Maritime transport
The advent of aviation has diminished the importance of sea travel for passengers, though it is still popular for short trips and pleasure cruises.
Maritime transport can be realized over any distance by boat, ship, sailboat or barge, over oceans and lakes, through canals or along rivers.
While extensive inland shipping is less critical today, the major waterways of the world including many canals are still very important and are integral parts of worldwide economies.
Merchant shipping also includes water transport over the river and canal systems connecting inland destinations, large and small.
For example, during the early modern era, cities in the Hanseatic League began taming Northern Europe's rivers and harbors.
Similarly, the Saint Lawrence Seaway connects the port cities on the Great Lakes in Canada and the United States with the Atlantic Ocean shipping routes, while the various Illinois canals connect the Great Lakes and Canada with New Orleans.
Most modern merchant ships can be placed in one of a few categories, such as: Ocean liners are usually strongly built with a high freeboard to withstand rough seas and adverse conditions encountered in the open ocean, having large capacities for fuel, food and other consumables on long voyages.
A cargo ship sailing from a European port to a US one will typically take 10–12 days depending on water currents and other factors.
Engine staff also deal with the "Hotel" facilities on board, notably the sewage, lighting, air conditioning and water systems.
They deal with bulk fuel transfers, and require training in firefighting and first aid, as well as in dealing with the ship's boats and other nautical tasks- especially with cargo loading/discharging gear and safety systems, though the specific cargo discharge function remains the responsibility of deck officers and deck workers.
Findings by the Seafarer's International Research Center indicate a leading cause of mariners leaving the industry is "almost invariably because they want to be with their families."
Operations at sea, including repairs, safeguarding against piracy, securing cargo, underway replenishment, and other duties provide opportunities for overtime work.
The quick turnaround of many modern ships, spending only a few hours in port, limits a seafarer's free-time ashore.
Moreover, some foreign seamen entering U.S. ports from a watch list of 25 countries face restrictions on shore leave due to maritime security concerns.
Such restrictions on shore leave, coupled with reduced time in port, translate into longer periods at sea.
Mariners report that extended periods at sea living and working with shipmates, who for the most part are strangers, takes getting used to.
Recreational opportunities have improved aboard some U.S. ships, which may feature gyms and day rooms for watching movies, swapping sea stories, and other activities.
However, a mariner's off-duty time is largely a solitary affair, pursuing hobbies, reading, writing letters, and sleeping.
On modern ocean-going vessels, typically registered with a flag of convenience, life has changed immensely in the last 20 years.
With many companies now providing TVs and DVD players in cabins, and enforcing strict smoking policies, it is not surprising that the bar is now a much quieter place on most ships.
Officers are often the recipients of university degrees and have completed vast amounts of training in order to reach their rank.
From pier to pier these may differ, one dock handling intermodal transport needs (container-ships linked to rail by cranes); another bulk handling capabilities (such as conveyors, elevators, tanks, pumps) for loading and unloading bulk cargoes like grain, coal, or fuels.
Generally, Harbors, seaports and marinas all host watercraft, and consist of components such as piers, wharfs, docks and roadsteads.
