Naval

Architecture
for MARINE ENGINEERING

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 ENGR. PETER RALPH B. GALICIA, Ph.D., FRIMarM
Module Writer

CHAPTER TWO
Types of Ship

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 Knowing how to classify ships according to their types,
designs, and purposes is the main focus of this chapter.
Learning Objectives
1. Classify the types of ship according to their purpose;
2. Classify the civil ships according to their design; and
3. Classify the civil ships according to their purpose.
______________________________________________________________

1. Types of Ship
Ships are difficult to classify, considering the factors in classifying them—one base
on propulsion as a sailing ship, a steamship, or a motor ship. Sailing ships are propelled
solely through sails. Steam engines propel steamships. Motor ships run by internal
combustion engines; they include ships propelled by a combination of sail and internal
combustion.

Ships can also classify by other criteria such as:

a.) the number of hulls: monohull, catamaran, trimaran;

b.) the shape, size, and function, giving categories such as a dinghy, keelboat, and
icebreaker;
c.) the hull material: steel, aluminum, wood, fiberglass, and plastic.
d.) the type of propulsion system used, giving human-propelled (e.g., historical
triremes), mechanical, and sails.
e.) the epoch in which the vessel uses, triremes of Ancient Greece, ships of the line of
battle in the 18th century.
f.) the vessel's geographic origin; many vessels are associated with a particular
region, such as the pinnace of Northern Europe, the gondolas of Venice, and the
junks of China; and
g.) the manufacturer, series, or class.
Another way to categorize ships and boat base on their uses and purposes. This
system includes military/naval ships and civil/merchant Ships.

2. Civil Ships/Merchant
Ships
Civil ships are classified
according to their respective uses and
purposes

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 Figure 1 Classification of civil/merchant ships

2.1 Troop Ships

Ships designed to
carry
freights/cargoes and
passengers

Figure 2
Classification of
troop ships

2.1.1 Freighters

lShips designed to carry freights/cargoes

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Figure 3 Classification of freight/cargo ships

2.1.1.1 General cargo ships

General cargo includes items which are packed or unpacked. They usually have
spacious holds which occupy the larger part of the hull.

Figure 4 General
cargo ship

2.1.1.2 Specialized cargo ships

The cargo is
carefully distributed
according to its type
and requirement of
special conditions.

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Figure 5 Classification of specialized ship

2.1.1.2.1 Reefer cargo ships

They transport perishable food such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy, having a
carrying capacity of 8,000 - 12,000 t.

Figure 6 Reefer cargo ship

2.1.1.2.2 Timber carrier ship

One-decked ships designed to carry logs and beams; carrying capacity - 5,000 -
20,000 t, speed - 13-15 knots.

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 Figure 7 Timber carrier ship
2.1.1.2.3 Container ships

These ships are classified as unit-load ships because freight is carried in huge boxes of
standard size (units), usually from 10 to 40 t.

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 Figure 8 Container ship
2.1.1.2.4 Barges-carrying ships

This type of ships pertains

to the category of
containerships but the
principle is slightly different

Figure 9 Barge-carrying ship

2.1.1.2.5 Ro-ro ship

Used for transporting motor vehicles and other wheeled equipment. Ro-Ro is short for roll-on
roll-off ships and is thus called because cargo is carried on wheeled containers or trailers.

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 Figure 10 Ro-ro ship

2.1.1.2.6 Bulk carriers

Bulk cargo is a wide term. Heavy bulk-carriers usually transport ore, coal and coke, building
materials, such as cement and gravel. Light bulkers carry grain, salt and sugar.

Figure 11 Bulk carrier

2.1.1.2.7 Heavy cargo ships

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Heavy cargo vessels can be divided into: Semisubmersible heavy lift ships, conventional
heavy lift ships, tow barges and dock ships. Their construction and stability allows them to
carry extremely large and heavy objects.

Figure 12
Heavy cargo
ship

2.1.1.2.8 Flo-flo ships

Float-on/Floatoff or semisubmersible ships, provide the capability to load, transport and

offload outsized military cargo independent of port equipment traditionally used for handling
large or extremely
heavy cargo, such as tug
boats, barges, landing
craft, floating cranes,
and single anchor leg
mooring systems. Lifts
range from
approximately 50 to as
much as 45,000 tons.

Figure 13 Flo-flo ship

2.1.1.2.9 Cattle ships

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As the name implies, these ships transport cattle.

Figure 14 Cattle ship

2.1.1.3 Liquid cargo ships

They transport cargo in liquid form.

Figure 15 Classification of liquid cargo ship

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2.1.1.3.1 Tanker ships

Cargo ships constructed or adapted for the carriage in bulk of liquid cargoes of an
inflammable nature.

Figure 16 Tanker ship

2.1.1.3.2 Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)

Built to carry liquid gases, either natural gases or products of oil processing (methane,
propane, butane), for chemical industry; speed 12-20 knots.

Figure 17 LPG

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2.1.1.3.3 Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)

An LNG carrier is a tank ship designed for transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).

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 Figure 18 LNG
2.1.1.3.4 Chemical ships

They transport chemicals such as sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and ammoniac.

Figure 19
Chemical ship

2.1.2 Passenger ships

They transport people

Figure 20 Classification of passenger ships

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2.1.2.1 Liner ships

Liners sail on one and same route (be it through rivers, seas or oceans) according to a
timetable.

Figure 21 Liner
ship

2.1.2.2 Cruise ships

Their purpose is to take tourists to journeys.

Figure 22
Cruiseship

2.1.2.3 Coastwise ships

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Not large inland-going ships which sail close to the coast between two or more ports; Their
seats for passengers vary from 40 to 600.

Figure 23
Coastwise ship
2.1.2.4 Yachts

Crafts, propelled either by sail or by power, used for having fun.

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 Figure 24 Yacht

2.1.3 Special troop ships

They transport people and freight.

Figure 25 Classification of special troop ship

2.1.3.1 Ferry

Designed to carry wagons, vehicles and passengers by serving as a bridge between two ports,
located at the opposite ends of rivers, bays, canals, etc.

Figure 26
Ferry

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2.2 Industrial ships

Designed to draw out raw materials and food resources from sea.

Figure 27 Classification of industrial ships

2.2.1 Extractive ships

Ships used solely for catching marine life.

Figure 28 Classification of extractive ships

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2.2.1.1 Trawlers

The most widespread type of fishing vessel; The name "trawler" comes from "trawl" - a
fishing net which is dragged along the sea floor.

Figure 29
Trawler
2.2.1.2 Seiners

Seiners use a peculiar kind of net (a purse seine) which hangs vertically in the water and has a
rope at its bottom.

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Figure 30 Seiners
2.2.1.3 Whalers

Ships designed for hunting whales.

Figure 31 Whaler

2.2.2 Processing ships

Their main purpose is to receive the catch from extractive ships, process it into usable
products and bring it to ports.

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 Figure 32 Processing ship

2.3 Service Ships

Vessels which serve the merchant fleets and operate in harbors, inland waters and water
areas.

Figure 33
Classification
of service ship
2.3.1 Ships
Providing
Ships providing: navigation through different waters.

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 Figure 34 Classification of Ship providing
2.3.1.1 Hydrographic ships

Their purpose is to explore seas and oceans, gather data and report to hydrographic bureaus
which on their part, compose maps and charts.

Figure 35
Hydrographic
ship

2.3.1.2 Pilot boats

Small vessels that carry a pilot to a ship and then bring him back to the port.

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 Figure 36 Pilot boat

2.3.1.3 Lightships

Small vessels painted red and equipped with light and radio-signal devices and anchored at
places which are dangerous for ships to pass through.

Figure 37 Lightship
2.3.2 Auxiliary
ships

Vessel specially designed to help others ships.

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 Figure 38 Classification of Auxiliary ships
2.3.2.1 Icebreaker

These are ships maintaining navigation in winter by leading other vessels across ice tracks
(and breaking ice-floes).

Figure 39 Icebeaker

2.3.2.2 Tugboats

High-speed vessels with an approximate length of 60 meters, used for towing barges and
damaged ships and taking them across narrow canals or fairways.

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Figure 40 Tugboat
2.3.2.3 Push Tugs

Vessels used for pushing an assembly of barges; Push tugs have very high superstructures
which allow to keep a watch on the vessels in front and way ahead.

Figure 41 Push tugs

2.3.3 Ships providing safety

Ships specially designed to attended any emergency at sea.

Figure
42 Classification of Ship providing safety
2.3.3.1 Rescue boats

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Powerful high-speed crafts, able to operate in any conditions and being furnished to save
ships which have damage or have suffered an accident onboard and need urgent help.

Figure 43
Rescue
boat

2.3.3.2 Fire boats

Fitted out to fight fire aboard ships and floating platforms (e.g. oil drills) by spraying foam
and water from a distance of 60- 100 meters.

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 Figure 44 Fireboat
2.3.4 Ships with special purposes

As his name implies are ships designed to special services.

Figure 45 Classification of ships with special purposes

2.3.4.1 Research Ships

Ships used for exploring waterways, surveying the sea bottom and ocean processes, locating
natural
resources
(petroleum,
cobalt,
copper, iron,
etc.) and
observing
marine life.

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 Figure 46 Research ship
2.3.4.2 Training Ships

For training cadets.

Figure 47 Training
ship

2.3.4.3 Floating “Houses’’

Floating “houses”: hospitals, hotels, exhibitions, workshops, laboratories ships.

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 Figure 48
Floating
hospital

2.4 Technical Ships

Ships which provide technical service and create the necessary conditions for ship navigation.

Figure 49 Classification of technical ships

2.4.1 Dredges

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These are floating vessels used to make sea- or river-floors deeper (for example, this is done
when ports and canals are built or simply maintained).

Figure 50
Dredger
2.4.2 Suction Dredges

These crafts have a suction device which gathers sand from the sea floor and carries it away
with a system of pipes to land or to another deep place in water which has to be made
shallower.

Figure 51 Suction
dredger

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2.4.3 Floating docks

The largest representatives of technical ships; Floating docks are floating vessels which
cannot move on their own and serve as places for construction and repair of ships.

Figure 52 Floating dock

2.4.4 Others

Floating cranes, power stations and workshops; cable laying ships; oil collector ships (they
surround the oil spills and clear them); drill ships; offshore drilling rig supply vessels.

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 Figure 53 Floating crane
EVALUATION

A. Key Areas To Remember

Ship Service ship General cargo ship
Naval Ship Technical ship specialized cargo
Civil/Merchant Ship Freighter Liquid cargo
Troop ship Passenger Reefer
Industrial ship Special troop etc.

B. Questions

1. Classify the types of ship according to their purpose;

2. Classify the civil ships according to their design; and
3. Classify the civil ships according to their purpose.

REFERENCES

Yanes, R., et. al (2011). Ship’s dimension and types of ships. Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela Ministry of People’s Power for higher Education Carribean Maritime
University English VII. Catia La Mar. Retrieved from:
https://www.slideshare.net/AdrianUrbina/ships-dimension-types-of-ships

Tawfeek, S. (2018). Theory of ship design. Retrieved from:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328773124

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