Global Connections

As part of a fast-paced, global economy, ships have been transformed, along with maritime industries and life at sea.

Ships have connected the markets of the world for centuries, and in the 21st century oceangoing commerce crisscrosses the globe in ever-larger vessels. New ships, some so huge they can only call at the world’s biggest ports, feature innovative designs and new technologies to serve specialized purposes. With growing concerns about the effects of large-scale shipping on the environment, modern maritime industries are investing in new technologies to address pollution and waste. Still, the work of connecting the nations and markets of the world by water endures.

Modern Mariners

Larger vessels don’t mean larger crews. With modern technology, fewer crew members are needed to operate ships and, of those, fewer are Americans. Ships registered outside the United States are not required to pay seafarers at a scale comparable to American wages and benefits.

Containing Modern Life

Containers are 20- and 40-foot-long steel boxes that can be carried on ships, trains, and trucks. Standardized containers were introduced in the 1950s, and shippers recognized their value for moving manufactured goods and some bulk cargoes. The container that leaves a factory in Asia filled with consumer goods is the same one that delivers those goods to distribution centers all around the United States. The container system, which eliminates multiple cargo handling costs, is one of the factors behind the global expansion of manufacturing centers to places where labor costs are low.

A Vehicle for Vehicles

Ro-Ros, or “Roll On/Roll Off” vessels, are designed with built-in ramps for loading and unloading vehicles. They became increasingly important in the 1960s as automobile manufacturers began shipping their cars and trucks to other countries. The new generation, called PCTCs, for “Pure Car Truck Carriers,” is designed to carry passenger vehicles as well as heavier wheeled and general cargo.

Transporting Oil around the World

Tankers have carried oil around the world since the 1870s. As demand for oil grew, so did the ships. The largest oil tanker today is the ULCC class, or Ultra Large Crude Carrier, which can carry up to 2.5 million barrels of oil. VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) transport roughly 2 million barrels of oil on a single voyage. Smaller tankers carry oil along coasts and inland waterways.

As a result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, modern oil tankers are built with double hulls. If the outer hull is breached, the inner one will contain the cargo and prevent it from spilling.

Transporting Liquid Natural Gas

Natural gas, used for home heating and cooking as well as industrial uses, is shipped at -260F degrees—condensed into a liquid. Because liquid natural gas (LNG) is highly flammable, security and safety are essential. Ships offload the tanks at special terminals, and during offloading airplanes and other ships are excluded from the area to prevent accidents. LNG tankers have completed more than 40,000 voyages without serious incident and have the best safety record of any category of commercial shipping.

Fishing for World Markets

Factory trawlers are large vessels that pull enormous nets and process the catch at sea. They produce frozen fish fillets, minced fish for making fish sticks, and other products that feed people around the world.

Largely unregulated for decades, fleets of trawlers nearly emptied the waters of cod in the North Atlantic until restrictions were enforced in the 1980s. In the North Pacific the story is different. Within the zone for exclusive fishing by U.S. vessels, a consortium of companies has divided the quota of fish available to the fleet. This has ended the race for fish, which often resulted in crew injuries and wasteful fishing practices.

Leisure at Sea

Decades ago, passenger ships introduced plush surroundings, shipboard activities, and plentiful food to ease the anxiety and discomfort that sometimes accompanied an ocean voyage. Today, these distractions are essential elements of a vacation on the water. As much as exotic ports of call, the cruise ship itself is now the main destination of a sea-going holiday. Cruising is the fastest growing market in merchant shipping around the world.