Cargo vessel size classifications – what do they really mean

Cargo shipping is a low margin business model that requires vessels to be fully loaded in order to sustain profitable operations. When a ship is in the design phase it is almost always structured in a specific classification of naval architecture and … Continue reading →

Dromon

The most important warship of the Byzantine navy from the 5th to 12th centuries AD, dromon was highly agile and maneuverable but also dangerously equipped for battle. It had two banks of oars employing 200 rowers, in addition to a battering ram on the prow, and enough … Continue reading →

Turtle – America’s Revolutionary submarine

Submarines were first built by Dutch inventor Cornelius van Drebel in the early 17th century, but it was not until 150 years later that they were first used in naval combat.  David Bushnell, an American inventor, began building underwater mines … Continue reading →

Xebec (Chebec)

The xebec owes much of its design to the earlier galleys of the Mediterranean. The root of the name probably comes from an Arabic word for small ship, and is rendered into English in three forms: xebec, chebec, and zebec, though the … Continue reading →

Caravel

The caravel of the 15th and 16th centuries was a ship with a distinctive shape and admirable qualities. A gently sloping bow and single stern castle were prominent features of this vessel, and it carried a mainmast and a mizzen … Continue reading →

The evolution of Shipbuilding

This gallery contains 2 photos.

For thousands of years, people have wanted to move on the water. They have used boats and ships to fish, to travel, to explore, to trade or to fight. Throughout the time that people have been building boats and ships, … Continue reading →

Brig

The Brig was a two-masted sailing ship with square rigging on both masts. The rear mast carries a gaff sail as well.  Brigs vary in length between 75 and 198 ft (23–60 m) with tonnages up to 480. The brig … Continue reading →

Carrack

This gallery contains 4 photos.

A carrack or nao was a three or four-masted sailing ship developed by the Portuguese in the Mediterranean in the 15th century. The carrack was the beast of burden of the 16th century, carrying cargo and troops to faraway lands. It rode … Continue reading →

Chinese Junk

This gallery contains 5 photos.

The junk is a classic Chinese sailing vessel of ancient unknown origin, still in wide use.   Junks were developed during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) and were used as seagoing vessels as early as the 2nd century AD. They evolved in the … Continue reading →