<h2 style="text-align: left">Container Types &amp; Shipping Terms</h2>
Global Sea Freight Services involve many different types of cargo ships moving all types of freight around the world. The majority of general freight ships are container ships that securely store 20’standard containers. These are stacked on top of each other in ship cell guides. On the other hand, 40’ standard containers are generally stacked on the top deck and locked into deck container guides.

Refrigerated containers are known in the industry as reefers. They are normally stacked together close to the power outlets. The common term in the shipping industry regarding containers is TEU which means a twenty-foot equivalent unit, 2TEU means the container is 40 feet in length.

These days the biggest container ships in the world can carry in excess of 20,000 TEU. The normal practice when wanting to book import or export goods via sea freight shipping is to engage an industry-certified freight forwarder. Consequently the freight forwarder handles everything from booking your shipment to the preparation of the bill of lading, and other shipping documentation. Custom agents also need to be engaged in order to clear the goods being shipped from port to port, prepare fumigation certificates, and attend to other customs-related matters.

Small shipments that do not make up a full container are loaded together with other small shipments to make up a full container. These small shipments are referred to as consolidated freight. Another term for this type of shipment is LCL, less than container load. FCL means full container load whereby you use the full container space. Breakbulk freight means over-dimensional freight which is outside of the standard container space.
<h2 style="text-align: left">Shipping Services
</h2>
Similarly, smaller vessels around the world are vital to the shipping network are commonly known as feeder vessels. Many countries allow domestic freight to be picked up from one port within their country and discharge the goods at another port of the same country. This is known as <a href="https://www.worldfreightdirect.com/category/sea-freight-services/suppliers/coastal-shipping-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coastal shipping</a> or cabotage.

Roll on Roll off vessels are known in the industry as RO–RO vessels. They are designed to carry freight trucks, new industrial trucks, tractors, and cars. The benefit of RO-RO vessels is that they simply are driven on and off the vessel from lower decks.

<a href="https://www.worldfreightdirect.com/category/sea-freight-services/suppliers/ferry-barge-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ferry services </a>are a major player and versatile in sea freight depending on their configuration and sailing routes. Some ferries carry passengers, cars, and motorbikes. Other types of Ferries stow vehicles on the lower decks and containers on the top decks.

Barges are also common vessels that normally deliver freight of all kinds into small coastal communities and islands which don’t have standard dock facilities. Barges are also used in areas of large tidal drafts whereby the barge can rest in low water and mud.

Bulk ships are ships that normally work within mining industries. These ships carry various bulk commodities in the dedicated hole of a ship. As a result of this, Supertanker and LNG ships are very important vessels that carry vital fuels, oils, and natural liquefied gas.

Sea Freight Services

Trading on over 30 years of transportation experience, Quay Cargo Services offered indigenous manufacturers and producers connections to European markets with bespoke market-led and multimodal transport solutions. 

Quay Cargo

Aliança Navegação e Logística is a Brazilian leader in maritime transport, specializing in domestic cabotage and multimodal logistics. They provide efficient container shipping and door-to-door services that connect major ports across the country with road and rail networks. As part of the Maersk group, they offer advanced supply chain solutions with a strong focus on sustainability and temperature-controlled cargo.

Aliança Navegação e Logística

Vedettes de l'Odet primarily focuses on passenger ferry services and river barge excursions throughout the South Finistère region. The company operates a frequent seasonal ferry network connecting the mainland to the Glénan Islands and runs technical river barge tours along the Odet, providing essential waterborne transport and guided maritime experiences.


Vedettes de l'Odet

Stena Line is a prominent Swedish shipping company and one of the world's largest ferry operators, providing essential maritime transport across Northern Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia. The company specializes in comprehensive passenger travel and vehicle transport, alongside extensive roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) freight services that integrate sea, road, and rail logistics

Stena Line Limited

StraitNZ is a leading integrated transport group in New Zealand that provides seamless sea and land logistics solutions across the North and South Islands. The company specializes in Cook Strait ferry services and nationwide freight linehaul, serving as a vital infrastructure partner for the country’s commercial and consumer supply chains.

StraitNZ

ANEK Lines is a historic Greek shipping company that provides essential maritime connections between mainland Greece, Crete, and Italy. They specialize in passenger ferry services and cabotage logistics, transporting a high volume of commercial trucks and private vehicles across the Aegean and Adriatic Seas. Now part of the Attica Group, they operate a modern fleet that serves as a vital infrastructure link for regional trade, tourism, and island connectivity.

ANEK Lines

Connecting the Bass Strait to mainland Australia , SeaRoad provides services to and from Devenport Tasmania and King Island. They have been serving the Bass Strait since the late 1800s with sea freight, road freight, specialized services including warehousing 

SeaRoad

2GO Sea Solutions provides domestic and nearshore shipping across the Philippine archipelago, moving cargo and selected project loads between key island ports. It combines scheduled liner services with container and ro-ro capability, supporting nationwide distribution. Shippers benefit from end-to-end logistics options, customer service, and trackable operations from origin to destination.

2GO Group, Inc.

Sical Logistics Ltd provides integrated infrastructure and coastal shipping solutions designed to offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional land-based transport in India. Their major services include the end-to-end movement of bulk and containerized cargo, port-to-port logistics, and seamless multimodal integration to support the country's coastal trade network.

Sical Logistics Ltd.

Baleària is a leading Spanish shipping company that provides essential maritime connections between mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands, the Strait of Gibraltar, and North Africa. They specialize in passenger ferry services and cabotage logistics, operating a diverse fleet of high-speed and engine-efficient vessels for transporting people and freight. 


Baleària

Corsica Linea provides vital maritime links between Marseille and the ports of Corsica, Sardinia, and North Africa. They specialize in passenger ferry services and cabotage logistics, ensuring the year-round transport of essential goods and commercial vehicles. Committed to environmental protection, they utilize eco-friendly technologies like LNG-powered vessels to promote sustainable maritime travel in the Mediterranean.

Corsica Linea

For over 40 years Transcamion has been providing ferry services to routes right across Europe. Covering over 1300 ferry routes with over 150 ferry operators 

Transcamion

Navimag provides essential maritime connectivity through the fjords and channels of southern Patagonia. They specialize in cabotage and ferry services, transporting passengers, vehicles, and heavy freight between Puerto Montt, Puerto Natales, and the Carretera Austral. Their operations serve as a vital "maritime bridge" for regional trade and tourism, offering a sustainable alternative to road transport in remote areas.

Navimag Ferries

Tirrenia is a major Italian shipping company that provides essential maritime links between mainland Italy and the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. They specialize in both passenger ferry services and cabotage logistics, transporting a high volume of commercial vehicles and private cars year-round. As part of the Onorato Armatori group, they offer frequent, reliable connections that serve as a vital "maritime highway" for regional trade and Mediterranean tourism.

Tirrenia Compagnia Italiana Navigazione

Coral Sea Ferry Service is a key maritime operator providing essential high-speed and conventional ferry services between Central and the outlying islands of Lamma and Peng Chau. In addition to daily commuter transport, the company offers specialized vessel chartering for corporate events and government agencies throughout Hong Kong's waters.

Coral Sea Ferry Service

Norled provides essential maritime connectivity through an extensive network of ferries and express boats along the country’s coast. They are a global pioneer in sustainable transport, operating several of the world’s first electric and hydrogen-powered vessels to provide eco-friendly cabotage services. Their operations serve as a vital "maritime bridge" for local communities and tourists, facilitating the daily transport of passengers, vehicles, and commercial freight.

Norled

Blue Bridge Freight

Hong Kong &amp; Kowloon Ferry Ltd (HKKF)

Torghatten AS

Pentland Ferries

Red Funnel Ferries

Belaire Ferries

Tokyo Kyushu Ferry Co., Ltd.

SeaLink NZ

Shin Nihonkai Ferry Co., Ltd.

VIMC Shipping Company

CMB.TECH

Eastland Port

Queenstown Ferries

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line)

Norsul

TurboJET (Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited)

Seajets

Marine Atlantic

Minoan Lines

Island Direct

Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV)

Hellenic Seaways

VINAFCO (Vinafco Shipping JSC)

Eimskip

Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc. (MSLI)

La Méridionale

Explore Group New Zealand

Stewart Island Experience (RealNZ)

CLdN

Sealink

Hidrovias do Brasil (HBSA)

Attica Group

CroisiEurope

Northumberland Ferries Limited (Bay Ferries)

MOL Sunflower Ltd.

Trasmed

CTMA

Medmar Navi SpA

Interislander (KiwiRail)

DFDS Seaways PLC

Owen Sound Transportation Company

East By West Freight

Bass Island Line

Penn Ar Bed

Salamis Lines

Batobus Paris

Condor Ferries Limited

Hauraki Express

Fullers360

Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab (DFDS)

Seaspan Ferries

Abel Tasman AquaTaxi

La Société des traversiers du Québec

Fjord Line

TSF Ferries

East Coast Ferries Ltd.

Inter Island Freight

East By West Ferries

Liberty Lines

Brittany Ferries

Grimaldi Lines

KMTC (Japan) Co., Ltd.

Magnetic Island Transport

Fred. Olsen Express

Hurtigruten

Isles of Scilly Travel

Spirit of Tasmania Freight

Chu Kong Passenger Transport Co., Ltd

Logistec Corporation

BC Ferries

Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd (CSC)

Kawau Cruises

S J Logistics (India) Limited

Trans-Asia Shipping Lines, Inc. (TASLI)

Black Cat Cruises (Diamond Harbour Ferry)

Wightlink Ferries

Sun Ferry Services Company Limited

Starlite Ferries, Inc. (SFI)

Coastal Tug &amp; Barge

Desgagnés Logistik Valport

Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries

ForSea Ferries

Taiwan Navigation Co., Ltd. (TNC)

Ferries and barges operate in a wide range of sizes and configurations to suit diverse transport needs.
Ocean-going ferries: are designed to carry passengers, vehicles, and varied freight across coastal and international routes.
Barges: typically flat-bottomed, are especially suited to inland waterways, shallow harbours, and remote locations with limited port infrastructure.
Tidal adaptability: These vessels are highly adaptable and can operate in regions with strong tidal movements, where barges may safely rest on tidal flats at low tide and refloat naturally as water levels rise.
Serving remote communities: Barges also deliver freight into small coastal communities and islands that lack standard dock facilities, making them essential in areas larger vessels cannot reach.
Configuration flexibility: Depending on their build, ferries can carry passengers, cars, and motorbikes, or be configured to stow vehicles below deck with freight containers above — suiting a wide range of route types.

<h4>Ferry Barge Services</h4>
Ferries barge services operate in a wide range of sizes and configurations to suit diverse transport needs.
Ocean-going ferries: are designed to carry passengers, vehicles, and varied freight across coastal and international routes.
Barges: typically flat-bottomed, are especially suited to inland waterways, shallow harbours, and remote locations with limited port infrastructure.
Tidal adaptability: These vessels are highly adaptable and can operate in regions with strong tidal movements, where barges may safely rest on tidal flats at low tide and refloat naturally as water levels rise.
Serving remote communities: Ferry Barge Services also deliver freight into small coastal communities and islands that lack standard dock facilities, making them essential in areas larger vessels cannot reach.
Configuration flexibility: Depending on their build, ferries can carry passengers, cars, and motorbikes, or be configured to stow vehicles below deck with freight containers above — suiting a wide range of route types.
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Ferry - Barge Services

Ferry - Barge Services

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