Hello welcome to this blog post on water Transport. in this post we are going to be looking at the meaning, types of water transport, advantages and disadvantages.
READ ALSO – Advantages and disadvantages of road transport
Table of Contents
- Meaning of water transport
- Types of water transport
- Advantages of water transport
- Disadvantages of water transport
WATER TRANSPORT
Meaning: Water transport is the means of the conveying goods and people from one place to another through the river, canoes or oceans by ships, canoes etc. This also facilitates foreign trade between countries because goods and passengers can be easily moved or transferred.
The Ports authority is responsible for providing facilities as well as management of the ports. Ships are very large and can carry heavy and bulky goods or cargoes like cars, trucks, Trailers and heavy industrial machines.
Types of Water Transport
We have two types of water transport and these are:
(a) Inland Water Transport: This is the types water transport in which goods and people are moved from one destination to another through the rivers, canals, creeks and lakes. This types of water transport operates within a Nations boarder. The rivers must be navigable, e.g, river niger and benue. Boats, launches, canoes and ferry are some of the means of transportation in inland transport.
(b) Sea Transport: This types of Water transport ensures that cargoes and people are moved from one country to another. This is associated with seas and oceans. Since one port is connected to another, it aid international trade. Seaport is a point or place along the coast where ship and canoe normally stay or take off into the sea or Ocean.
The various means of transportation by Sea are:
- Ocean Liners (passenger cargo)
- Tramp Liners.
- Coaster Liners.
- Special purpose ship
1. Ocean liners: Ocean liners sail through the high seas and oceans in all the continents of the world, e.g, Atlantic Indian and Pacific oceans. It is divided into: passenger liners and cargo liners and they can charge standard rates.
- Passenger Liners: Passenger liners are ocean liners which convey passengers from one place to another on a definite or specific route. Passenger liners normally move on scheduled timetable. They are luxurious, thereby, passengers derived maximum pleasure. They can also be used to carry mails.
- Cargo Liners: Cargo liners are ship which carry heavy and Bulky goods from one place to another on the high seas and oceans. Cargo liners operate on a specific timetable and they normally run on definite routes. They can also carry few passengers.
Characteristics of Ocean Liners
- Ocean liners act as passenger liners, passenger cargo liners and cargo liners, ranging from sail 1,000 to 50,000 gross tonnage or more.
- They maintain a regular service, i.e, at advertised time between specified ports and at scheduled freight charges.
- Their freight charges are normally fixed by the shipping companies themselves.
- Cargoes may vary from comparatively small but valuable cargoes to the more Bulky cargoes of the cargo liners.
2. TRAMP LINERS: Tramp liners carry cargoes where they are found and leave when there are sufficient cargoes. Tramp liners have no fixed timetable and do not run along specific routes. They are available for general hire, hence are referred to as cargo water taxis. Their charges are not fixed but depend on agreements.
Characteristics of Tramp Liners
- They are sometimes described as unspecialized general purpose ship.
- Tramp vessels have no fixed routes or scheduled sailing times.
- Tramp shipping rates are usually fixed.
- They do not carry cargoes in parcels but prefer to deal with bulk cargoes.
- Tramp vessels are frequently employed on a charter basis i.e, by importers or exporters on either a time of voyage charter.
- Some of the smaller tramps are particularly useful for visiting small, inadequately equipped ports to collect cargoes of timber, ore, etc.
- They operate as sea taxis.
Difference between tramp liners and ocean liners
- They have no specific routes – They have specific routes
- They have no fixed timetable – They operates on specific timetable.
- They have no fixed rate of charges – They charge standard rate.
- They may not be luxurious – Passenger liners are luxurious.
- They handle only cargoes – They handle both cargoes and passengers.
- They are available for general hire – They are booked in advance.
3. COAST LINERS: Coaster liners are flat bottom steamers that are used to convey goods along the coast to the main pot. They can go through the creeks and river easily. Sometimes they are referred to as lighters and tugs. Coaster liners are good for carrying raw materials for firm.
4. SPECIAL PURPOSE SHIPS: Special purpose ship are specially built for particular cargoes. For instance, in conveying cruide oil, specially built tanker are used.
Advantages of Water Transport
Below are the advantages of water transport system:
- Suitable for Bulk Goods: Ship are used for carrying heavy bulky goods, e.g, heavy machinery from one country to another.
- It is safe: Water transport is very safe for carrying goods and passengers as cases of accidents are not common.
- Operates on schedule: Some liners run on schedule and have specific routes, e.g, river niger or Atlantic route.
- It is very cheap: This is another advantages of water transport. water transport is very cheap as heavy goods are carried over a long distance, e.g, Nigeria to New York, with very cheap charges.
- Routes are not costly: The routes cost nothing because they are natural gift of God.
- It aids foreign trade: Water transport greatly aids International or foreign trade because goods can be moved from one country to another.
- Suitable for perishable Goods: Ships contain refrigerators which can preserve perishable goods, e.g, fish from being spoilt.
READ ALSO – Advantages and disadvantages of rail transport system
Disadvantages of Water Transport
Here are the disadvantages of water transport:
- Limited In Scope: Water transport is limited to areas where there are Waters, Rivers, lakes, creeks, oceans or seas.
- Expensive to maintain: The cost of maintaining a ship is very high.
- Prone to Perils of sea: Water transport is prone to Perils of sea, like storm, collision and tempest.
- Slow over distance journey: Water transport can be very slow over long distance. A ship can sail from New York to Nigeria for more than three months.
- High cost of constructing ports: This is another disadvantages of water transport. The cost of constructing and maintaining seaport is very high.
- Operations must be supplemented by other means of Transport: Water transport requires other means of transportation to supplement delivery of goods.
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