History of Ships
History of Ships
HISTORY OF SHIPS
The ships we come across nowadays are large, sturdy and self propelled
vessels which are used to transport cargo across seas and oceans. This was not
the case centuries ago, and the current ship has undergone countless centuries
of development to become what it is today.
The invention of the sail was the greatest turning point in maritime history.
The sails replaced the action of human muscles and sail boats could embark
on longer trips with heavier loads. Earlier vessels used square sails that were
best suited for sailing down wind. Fore and aft sails were devised later.
Egyptians take the credit for developing advanced sailing cargo ships. These
were made by lashing together and sewing small pieces of wood. These cargo
ships were used to transport great columns of stone for monument building.
4000 BC: The ancient Egyptians used reeds to build what are thought to
be the first sailing boats in the world. The reed boats had sails and a
mast and were used on the Nile River
2500 BC: Around this time, the ancient Egyptians began to build wooden
boats that were able to withstand sailing across oceans.
1550 BC: Around this time until about 300 BC, the Phoenicians of the
ancient Canaan civilization (the area that is now Syria and Lebanon),
used something called a galley. The galley was a sailing vessel that was
powered by man and was used to both fight and trade with neighbors.
1000 AD: The Vikings started to build longboats. These were larger
ships that had sails and up to sixty men whose job it was to row the
ship. The boats were large but were narrow and long, allowed them to
travel along rivers as well as the open sea.
1100 AD: The Chinese began to use boats that they called junks. Junks
were boats that featured a rudder for steering in addition to watertight
compartments and battens located on the sails that served to make them
much stronger. The Chinese junks were used as transport and fighting
ships, and were in use long before western ships that included such
features.
1450: Starting around 1450 and for several centuries, wooden ships with
three or four masts were in use by several different countries. These
masted sailing ships were used as trade vessels, by explorers, to
transport cargo, and as battleships.
1800s: Clipper ships were built in the 1800s and were fast sailing ships,
that featured tall masts, and slim, long hulls.
1818: The Black Ball Line was a shipping company that began offering
passenger service from the United States to England.
1819: The first ships that were built using steam power began to cross
the Atlantic Ocean. Steamships used a combination of wind and steam
power to move.
1845: It was in the mid-1800s that the first ocean liners built from iron
began to appear. The ocean going liners were also driven by a propeller
instead of sails like many earlier ships.
1880: River boats that were driven by steam were called stern wheelers.
Other similar boats featured paddle wheels on each side and were called
paddle steamers. Paddle steamers were mainly used for transport on
rivers.
1990: The 1990s saw the rise of passenger cruise ships that were used to
take people on holidays. Cruise ships featured shops, restaurants, and
other types of recreation.
FUNCTION OF SHIPS
A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other
sufficiently deep waterways, carrying goods or passengers, or in support of
specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are
generally distinguished from boats, based on size, shape, load capacity, and
tradition. In the Age of Sail a "ship" was a sailing vessel defined by its sail
plan of at least three square rigged masts and a full bowsprit.
Ships have supported exploration, trade, warfare, migration, colonization,
and science. After the 15th century, new crops that had come from and to the
Americas via the European seafarers significantly contributed to the world
population growth. Ship transport is responsible for the largest portion of
world commerce. Did you know that the international shipping industry is
accountable for transporting 90% of world trade?
The shipping industry is one of our oldest industries and still plays an
important role in our modern society. Today, over 55 000 cargo ships are
active in international trade. The fleet is represented in over 150 countries,
crewed with over 1.5 million sailors working around the world. The different
types of cargo being transported are goods for consumers, food, raw material,
cars and fuel, just to name a few.
It is not every day that the greatness of the ships/shipping industry comes
to mind. To give you a better understanding for the importance of shipping in
the transportation industry, we want to highlight eight interesting facts:
Transport:
The oldest purpose of maritime transport was to carry people from one
place to the other. People can travel around the globe through ships with
minimal risks. Back in the day, the transport through the ship was not
convenient because it took a long time to reach the destination. But now
cruise ships and ocean liners can travel fast reaching the speeds up to 45 mph.
The countries with warm waters can conduct trade via maritime transport all
year long without any constraints of weather. Those who do not have warm
waters engage with other countries for access to maritime routes to continue
their trade uninterruptedly.
The trading via maritime transport can reduce the overall cost of the business
as it is the cheaper medium. In addition to that, the freight forwarders also
carry shipments of the different business groups together to save cost.
Employment:
The ship itself has a complex mechanism with a lot of equipment that requires
professionals to operate. For example, there are many valves attached to
different parts of a ship that are always at a risk of leaking. Workers are
required to operate these valves efficiently. However, procuring from
a reputed globe valve supplier can save you from this inconvenience.
Tourism:
Traveling via ships has evolved over time. It has converted from being a
necessity to luxury with the introduction of modern ship designs and latest
facilities. People can now encircle the globe conveniently on cruise ships and
ferrys. These ships have all the perks of an ideal medium for tourism
transportation. You can watch TV, have drinks, listen to music, dance and do
so much more on a cruise ship.
Maritime transport is also a great medium for tourism and can play a pivotal
role in the development of an economy. Different countries around the globe
are generating great amounts of revenue from tourism via maritime transport.
Due to the importance of maritime transport, tourism through it can be
considered a sustainable source of income.
The countries that utilize the maritime tourism not only generate revenue but
also present their positive image globally.
International Relations:
The landlocked countries develop relations with their neighbors to get access
to maritime routes. This way, both the countries get something positive out of
the deal, and goodwill is created between the two countries.