In the maritime transport system model, the movables are called "Vessels". These vessels are presented to you on this page.

The figure "Vessel types" shows a classification of different vessel types, that are used in maritime transport. Some of the vessels are presented to you in detail below.

 

• capacity: < 4.500 TEU
• length: 250 m
• width: < 32,20 m
• depth: 12,5 m

• capacity: > 4.000 TEU < 8.500 TEU
• length: 300 m
• width: > 32,20 m < 43 m
• depth: 13 m 

• capacity: < 12.500 TEU
• length: 366 m
• width: < 49 m
• depth: 15,2 m

• capacity: < 15.000 TEU
• length: 397 m
• width: < 56 m
• depth: 15,5 m

• capacity: < 21.000 TEU
• length: 400 m
• width: < 59 m
• depth: 16 m

•  capacity: > 21.000 TEU, < 24.000 TEU
• length: 400 m
• width: < 61 m
• depth: 16 m

• required engine power increases with the power of 0.7
• less material needed for the surface of bigger spaces

• crew size independent from the size of the vessel (for a capacity bigger than 2.000 TEU)
• no correlation between administrative costs and vessel size

• bunker costs are related to the engine power, thus relative costs are declining with increasing size.

• lower freight rates through economies of scale lead to strong market growth

• bigger ships have to unload more containers at one location
• many ports are not equipped to handle those amounts efficiently

• limitations to the maximum draught
• efficiency of hinterland logistics

• liner services consist of 5-6 ships
• financing can become quite problematic, as this means investments of up to one billion € per service

• increasing costs through additional handling operations
• longer travel times for the feeders through additional handling operations

The total costs of costs in port and costs at sea are presented in the figure "Relationship between costs and ship size". 

Ro-Ro Vessels

Ro-Ro Vessels (Roll-on Roll-off) vessels are used for the transport of movable goods. Those goods like cars, trucks or trains can roll on and roll off the vessels on their own. With the help of tractors or swap bodies standardized loading units can be transported with this vessel type as well. Those ships have decks with adaptable heights, allowing a flexible usage of the loading space. The vessels have side, bow or stern hatches so that the movables can be driven on board via ramps.

• capacity: up to 40.000 dwt (Deadweight tonnage)

• capacity: up to 45.000 dwt

• capacity: up to 99.999 dwt
• width: < 32,20 m 

• capacity: over 100.000 dwt

• capacity: 50.000 dwt

• capacity: 65.000 – 80.000 dwt

• capacity: 120.000 - 180.000 dwt

• capacity: 200.000 – 320.000 dwt

• capacity: >320.000 dwt

Multi Purpose Ships are able to carry different kind of goods like containers, bulk goods or general conventional cargo. 

As the multi purpose ships are often not calling at big ports, multi purpose ships are having loading gears (cranes) on board so that they are independent from the existing infrastructure at the ports.

 

 

The relation between vessels and waterways is called traffic. 

 

Traffic

The main trade routes are between Asia and Europe and Asia and North America, with the volume from Asia to the industrialised countries twice as high as the other way around. 

As there is an imbalance of trade especially between Far East and Europe and Far East and the USA, maritime traffic is not in a balance. In maritime container traffic, for example, this trade imbalance necessitates the repositioning of empty containers.
In order to save fuel and reduce emissions in maritime traffic, vessels are reducing their speed. As a rule of thumb, a ship’s engine load is related to the third power of its speed. Numerically, a 10% speed reduction results in a 27% engine load reduction.
The main maritime traffic routes and dimension of the traffic volume, which is visualized by the arrow thickness, are shown in the figure "Maritime traffic routes".