sometimes make your customers unsatisfied, as they’re not as
reliable as air shipping options. Namely, ships operate on weekly
schedules and different problems often occur. There’s always a good
chance that your deliveries will be delayed. And your customers
definitely won’t be pleased with that.
While their goods won’t get damaged, the possible delays will
sometimes make your customers choose another supplier. However,
if you don’t have a strict deadline and you don’t need to transport
the goods very quickly, then maritime shipping could be the best
option for you.
Different Cargo Types
The global shipping industry transports goods all over the world,
connecting commerce and businesses across continents. In today’s
fast-paced world, the speed and capacity of ships have increased.
Transporting goods through seaborne vessels has become one of the
cheapest means of transporting goods, on the basis of-
1. The cost per ton, and
2. The fuel per ton transported
From machinery and equipment to foodstuff and vehicles, ships are
modified to handle various types of goods. Crude oil, fuel gases such
as LNG and CNG, minerals, and ores require their own types of
vessels that are specially constructed to cope up with the challenges
that these volatile goods possess.
The danger of transporting cargo through non-optimized means i.e.,
vessels not built to handle that articular cargo, includes volatile
behaviour, fire, spoilage of foods, bacterial and fungal growths etc.
Thus, care must be taken when hiring or leasing vessels for
transportation to ensure that the appropriate type of vessel is
chosen.
We focus on the goods, their inherent restrictions or transportation
conditions, and the types of ships specifically built to handle the
shipping of such cargo.
1. Shipping of Food Stuff
Foodstuff includes various categories such as fresh, packaged,
frozen, partially processed, and other varieties. Foods present one of
the most challenging goods to transport, due to their short life and
high probability of spoilage.
Most other types of goods can spend several months onboard a
vessel while being transported between ports. However, foods are
one of the few goods that must reach their destinations as a matter
of urgency.
For this reason, a large percentage of the food transportation
industry is carried out through air freight. However, ship and other
vessels allow for large amounts of foods to be simultaneously
shipped through a single voyage.
2. Transportation of Livestock and Animals
Livestock and animals are another commonly transported cargo
between several countries. This may be for the purpose of breeding,
for meat, or for animal bi-products.
Transporting them presents challenges by way of ensuring that the
animals survive the long journey. To allow for this, there must be
mechanisms by which they are provided with nutrition as would
normally be consumed. In addition, there must be provisions to
regularly clean the living holds and the livestock. Lastly, proper
ventilation is a must

3. Transportation of LNG, CNG, and Other Gas-Based Fuels

One of the largest cargoes transported through ships is petroleum
goods and its by-products, in terms of volume and gross revenue.
This includes crude oil, volatile fuels, petroleum, LNG, CNG, and the
various derivatives.
Ships are preferred for this type of cargo since they are one of the
cheapest means of transport in terms of the cost basis that we
defined at the start of the article. Only pipelines are cheaper on a
cost per ton basis of transportation. The main cargoes discussed in
this section include LNG, CNG, and other gas-based fuels.
4. Shipping Cars and Other Vehicles
Shipping vehicles is a very common business adopted in and around
the Middle East, Europe, some parts of Asia (China, Japan, Taiwan,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore etc.) and the Americas. It generally
functions as a ferry service where cars are moved around the
coastlines of a nation or neighbouring countries.
Ships called Ro-Ro (Roll on, roll off) are used for ferrying such cargo
over coastlines. They are specially built to withstand the large load
exerted by the vehicles, while also taking into account the forces
exerted on the aft when the vehicles are loaded or lowered on to the
ship.

5. Transportation of Machinery, Equipment, and Factory Parts

Shipping machinery and parts is a very lucrative industry, especially
when parts are moved in large numbers. This is because these goods
do not have specific shipping requirements, can withstand
most forms of sea motion on their own, and do not have the
problems generally faced by other types of cargo (spoilage, volatility
etc.).

6. Shipping Dry Bulk Cargo

Dry bulk cargo refers to any cargo or good shipped in a loose
quantity, that is stored within the cargo holds without packaging.
Common examples of such goods include foodstuff and machinery
parts (both have been discussed). Also, goods transported through
dry bulk carriers include ores and minerals. These are generally
shipped in a loose condition in the holds.
7. Shipping Liquid Bulk Cargo
Liquid bulk cargo specifically includes goods and cargoes that are
liquid in nature and shipped in bulk. The majority of cargo in this
category belongs to petroleum goods and its by-products. This
encompasses crude oil, various products obtained after the
separation and processing of crude petroleum etc.
8. Safe Transportation of Chemical, Hazardous, and Toxic Products
A large portion of the worldwide freight industry handles the
transportation of chemicals and various similar products. This takes
place due to the expertise of certain countries in the synthesis of
specific chemicals. Demand in other parts of the globe requires large
scale transportation of such cargo.

Difference between a ship and a vessel

That big floating thing that carries our cargo from point A to B is
referred to as either a SHIP or a VESSEL. Is there a difference
between a ship and a vessel...??
Ship:
• A ship is a large ocean-going vessel.
• A ship is a sailing vessel that uses wind power or steam power
or other man-made energy sources, rigged in such a manner
that will allow it to sail and be controlled.
 • A ship is a floating vessel that transports cargo in order to earn
revenue.
Vessel:
• Basically, a vessel is anything that can float and can be
steered/moved, either by own means or by other means (for
example – if it is towed)
• Apart from a ship, a floating platform, boats, barges etc can
also be called a vessel.

Vessel Types Explained

Modern seagoing commercial vessels come in all shapes and sizes
and are designed to carry a wide variety of cargoes. This article will
attempt to provide a brief overview of the main types that are plying
the oceans today and give some history as to how each design has
evolved.

To begin, the main cargo types should be defined. For the purposes
of this article, cargoes shall be divided into dry, liquid and
specialised, with each of these divided further into sub categories.
Dry cargoes include bulk, general and breakbulk, containers, reefer
and Ro-Ro. Liquid cargoes are predominantly oil based but may also
include chemicals and liquefied gasses. Specialised cargoes include
passengers, livestock and heavy-lift/project.

Dry Cargo Ships:

Historically, dry cargo vessels were the mainstay of the world's
merchant fleet. Known as general cargo vessels, they would be
"geared", that is equipped with their own cargo loading equipment,
usually in the form of derricks. The cargo would be stowed in
different holds and the speed and effectiveness of the
loading/unloading process would depend on the skill of the ship's
crew and the port workers or "Stevedores". Such ships would
sometimes operate a regular service between two or more ports as
"liners", but could also operate in the "tramp trade" where vessels
would go wherever they were required.
Bulk Carriers:

For dry cargoes with a high weight to cost ratio such as coal, grain
and ore, economies of scale have produced the modern bulk carrier.
These usually large vessels are divided up into several separate holds
covered by hatches. In port, cargo is loaded by conveyor and spouts
or by crane and grab. Some bulk carriers are geared (usually a crane
is located between each hatch) to allow the loading and unloading of
cargo at berths without the need for shore equipment.

For unloading, cranes with grabs are the norm although specialised
equipment may be used for certain cargoes. When vessels unload
using cranes and grabs, personnel and vehicles will often be placed
inside the holds to assist the process. Cargo will usually be unloaded
into hoppers and will then be transferred by conveyor to silos or
open storage, smaller vessels may discharge directly into road
vehicles.
General Cargo Vessels:
Although largely replace by bulk and container carriers, general cargo
vessels still operate throughout the world. Cargo is usually in the
form of pallets or bags and is known as breakbulk. There may be
specialised handling facilities for such cargo, but usually loading and
unloading is carried out using cranes and straps (for boxes) or slings
(for bags). Loose or irregular cargo is also carried, in this case the
vessel's crew and port stevedores will pack the cargo to minimise
damage and maximise the utilisation of space.

Container Vessels:

Containers have become the main way of transporting manufactured

goods around the world. A container can be transferred between
truck, train and ship relatively easily and is a standard size to simplify
transportation. Containers can accommodate anything from
foodstuffs to electrical equipment to automobiles. Containers are
also used to transport bagged and palletised goods, liquids and
refrigerated cargo.

Standard containers are measured as TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent

Units) and are generally 20 feet (1 TEU) or 40 feet (2 TEUs) long. All
standard shipping containers are 8 feet wide and 8 feet 6 inches tall.
There are also longer, taller and even shorter standard sizes, but
these are less common.

Container ships are made up of several holds, each equipped with

"cell guides" which allow the containers to slot into place. Once the
first layers of containers have been loaded and the hatches closed,
extra layers are loaded on top of the hatches. Each container is then
lashed to the vessel but also to each other to provide integrity.
Containers are usually loaded by specialised cranes or even general-
purpose cranes with container lifting attachments but some small
container vessels are geared to allow self-loading/discharging.

Container vessels are used predominantly on liner routes and are

some of the biggest vessels afloat. Ultra Large Container Vessels
(ULCVs) such as the Emma Maersk (lead ship of the Maersk E-Class
vessels) are able to carry approximately 15,000 TEU (depending on
container weight). Large container vessels are restricted by their size
to certain ports around the world and are also unable to transit
certain areas due to draft or, in the case of canals beam, restrictions.

Reefer Vessels:
Ships designed to carry a refrigerated cargo usually comprising
perishable goods such as fruit or meat are known as "Reefer
Vessels". Cargo is stowed in holds which are then sealed and
temperature controlled. Traditional reefer vessels have been largely
replaced by the use of reefer containers which may be carried on
board a container vessel. Reefer containers only need a power
source to function although they are usually loaded to allow the
crew to inspect them during the voyage.

Ro-Ro Vessels:

Roll on-Roll off or Ro-Ro vessels come in many forms including

vehicle ferries and cargo ships carrying truck trailers but the major
type used for the transport of road vehicles is the car carrier. These
slab-sided vessels feature multiple vehicle decks comprising parking
lanes, linked by internal ramps with access to the shore provided by
one or more loading ramp. Cargo capacity of such vessels is
measured in Car Equivalent Units (CEU) and the largest car carriers
afloat today have a capacity of over 6,000 CEU.

Liquid Cargo Ships:

These vessels, collectively known as tankers, carry a range of liquid
cargoes. Tankers were first developed in the mid nineteenth century
when the use of iron allowed liquids to be carried in bulk
economically and without leakage. Like the case of the bulk carrier,
economies of scale have driven up the size of tankers and today the
largest examples have a carrying capacity or "deadweight" of over
400,000 tons.

Tankers are divided into separate tanks into which the cargo is
pumped via a pipeline system. Modern tankers have large and
segregated ballast tanks to allow them to sit lower in the water on
the return 'empty' journey to improve stability. Many tankers also
feature systems to add an inert gas to the tanks to reduce the risk of
fire and explosion.
Crude Carriers:
The largest ships afloat are the Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and
the Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCCs). These ships are designed to
load crude oil and transport it to refineries around the world where it
can be processed into petroleum products. The largest crude carriers
often load and unload at offshore buoys and terminals as they are
too large to enter most ports.

Product Carriers:
These vessels, which are generally smaller than crude carriers,
transport the refined products from larger terminals to smaller ports
around the world. Products carried can include petroleum, jet fuel,
diesel, asphalt, lubricating oil and tar. Smaller tankers are also used
to transport non-petroleum bulk liquids such as molasses and palm
oil.
Chemical Carriers:

These ships usually have a deadweight of 5,000-40,000 tons and

often have specialised cargo systems suited to the type of cargo
carried. These systems can include heating or cooling apparatus and
advanced cleaning systems to ensure the purity of a cargo is
maintained when loaded into a tank that may have previously
carried something different.
Liquefied Gas Carriers:
These ships began as converted oil tankers but have evolved into
highly specialised purpose-built vessels. Designed to carry Liquefied
Petroleum Gas (LPG) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) under pressure,
the cargo tanks are generally spherical for strength. LNG carriers are
usually larger than those carrying LPG, the largest LNG carriers are
the 'Q-Flex' vessels with a gas capacity of up to 266,000 cubic
metres.

Specialised Cargoes:
Most types of cargo could be considered as specialised due to the
specific loading, unloading or stowage arrangements required. Many
such cargoes are however, moved with such regularity and ease that
the term 'specialised' takes on a new meaning. For the purpose of
this article, it refers to cargoes that are either difficult to categorise
as dry or liquid, or to cargoes that are relatively difficult to handle.
Passenger Vessels:

This category includes everything from 10-person foot ferries up to

cruise ships able to carry over 6,000 passengers. Perhaps the most
specialised cargo of all, the needs and desires of passengers have
driven the design of the modern ferries and cruise vessels.
Ferries, once seen as 'a means to an end' for most, are now lavishly
equipped with lounges, restaurants, shops and entertainment
facilities – particularly when the ferry is on a relatively long route.
The ships have got larger too, the Ulysees for example which runs
between Holyhead and Dublin, is able to carry over 1,300 cars and
2,000 passengers.

The first example of ships undertaking a public 'cruise' can be traced

back to the nineteenth century but cruising gained mass popularity
in the latter twentieth century. Many cruise vessels were originally
liners which were sent to warmer climates during seasonal bad
weather on their regular routes. Arguably, the last of the liners is the
Queen Mary 2, which still operates a regular transatlantic service.
Today, cruise passengers demand and expect a wide range of
facilities including casinos, gymnasiums, shops, theatres, cinemas,
pools, restaurants and bars. The largest cruise vessels can be up to
360 m. long and 60 m. wide. Popular cruising areas are the
Mediterranean, Caribbean and Scandinavia.

Livestock Carriers:
These ships are often converted from other types of vessel and are
equipped with pens for large numbers of animals. The main
considerations during the transport of livestock are adequate
ventilation, food and water, but also the ability of the reception
facilities at the destination port to handle the cargo. Some livestock
carriers are reported to be able to transport up to 120,000 sheep. A
Common route for livestock carriers is Australia and New Zealand to
the Middle East.
Heavy-lift/Project Cargo Vessels:
These, mostly purpose built, vessels specialise in the transport of
extremely heavy or bulky objects such as other ships and large
industrial components. Some heavy-lift vessels are equipped with
high-capacity cranes to load at ports without a heavy-lift capability.
Other types are semi submergible, which allows a cargo to be floated
into position before the heavy-lift vessel de-ballasts to lift the cargo
out of the water.

Notable occasions where semi-submersible heavy-lift vessels have

been used are the return of RFA Sir Tristram to the UK following the
Falklands conflict and the return of the USS Cole to the United States
following the bombing in Aden. Heavy-lift vessels have also
transported offshore platforms from their construction site to the
drilling site.
Common project cargoes are wind turbine blades and towers, quay
cranes and industrial machinery. Some project cargo vessels have
been adapted further to suit their role. 'Jack up' vessels for example
are able to put down 'legs' to lift themselves out of the water. This is
commonly used by vessels installing offshore wind farms where
stability is required during the placing of the turbine towers.
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
• ROUTE PLANNING/ROUTE POINT
Route planning is the process of computing the effective method of
transportation or transfers through several stops. Basically, the route
planning is used to ascertain which route is the most cost-effective
when moving from one place to another. Generally, logistics or
transport companies use applications/software for route planning
and to compile the required routes.
Routing points are characteristic points in the routing path network,
such as curves, wall cut-outs, an offset, an outlet in the path,
enclosure openings, etc. The routing point is used as a jump-in point
for the connection to a target, as a junction to another routing path
or as a connection of routing paths.
• Vessel draft or vessel draught
Vessel draft (draft in the American spelling, draught in the British) is
one of the principal dimensions of any waterborne vessel and is
defined in technical terms as the distance between the ship’s
keel and the waterline of the vessel.
The keel of a ship is the lowest longitudinal support member that
helps form the structure of the vessel, while the waterline of any
floating body is the location on the hull of a ship where the air-water
interface occurs.
 • LOAD LINE
A ship’s waterline is the line where its hull meets the surface of the
water. A load line, also called Plimsoll mark,1 is a marking indicating
the extent to which the weight of a load may safely submerge a ship,
by way of a waterline limit. It is positioned amidships on both sides
of a vessel’s hull and indicates the draft of the ship and the legal limit
to which a ship may be loaded for specific geographical areas and
seasons of the year. The purpose of the load line is to ensure that a
ship has sufficient freeboard (the height from the waterline to the
main deck) and thus sufficient reserve buoyancy (volume of ship
above the waterline). It should also ensure adequate stability and
avoid excessive stress on the ship’s hull as a result of overloading.

Flag State
The term Flag State came to existence because of the usage of flags
as the symbol of the nationality or tribe the ships belong to from the
early days. The flag has come to be an officially sanctioned and very
powerful symbol of the State and is the visible evidence of the
nationality conferred by the State upon ships registered under its
national law. The ship’s flag displays the nationality of the ship,
under whose laws the ship is plying in the international waters.
Ship registration is the process by which a ship is documented and
given the nationality of the country to which the ship has been
documented. The nationality allows a ship to travel internationally as
it is proof of ownership of the vessel.
International law requires that every ship be registered in a country,
called its flag state. A ship is subject to the law of its flag state. It is
usual to say that the ship sails under the flag of the country of
registration.
A ship's flag state exercises regulatory control over the vessel and is
required to inspect it regularly, certify the ship's equipment and
crew, and issue safety and pollution prevention documents. The
organization which actually registers the ship is known as its registry.
Registries may be governmental or private agencies. In some cases,
such as the United States' Alternative Compliance Program, the
registry can assign a third party to administer inspections.
 • Tonnage
Tonnage, in shipping, the total number of tons registered or carried
or the total carrying capacity.
There are five kinds of tonnage in use in the shipping business.
They are:
1. Deadweight,
2. Cargo,
3. Gross,
4. Net and
5. Displacement Tonnages

CUBICS
Global trade is facilitated by the transport and transfer of goods
between merchants on an international scale. Sellers and buyers
worldwide transfer large volumes of goods that are
transported mostly by large ocean cargo vessels.
The term Cubic Meter or CBM is commonly used in ports,
warehouses, and in the sea – air – land freight.
A cubic meter, abbreviated to CBM, is a measurement of volume that
is generally used for calculating storage space, storage charges, and
freight charges.
It is the volume of an object that is one meter wide by one meter
long by one meter high (1 m X 1 m X 1 m).
Cleansing
The efficiency of a bulk carrier in vastly accounted to its cargo holds
and the volume of cargo it can carry. The whole operation involving
the loading, the safe transfer and the unloading of the cargo is a
complex procedure requiring diligent preparation, a key part of
which is cargo hold cleaning. Despite the time pressure, this step
should not be neglected, as it can directly affect the bottom line of
the whole operation.
Complying with regulatory requirements of safe cargo cleaning is not
a simple task and involves taking into account equipment,
documentation needed, and properly trained crew, to make sure that
the cargo holds are properly cleaned after each discharge and
prepared to take the next load.
LIST AND TRIM
LIST is define as tilting of ship due to weight of cargo of ship(
generally uneven distribution of cargo in ship cargo hold) either
direction named as port side tilt or starboard side tilt but remember
this tilting must have axis of tilt and this axis is transverse axis of
ship.
listing of ship always avoided for the safety of ship its transverse
stability decrease as list increases.ship is most vulnareble in
transverse stability.( understanding of transverse stability further a
long topic to to describe )
TRIM is also defined as the tilting of ship but this tilting have
different axis name as longitudinal axis of ship. it is calculated
through difference between the forward and aft draught of ship, if
the difference between aft and forward is + then said as ship is
trimmed by stern or if (-ve) then said as trimmed by head. trimming
of ship is done purposefully for stability , propulsion and fuel
consuption reduction especially in ballast condition.( mean ship is
empty condition)

Description of a ship
Different Parts Of Ship And Their Function

1 ) Anchor
An anchor is a heavy metal piece attached to the chain cables and is
stored or secured in the hose pipe during the voyage / ship
operation. It can be either permanent or temporary with an
additional sub class of sea anchors.
All ships carrying anchors are of the temporary type; as they are not
always fixed to the same position and often lowered at different
position depending upon need. Together with its chain cables,
connecting devices, windlass and chain stopper it is called anchor
gear.

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2 ) Bow
A bow is the front most part of a ship which cuts the water along its
sides as the ship proceeds. The key two requirement for a bow is to
have; minimum drag possible or so-called resistance between the
water and the ships hull and must be tall enough to avoid water
splashing to easily on top of it.
Function: Have you feel that extra effort you have to make to walk
through water? That is due to water drag and its resistance to your
body motion. So to reduce similar negative forces on ships body;
bow are placed on ship assisting easy propulsion.
3) Accommodation
It is a place on ship where the crew resides or live. Together with
offices, crew cabins, gym, prayer room ( Few ships ), salon,
recreation room, laundry, hospital and galley it is the heart of a ship
next to engine room and bridge.
A salon on board is the common area or living space for its crew,
passengers and any visiting authorities to interact; and often include
common room and dinning space. On another hand galley is just a
nautical term for kitchen; where food is prepared.
Function: An accommodation accounts for the living space of the
ship. it is stated to have proper provision for safety, accommodation,
health and accidents of crew on board ship. It is now required to
have hospital accommodation, proper ventilation, lighting, head
space, heating with adequate size of crew cabins.
4 ) Ships Hull
A hull is that part of ship that extends below the waterline to cover
and protect water from getting in. You can consider it as the shell
which protects the inside treasures from outside environment.
Everything that is stored and situated within the main ship structure
is covered and protected by the ships hull. It includes the key parts of
the ship such as bow, deck, the bottom keel and the both sides of
the ship.
Function: Made of steel the key role of ships hull is to maintain its
water tight integrity and reduce water drag. And so hull plays a
major role in determining overall efficiency of a ship.
Ships hull are thus coated with special paints that not only reduce
frictional drag but also avoid marine growth which further increase
the resistance to ships motion. Thus ships hull are cleaned and
repainted with special coating during dry dock operation.

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5 ) Keel
A keel is a part of ships hull that is responsible for providing strength
to the ships structure; spreading stress and load equally along its
longitudinal sides.
Due to its this property to hold and support ship structure it is often
termed as the backbone of the ship. In simple terms it provide
stability to a ship and increase its effective speed. The introduction
of keel in shipping reduce much of the work regarding stabilizing ship
structure.
Function: Being one of the key parts of ship; it helps stabilize and
support ship structure. It also plays an important role increasing the
effective speed of a ship. With displacement of ship dependent upon
the depth of keel from water line; it is helpful to measure draft and
reserve buoyancy of ship.
6 ) Freeboard
A freeboard stands for the part of ships hull located above the
waterline. It is the distance between the upper deck of ship and the
point of waterline. The freeboard of a ship is not fixed but rather
depends on the amount of cargo it carries.
This puts a cap on the amount of cargo a ship can load. By law it is
required by ships to load only up to the load line marking for the
designated water type. Thus it is a must for ships to have proper load
line marking amidships on either side of the ships hull.
Function: The role of freeboard among different parts of ship is to
maintain ships stability and avoid it from sinking. Under ICLL 1996 (
International convention on load line ) following load line marking
are put on ships hull; Tropical Freshwater, Freshwater, Tropical,
Summer, Winter and Winter North Atlantic. These load lines ensure
that the ship have minimum sufficient freeboard at all times for safe
voyage.
7 ) Engine Room
An engine room is the power house of the ship located in the lowest
most deck on aft of the ship. It contains important machinery such as
main engine, auxiliary engine ( Alternator ), shafting, boiler, fresh
water generator, air compressor, calorifier, purifier, incinerator,
pumps, heat exchangers, workshop machineries etc.
Function: The key role of engine room is to hold all the key
machinery and auxiliaries required for different operations on board
ship. On deck one it usually has control panels for diesel generators
and pump, workshop, store room, settling tanks, service tanks, fresh
water expansion tanks, Inert gas platform, deck air compressor, air
bottles etc.
On deck two it contains; Fuel oil heaters, purifiers, boilers, main air
compressor, diesel generators, fresh water generator etc. While the
deck 3 mainly consist of main engine, different supporting coolers,
oily water separators etc.
8) Funnel
A funnel is what from which the exhaust gases are released into
atmosphere. You can consider it as the chimney of the ship. Since the
introduction of mechanized ship; it has been an integral part of the
ships structure.
Function: Being one of the parts of ship the function of a funnel is to
safely release exhaust gas produced in engine room to the outside
atmosphere. Together with the forward motion of the ship and
funnel inclination towards the aft; exhaust gas is easily moved away
from ship avoiding possible hindrance to ship navigation.