Increase in amount of shipping.

[PhilipF]

When the news story was running about the three Yachters drowned due to a suspected heavy shipping knocking out their boat. The "Times" ran a side item regarding a said increase in the number of vessels running up and down the English Channel - said to have doubled over the past ten years.

Can this be right? I had the impression that over the past five decades or so the amount of commercial shipping using the high seas had dramatically reduced: Almost no Coasters nowadays - and just think of how many once great Shipping Lines has closed down in this period.

Whats the general view of those who know about these things?

Philip.

 

[Dyflin]

Not too sure where you live Philip, but from what I see and read, coaster traffic is as big business as ever. I think maybe you're confusing the decline of the British merchant fleet with a worldwide decline. Completely the opposite, ships are getting bigger and bigger and demand is ever increasing. It's just the overheads that have been slashed and so not as many British lads at sea now. It's not the career it once was...

 

[geoff93]

I agree with dyflin

 

[Dyflin]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with dyflin

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you, you're too kind /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mirelle]

Volume of cargo increases by 2-3% per year over the long run, but during booms like the past three years it increases to the point where any serviceable ship is running flat out (and freight rates become rather good, in consequence....)

Size of ships has increased enormously - no change in tanker sizes in the past 30 years but in bulk carriers Capesizes are now commonplace and first line container ships have increased in size to 11,000 TEU from 3,000 and in numbers from a few dozen to several hundred.