Overview

Shipping is the means by which goods, and sometimes passengers, are transported by sea from one place to another. It is an important aspect of international trade, and forms the pivot of the country's commercial activities. Shipping involves efficient and economical movement of cargo from one part of the world to another, and includes operations such as chartering and booking of ships and cargo, and obtaining formal approvals for the movement of vessels.

Shipping is an important commercial activity; as the high costs and other limitations of air transport make it economically less viable for the transportation of a variety of cargo, particularly bulk goods. With the advent of containers, these bulk goods, as also other items, can be carried safely and economically.

Shipping professionals are therefore primarily involved in the country's export and import transactions. As goods to be shipped are also transported by road, rail or air before they reach a port, this chapter also includes freight forwarding, another activity carried out by shipping companies.