What is water transport?
Water transport is the movement of people, goods, or materials across rivers, lakes, seas, or oceans using boats, ships, or other vessels. It depends on natural or man-made waterways and is widely used for both domestic and international trade.
Waterways are natural and require minimal upkeep compared to the frequent repair and maintenance of roads and railways. Also, it is ideal for oversized cargo like machinery, industrial equipment, and large containers, while in road and rail transport it may exceed size and weight limits. If we consider bulk materials such as coal, oil, and grain, then they can be transported together, which reduces the per-unit cost of transport; overall, all these points make water transport comparatively less expensive.
Types of water trasport
- Inland water transport: It uses Rivers, Canals and Lakes for transportation of goods or passengers.
- Ocean or Sea transport: Cargo ships, Tankers, Passenger ships and container ships are used here.
- Coastal shipping: Ships operates along the coastline.
- Ferries and Water Taxis: Used for short distance transport
- Fishing Vessels: For fishing and transporting seafood.
- Recreational Boats: Includes yachts, sailboats, and other vessels for leisure or tourism