Containers Ships are fast, faster than 99.9% of the tankers (Oil tankers, VLCC etc) and Tanker ships are slow – hell slow in front of Large Containers vessels but why? Let’s find out.
What are Container Ships – Container ships are maritime vessels that carry cargo containers, also known as intermodal containers. Sometimes you will hear them called ‘box ships’ because they carry boxes of cargo. Container vessels typically operate on a regularly scheduled set route, this type of shipping service is also known as Liner shipping.
These containers carry cargoes ranging from Machinery spares, Latest iPhones, Clothes from Different brands, Strawberries from one end of the world to other which are time sensitive cargoes. By this it means
Container ships are not exactly going to be best friends with Greta Thunberg any time soon, but they do carry enormous volumes of cargo. The costs are more affordable when compared to rail, road, or air freight and there are fewer maintenance expenses.
It’s still the best way to transport bulky goods – heavy items can be moved with ease as ships are suitable for carrying machinery and industrial parts, which are unacceptable for air freight.
What are Tankers/ Oil Tankers – Tankers carry tones of Oil that is not so time constrained. Tankers or tanker vessels are designed to carry liquid cargoes in bulk.
They are in almost any size and their size is measured in cargo carrying capacity and the unit is either cubic meter or metric tons (dwt). The majority of tanker vessels carry oil, crude oil etc.
All tankers have tanks, pumps, and pipes. Some tankers can carry many different grades of cargoes simultaneously and have several cargo tanks and a complicated pumping and piping system to facilitate a separate handling process for each type of cargoes, so cargoes are not contaminated.
Also Read Everything about Container Ships
Reasons Why Containers vessels are designed to Sail faster
1. Cargo Characteristics – Time constraint Cargo being shipped in Different containers by different sellers with subject to On time delivery promises.
- Firstly Container Ships carry containers and these Containers carry perishable cargo, and other freight that is time sensitive. There may be over a hundred owners of the different containers on one ship.
- Since these containers have different owners – different sellers and different receivers which means Most of them want their stuff as soon as possible.
- 20,000 Boxes of iPhone 14 Pro being shipped into a container from United states on August 2022 needs to reach India before September 2022, within a month before it’s launch date.
- Some spares being shipped into a container needs to reach the destination within 20 days because the person who needs that spare might be losing money because he needs those spares as early as possible.
- Some of the containers carry goods that won’t spoil, but are subject to delivery promises.
- Some containers may have refrigeration units with their own fuel tanks. Size of tank is a limiting factor on the number of hours refrigeration will keep the valuable contents. (some ships provide electrical connection for electric refrigeration units. In that case, fuel is being used to generate the electricity, which costs money).
- The cost of working capital. The owners of the high value cargoes (Expensive brands clothing, Lamborghini engines or Gold Bricks) that go in containers want to get their stuff into the store or factory as quickly as possible.
2. Size Difference – Containers are designed to carry large number of Containers which require bigger engines for propulsion
I remember from my training days when I was on My first ship, which was a huge 280 mtrs Container ship with 56
While Bulk carriers are slow because
Tankers or Bulk carriers carry goods that are not so time constrained. Sometimes they carry fruit, usually bananas, shipped very green, or grain, but not things that need to be refrigerated.
It tends to be one cargo for one customer, or one per hold. The time pressure is not as great. Cost per ton for transport can be more important. Slower vessels can be more fuel efficient. The bulker is moving raw materials that is part of a manufacturing supply chain, speed there is not of the essence, but cheap transport costs are.
Bulk carriers schlep relatively low value stuff – grain and ore mainly that are not worth the additional fuel that would be needed to deliver them faster.
Oil tanker / VLOCs are also slow because they transport tones of oil cargoes which are not time constrained
Do you know, Some Tankers are more faster than Container Ship? Find out here