merchant navies
Commercial shipping forces
Merchant navies are the commercial shipping fleets of nations—the cargo ships, tankers, and passenger vessels that conduct trade, as distinct from naval warships.
The term is primarily British; Americans more often say merchant marine.
A country's merchant navy represents its civilian seafaring capacity: During wartime, the merchant navy transported essential supplies.
- freightersShips designed for hauling goods
- tankersShips transporting fluids
- tramp steamerCargo vessel for hire
- cargoTransported goods
- cargo holdVessel's storage area
vessels · shipping · sea lanes · container ship · privateering · logistics · flag of convenience · clipper ships · crews · able seaman · deck hands · crew management · war effort · sailors · stevedoring · shipyards · maritime law · maritime routes
merchant naviesnaval fleets
Military ship formations
warships · battle fleets · men-of-war · coast guards · armadas
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