Tongkang

Tongkang or "Tong'kang"[1] refers to several type of boats used to carry goods along rivers and shoreline in Maritime Southeast Asia.

[2]: 85 The tongkang was an unmotorised open cargo boat, propelled by a variety of methods, including rowing, punt poles and sail.

The early tongkangs were about 20 ton burthen or less; they were propelled by about ten rowers and guided by a steersman.

A tongkang in full sail appeared on the reverse of the 1990 and 1992 Singapore dollar 2 $ currency notes.

These traditional vessels began to disappear around the 1930s, following the introduction of motor-powered boats and contemporary-type lighters.

Old picture of a moored tongkang
Sketch of a Singapore lighter, with trailing mainsail, stern-side view. Ca. 1902.
Sketch of a tongkang in Singapore roads, 1906.
A Singapore trader (Tongkang), lightly laden, under full sail. Singapore Strait, January, 1950.
Twakow loading lubricant oil in Singapore