Types of ships
vessels, fishing boats, pleasure craft and
Ships are difficult to classify, mainly
because there are so many criteria to
base classification on. One classification
is based on propulsion; with ships
categorised as either a sailing ship or a
motorship. Sailing ships are ships which
are propelled solely by means of sails.
Motorships are ships which are
propelled by mechanical means to propel
itself. Motorships include ships that
propel itself through the use of both sail
and mechanical means.
Other classification systems exist that
use criteria such as:
• The number of hulls, giving
categories like monohull,
catamaran, trimaran.
• The shape and size, giving
categories like dinghy, keelboat,
and icebreaker.
• The building materials used,
giving steel, aluminum, wood,
fiberglass, and plastic.
• The type of propulsion system
used, giving human-propelled,
mechanical, and sails.
• The epoch in which the vessel
was used, triremes of Ancient
Greece, man' o' wars, eighteenth
century.
• The geographic origin of the
vessel, many vessels are
associated with a particular
region, such as the pinnace of
Northern Europe, the gondolas of
Venice, and the junks of China.
• The manufacturer, series, or
class.
Another way to categorize ships and
boats is based on their use, as described
by Paulet and Presles.[29] This system
includes military ships, commercial
competitive boats. In this section, ships
are classified using the first four of those
categories, and adding a section for lake
and river boats, and one for vessels
which fall outside these categories.
Commercial vessels
Commercial vessels or merchant ships
can be divided into three broad
categories: cargo ships, passenger ships,
and special-purpose ships.[30] Cargo ships
transport dry and liquid cargo. Dry cargo
can be transported in bulk by bulk
carriers, packed directly onto a general
cargo ship in break-bulk, packed in
intermodal containers as aboard a
container ship, or driven aboard as in
roll-on roll-off ships. Liquid cargo is
generally carried in bulk aboard tankers,
such as oil tankers, chemical tankers and
LNG tankers.
Passenger ships range in size from small
river ferries to giant cruise ships. This
type of vessel includes ferries, which
move passengers and vehicles on short
trips; ocean liners, which carry
passengers on one-way trips; and cruise
ships, which typically transport
passengers on round-trip voyages
promoting leisure activities onboard and
in the ports they visit.
Special-purpose vessels are not used for
transport but are designed to perform
other specific tasks. Examples include
tugboats, pilot boats, rescue boats, cable
ships, research vessels, survey vessels,
and ice breakers.
Most commercial vessels have full hull-
forms to maximize cargo capacity.[citation
needed]
Hulls are usually made of steel,
although aluminum can be used on faster
craft, and fiberglass on the smallest
service vessels.[citation needed] Commercial
vessels generally have a crew headed by
a captain, with deck officers and marine
engineers on larger vessels. Special-
purpose vessels often have specialized
crew if necessary, for example scientists
aboard research vessels. Commercial
vessels are typically powered by a single
propeller driven by a diesel engine.[citation
needed]
Vessels which operate at the higher
end of the speed spectrum may use
pump-jet engines or sometimes gas
turbine engines.[citation needed]
Two The
A pilot
modern research
boat near
container A ferry in the port vessel
ships in Hong of
Pourquoi
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Rotterda
Francisco Brest,
m
France
Military vessels
There are many types of naval vessels
currently and through history. Modern
naval vessels can be broken down into
three categories: warships, submarines,
and support and auxiliary vessels.
Modern warships are generally divided
into seven main categories, which are:
aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers,
frigates, corvettes, submarines and
amphibious assault ships. Battleships
encompass an eighth category, but are
not in current service with any navy in
the world.[31]
Most military submarines are either
attack submarines or ballistic missile
submarines. Until World War II , the
primary role of the diesel/electric
submarine was anti-ship warfare,
inserting and removing covert agents
and military forces, and intelligence-
gathering. With the development of the
homing torpedo, better sonar systems,
and nuclear propulsion, submarines also
became able to effectively hunt each
other. The development of submarine-
launched nuclear missiles and
submarine-launched cruise missiles gave
submarines a substantial and long-
ranged ability to attack both land and sea
targets with a variety of weapons
ranging from cluster bombs to nuclear
weapons.
Most navies also include many types of
support and auxiliary vessels, such as
minesweepers, patrol boats, offshore
patrol vessels, replenishment ships, and
hospital ships which are designated
medical treatment facilities.[32]
Combat vessels like cruisers and
destroyers usually have fine hulls to
maximize speed and maneuverability.[33]
They also usually have advanced
electronics and communication systems,
as well as weapons.
American
aircraft American
carrier Harry battleship French
S. Truman USS Iowa landing craft
and a fires an Rapière near
replenishmen artillery Toulon
t ship salvo
Fishing vessels
Main article: Fishing vessels
Fishing vessels are a subset of
commercial vessels, but generally small
in size and often subject to different
regulations and classification. They can
be categorized by several criteria:
architecture, the type of fish they catch,
the fishing method used, geographical
origin, and technical features such as
rigging. As of 2004, the world's fishing
fleet consisted of some 4 million
vessels.[26] Of these, 1.3 million were
decked vessels with enclosed areas and
the rest were open vessels.[26] Most
decked vessels were mechanized, but
two-thirds of the open vessels were
traditional craft propelled by sails and
oars.[26] More than 60% of all existing
large fishing vessels[34] were built in
Japan, Peru, the Russian Federation,
Spain or the United States of America.[35]
Fishing boats are generally small, often
little more than 30 metres (98 ft) but up
to 100 metres (330 ft) for a large tuna or
whaling ship. Aboard a fish processing
vessel, the catch can be made ready for
market and sold more quickly once the
ship makes port. Special purpose vessels
have special gear. For example, trawlers
have winches and arms, stern-trawlers
have a rear ramp, and tuna seiners have
skiffs.
In 2004, 85.8 million metric tons of fish
were caught in the marine capture
fishery.[36] Anchoveta represented the
largest single catch at 10.7 million
metric tons.[36] That year, the top ten
marine capture species also included
Alaska pollock, Blue whiting, Skipjack
tuna, Atlantic herring, Chub mackerel,
Japanese anchovy, Chilean jack
mackerel, Largehead hairtail, and
Yellowfin tuna.[36] Other species
including salmon, shrimp, lobster,
clams, squid and crab, are also
commercially fished.
Modern commercial fishermen use many
methods. One is fishing by nets, such as
purse seine, beach seine, lift nets,
gillnets, or entangling nets. Another is
trawling, including bottom trawl. Hooks
and lines are used in methods like long-
line fishing and hand-line fishing).
Another method is the use of fishing
trap.
The
Albatun
Fishing
An oyster Dos, a
boat in A trawler
boat at La tuna boat
Cap- at Saint- Trinité- at work
Haïtien, Nazaire
sur-Mer near
Haïti Victoria,
Seychelle
s
Inland and coastal boats
Many types of boats and ships are
designed for inland and coastal
waterways. These are the vessels that
trade upon the lakes, rivers and canals.
Barges are a prime example of inland
vessels. Flat-bottomed boats built to
transport heavy goods, most barges are
not self-propelled and need to be moved
by tugboats towing or towboats pushing
them. Barges towed along canals by
draft animals on an adjacent towpath
contended with the railway in the early
industrial revolution but were out
competed in the carriage of high value
items due to the higher speed, falling
costs, and route flexibility of rail
transport.
Riverboats and inland ferries are
specially designed to carry passengers,
cargo, or both in the challenging river
environment. Rivers present special
hazards to vessels. They usually have
varying water flows that alternately lead
to high speed water flows or protruding
rock hazards. Changing siltation patterns
may cause the sudden appearance of
shoal waters, and often floating or
sunken logs and trees (called snags) can
endanger the hulls and propulsion of
riverboats. Riverboats are generally of
shallow draft, being broad of beam and
rather square in plan, with a low
freeboard and high topsides. Riverboats
can survive with this type of
configuration as they do not have to
withstand the high winds or large waves
that are seen on large lakes, seas, or
oceans.
Lake freighters, also called lakers, are
cargo vessels that ply the Great Lakes.
The most well-known is the SS Edmund
Fitzgerald, the latest major vessel to be
wrecked on the Lakes. These vessels are
traditionally called boats, not ships.
Visiting ocean-going vessels are called
"salties." Due to their additional beam,
very large salties are never seen inland
of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Because
the largest of the Soo Locks is larger
than any Seaway lock, salties that can
pass through the Seaway may travel
anywhere in the Great Lakes. Because of
their deeper draft, salties may accept
partial loads on the Great Lakes,
"topping off" when they have exited the
Seaway. Similarly, the largest lakers are
confined to the Upper Lakes (Superior,
Michigan, Huron, Erie) because they are
too large to use the Seaway locks,
beginning at the Welland Canal that
bypasses the Niagara River.
Since the freshwater lakes are less
corrosive to ships than the salt water of
the oceans, lakers tend to last much
longer than ocean freighters. Lakers
older than 50 years are not unusual, and
as of 2005, all were over 20 years of
age.[37]
The St. Mary's Challenger, built in 1906
as the William P Snyder, is the oldest
laker still working on the Lakes.
Similarly, the E.M. Ford, built in 1898 as
the Presque Isle, was sailing the lakes
98 years later in 1996. As of 2007 the
Ford was still afloat as a stationary
transfer vessel at a riverside cement silo
in Saginaw, Michigan.
The lake
Riverboat
Riverboat freighter
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Temptatio SS Edmu
on the r boat on
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Other
The wide variety of vessels at work on
the earth's waters defy a simple
classification scheme. A representative
few that fail to fit into the above
categories include:
 • Historical boats, frequently used
as museum ships, training ships,
or as good-will ambassadors of a
country abroad.
• Houseboats, floating structures
used as dwellings.
• Scientific, technical, and
industrial vessels such as mobile
offshore drilling units, offshore
wind farms, survey ships, and
research vessels.
• Submarines, for underwater
navigation and exploration
A vessels, there are fundamental safety
A mobile bathyscap
The A offshore he at the
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Dar
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Pomorza Monaco
Department of Natural
Resources Policy -
Safe Vessel Operation Policy
Policy Number: 95:07
Effective Date: January 1, 1996
(Reviewed: May 2003)
See signed policy - Adobe Acrobat
file
I. Purpose
It is the intent of this policy to identify
safe boating operational procedures
and equipment requirements for the
protection of Department employees
who utilize vessels during their work
assignments.
A. The safe operation of vessels by
Department personnel is of utmost
importance given the great number of
employees who use vessels during
their work assignments.
B. Proper safety equipment and
training are of critical importance to
safe vessel operations.
C. While there are many different uses
of vessels within the Department and
many different work tasks being
performed while personnel are on
requirements which must be
understood and adhered to by
Department employees.
D. It is important that the Department
provide a good example for the safe
operation of its vessels.
II. Policy
It is the policy of the Department of
Natural Resources that:
A. Personal Flotation Devices (PFD’s)
1. Department vessels shall be
equipped with and/or carry
United States Coast Guard
(USCG) or Department
approved PFD’s in the number
required by the USCG including
life rafts or launchable lifeboats.
2. Employees and others shall
wear a USCG approved Type I,
II, III or V or Department
approved inflatable PFD while
on deck, outside of an enclosed
cabin and/or while
operating/working aboard an
open vessel.
B. Anti-exposure Coveralls
1. Department units shall provide
sufficient quantities of anti-
exposure coveralls for use by
employees during certain water
and air temperatures as
identified below.
2. Employees may wear USCG or
Department approved anti-
exposure coveralls when the
water temperature is less than
59° fahrenheit unless the air
temperature is sufficient that
wearing the coveralls would be
impractical or unsafe.
Supervisory personnel shall use
their discretion to determine
when cold weather conditions
would require the wearing of
anti-exposure coveralls.
C. Safety Equipment
1. A lanyard type kill-switch shall
be installed on vessels
whenever it is feasible.
Operators of such vessels shall
utilize the kill-switch device
when the nature of work
permits and most particularly
when operating the vessel at
high speeds.
2. Permanently mounted steps or
a boarding ladder is
recommended for vessels,
particularly those 30 feet or
less in length, to enable an
operator or crew to self-rescue
in an overboard situation.
3. Fire extinguishers or fire
suppressant systems shall be
installed or provided for
Department vessels in
accordance with USCG
requirements or
recommendations.
4. Appropriate communications
equipment should be provided
to Department vessels.
5. Other safety equipment as
required by State and federal
laws and regulations shall be
provided for the safe operation
of Department vessels.
D. Boating Safety Courses Training
1. Non-USCG licensed employees
who operate any Department
vessel must successfully
complete a boating safety
course or pass an equivalency
exam.
2. In addition, employees who
operate Department vessels
shall receive training in survival
procedures and use of safety
equipment including PFD’s,
anti-exposure coveralls, fire
fighting, basic first aid and
radio operations. Training logs
shall be maintained by
supervisors.
E. Cold Weather Operations
1. When the water temperature is
less than 59° fahrenheit, more
than one employee should be
aboard during the operation of
a vessel; however, it is
recognized that there are
emergencies and other
circumstances when an
employee must operate a
vessel without a mate.
III. Procedures
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES
PROCEDURES FOR SAFE
VESSEL OPERATION
A Task force of Department
employees with experience and
responsibility
for working on the water,
operating vessels and risk
management, developed
the following procedures for safe
vessel operation.
A. Personal Flotation Devices
(PFD)
It is critical that all DNR personnel
wear a United States Coast Guard
(USCG) approved PFD or one of the
various inflatable PFD’s while working
on or aboard vessels. The USCG
ratings for PFD’s are well understood
and such PFD’s are easily obtained.
With respect to the inflatable PFD’s,
some types are not USCG approved
(the USCG has not yet approved them)
but many DNR personnel have been
wearing them with satisfactory results.
Examples are the Stearns “hip
huggers” or S.O.S. – PAK (Stearns
Overboard Survivor-PAP) that are worn
on a belt and inflate automatically
upon immersion or can be activated by
lanyard. These devices are designed to
be worn and inflate in front of the
person. Another example is the
SUSPENDERS, which is a vest-like
apparel similar in appearance to
suspenders. Both models are CO²
activated either manually or
automatically and with an oral inflate
back up. Both of these PFD’s are very
appropriate when personnel are doing
physical work on vessels.
Every DNR vessel should be equipped
with the appropriate number of PFD’s
in accordance with the number of
personnel who would be aboard the
vessel while underway.
B. Anti-Exposure Coveralls
Anti-exposure coveralls are similar to
jump suits; and when worn can be
USCG approved PFD’s depending on
type and manufacturer. They reduce
exposure to the elements and will
delay effects of hypothermia when one
is overboard. They are not immersion
suits (gumby suits) which are designed
for intentional, abandon ship situations
in cold water and provide hypothermia
protection for a longer period of time.
Anti-exposure suits should be worn
when the water temperature is less
than 59° Fahrenheit. Since these are
work suits, there will be times when
the air temperature is such that
wearing these coveralls will become
very uncomfortable (and even unsafe),
especially when personnel are engaged
in extreme physical exertion. Some
discretion is recommended on the part
of supervisors under those conditions.
It is not recommended that anti-
exposure coveralls be acquired for
every person who would ever use or
be onboard a DNR vessel. Rather, each
unit should obtain enough suits to
assure that when vessels are utilized
within the described water
temperature parameter, all personnel
aboard a vessel can be provided with
one to wear.
There are two manufacturers: Stearns
and Mustang. The Department
currently utilizes both. Catalogs and
price lists are available. In addition,
there may be available surplus suits,
which while not Coast Guard approved,
may be suitable.
C. Safety Equipment
It is realized that many DNR vessels
were not equipped with kill-switches or
boarding ladders when purchased;
and, that to retrofit them may not be
possible or may be too costly. The
Department should thoroughly review
its boat fleet with a goal toward
retrofitting for kill-switches and
ladders. Other USCG required fire and
safety equipment should be provided
to Department vessels.
The issue of communication equipment
is also important. Not all vessels need
a marine radio or a cellular telephone.
The necessity of such equipment
depends on vessel use. There have
been several suggestions that cellular
telephones are not efficient and
practical. We are well aware of the
sensitive nature of this issue, and it is
recommended that each unit evaluate
the need for marine radios or cellular
telephones to be made available to
vessel operators particularly during
foul weather, cold weather or isolated
conditions.
foul weather conditions, DNR
personnel should not be alone in
vessels. Where this cannot be avoided,
the other safety items we recommend
are all the more critical in importance.

D. Boating Safety Courses and

Training

The Natural Resources Police

administers the DNR safe boating
course and under the law issues the
Boater Education Certificate. All DNR
personnel operating vessels who have
not passed the DNR course or received
a certification should receive and pass
the DNR course or an equivalent one
offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary or
the Power Squadron.

All units with vessels should work

together to offer a standardized
training program that covers PFD’s,
man overboard drills, anti-exposure
coveralls, firefighting, CPR, basic first
aid and radio operations. The Task
Force will work with the various units
and provide recommendations
regarding such training.

E. Cold Weather Operations

By necessity, there are DNR personnel

who often work alone on the water.
When possible and certainly in cold or

ANTIQUE SHIPYARD ADVERTISING DRAWING

Ca 1900
PRESENTED is an original shipyard drawing by an unknown draftsman, artist of a small stack
steam ship. The drawing is a rare piece of shipyard advertising art and was used to show
prospective owners what the yard was capable of doing. In this case, based on the piping and
valves shown on the deck view of the drawing, this vessel was a rigged for carrying liquid cargo,
maybe fuel oil. After the plan type drawing was complete water colors were washed over certain
areas to high light them. The colors range from orange to a dark blue with brown highlights.
 Forward section of vessel. Note pipes and
After sections of vessel
valves

Pilot house and engine detail Bow section and tanks