Ship

A ship is a large watercraft designed for travel on water, especially for carrying cargo or passengers or for specialized work such as fishing, research, or warfare.

A ship is a large watercraft built for travel on open water, primarily used to carry cargo or passengers or for specialized work like fishing, research, or warfare. Ships have been essential to human movement, trade, and exploration for thousands of years.

What it is

A ship is a large floating vessel capable of crossing open seas. Modern dictionaries define it as a sea-going craft used to transport people, goods, or perform specialized tasks. Ships are generally larger than boats, but the boundary is not fixed—size, load capacity, and design often determine the label.

Why it matters

Ships remain vital to global commerce and Canada’s economy. They carry the vast majority of international trade, and in Canada they support coastal trade, ferry services, Arctic operations, fisheries, and seaborne exports and imports. Without ships, modern supply chains and travel would look very different.

Key details

Ships share common parts with boats: bow, stern, port and starboard sides, hull, and keel, plus decks, cabins, a bridge, hold, rudder, propellers, and anchor. The distinction between ship and boat is partly conventional—ships are larger, ocean-going, and often exceed 500 tons of displacement. The world’s oceangoing merchant fleet included more than 100,000 ships in the early 21st century.