Commercial Vessels

Commercial vessels or merchant vessels are ships that transport either passengers or cargo. Most of the world's countries own or operate a fleet or commercial or merchant ships, but many fleets sail under flags or other countries, usually those that can provide manpower and services at favourable costs. Such flags are known as "flags of convenience". The Greek-owned merchant fleet is currently the largest in the world, making up some 16 per cent of the world’s tonnage.

Commercial vessels for sale in the UK

One of the biggest segments of commercial vessels for sale in the UK is Passenger ships. This broad category includes purpose-built craft for transporting passengers, as well as those that transport both freight and passengers. Until recently virtually all ocean liners were able to transport mail, package freight and express, and other cargo in addition to passenger luggage, and were equipped with cargo holds and derricks, kingposts, or other cargo-handling gear for that purpose. Only in more recent ocean liners and in virtually all cruise ships has this cargo capacity been suppressed.

Used Commercial vessels

The listings of used commercial vessels or sale on MarineTradex include cargo ships. Cargo ships are usually specially designed, often being equipped with cranes and other mechanisms to load and unload, and come in all sizes to suit a huge variety of shipping applications. 'Dry' cargo ships today are mainly bulk carriers and container ships. Bulk carriers or bulkers are used for the transportation of homogeneous cargo such as coal, rubber, copra, tin, and wheat. Container ships are used for the carriage of miscellaneous goods.