6.2.4 Water
Ships are the primary mode of international transportation for bulk commodities, general cargo and containers because of the low per-unit cost structure of transportation and their ability to carry almost any type of product. They suffer from several limitations, however, such as slow speed, an inability to offer door-to-door service and, at times, unreliable delivery schedules.
Ships can be broadly categorised under coastal and foreign going fleets. The main costs for ship operators are harbour and dock dues, and terminal handling costs, which include the costs for loading and discharging of the goods. The cost of transportation reduces significantly with distance and size of shipment.