Cargo Transport

Water cargo transportation — tasks for shipowners, operators and freight forwarders

Water cargo transportation is the carriage of goods by sea, river and mixed routes using vessels of various types: general cargo ships, tankers, container ships, bulk carriers, barges, tugs, ferries and specialised vessels. Water transportation remains the most economical way to move large cargo volumes over long distances. The safety of cargo, cost of carriage and company reputation depend on the correct choice of vessel, route, documents and compliance with deadlines. The Steel Water task board publishes tasks for all types of water transportation — from one-off cargo carriage to organising regular lines and multimodal schemes.

Tasks are posted by cargo owners, freight forwarders, trading companies, industrial enterprises, shipping companies, fleet operators, agents and brokers. Contractors are shipowners, vessel operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders, agents, brokers, logistics companies and individual specialists with experience in sea and river carriage.

Types of water transportation on the task board

• Sea carriage of general cargo — equipment, machinery, metal, packaged piece goods
• Carriage of bulk and dry bulk cargo — coal, ore, grain, fertilisers, construction materials
• Carriage of liquid cargo — oil, petroleum products, chemical cargoes, liquefied gases, edible oils
• Container carriage — standard, reefer, tank containers, out-of-gauge
• Carriage of oversized and heavy cargo — project cargo, equipment, modules
• River carriage — inland waterways, river barges, river-sea mixed
• Towing of barges and floating craft — towing of non-self-propelled vessels, pontoons, cranes
• Ferry carriage — cars, wagons, passengers, Ro-Ro cargo
• Carriage of dangerous goods — IMDG, ADN, dangerous goods of all classes
• Reefer cargo carriage — food, medicines, temperature-controlled cargo
• Multimodal carriage — sea + rail + road
• Regular lines and one-off voyages — liner shipping, tramp shipping, charter

What to specify in a cargo transportation task

• Cargo — type, name, weight, volume, dimensions, number of packages, hazard
• Route — port of loading, port of discharge, intermediate points, direction
• Timeline — cargo readiness date, desired delivery date, urgency
• Vessel type — general cargo, tanker, container ship, bulk carrier, barge, ferry, reefer
• Documents — invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificates, permits
• Carriage conditions — temperature regime, ventilation, securing, insurance
• Requirements for carrier — licences, certificates, experience carrying similar cargo, fleet availability
• Special conditions — dangerous goods, oversized, reefer, customs procedures
• Report format — bill of lading, acts, delivery documents, photo recording
• Budget — estimated cost, payment terms, cargo insurance

What matters for shipowners, operators and freight forwarders

When responding to a task, specify: availability of fleet of suitable type and tonnage, experience carrying similar cargo and routes, valid licences and certificates (ISM, ISPS, MARPOL, IMDG), availability of permits for dangerous goods carriage, experience with ports, customs and agents, readiness to work within the specified timeline and route, ability to organise multimodal carriage and transhipment, experience insuring cargo and working with P&I clubs, as well as readiness to produce all necessary documents. If the cargo requires special conditions — specify experience carrying reefer, oversized or dangerous cargo.

Documents and safety

Water cargo transportation is performed in accordance with the requirements of international conventions (SOLAS, MARPOL, IMDG, ADN, MLC), dangerous goods carriage rules, customs legislation and classification society requirements. During loading, securing, carriage and discharge, safety requirements are observed: work permit, personal protective equipment, cargo securing control, compliance with temperature regimes, gas-air environment control for dangerous goods. Bills of lading, acts, certificates, delivery documents and photo recording are mandatory elements of the report. If you have experience with such standards — mention it in your response.

Post water cargo transportation tasks for free — find a shipowner, operator or freight forwarder in the required region. Or respond if you have fleet, experience and readiness to perform the carriage. All active tasks — in the Water Cargo Transportation section.

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