# What Do Cargo Ships Carry? More Than You Probably Think! > From bananas and bicycles to cars, crude oil, coffee, smartphones and even live animals, cargo ships transport the products that keep the global economy moving. _Published 2026-08-03 · By Eve Church · Canonical: https://blog.martide.com/what-do-cargo-ships-carry-more-than-you-probably-think/_ --- If you've ever stood on a beach watching a giant container ship glide past on the horizon, given that you’re reading this Martide Jobs blog post, you've probably wondered: what exactly is on board? The short answer? Almost everything. From bananas and bicycles to cars, crude oil, coffee, smartphones and even live animals, cargo ships transport the products that keep the global economy moving. [Around 80% of international trade by volume is carried by sea](https://www.statista.com/topics/1367/container-shipping/), making shipping the backbone of world commerce. So, let's take a peek inside the world's cargo ships and discover what they're carrying around the globe. ## Container Ships: Floating Delivery Vans When most people picture a cargo ship,[ they're thinking of a container ship](https://blog.martide.com/cargo-container-ships/). But cargo ships aren't *just *container ships. Confused? We'll clear that up below! These enormous vessels carry thousands of brightly colored steel containers stacked like giant LEGO bricks. Each container can hold almost anything that fits inside it. [container-ship-close-up.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/49a0279c-a9a5-4ed9-fa41-3ed0602b9000 "container-ship-close-up.jpg") Typical cargo includes: * Clothing and shoes * Electronics * Furniture * Toys * Food and drinks * Household appliances * Building materials * Medical supplies * Car parts * Machinery That laptop, tablet or phone you’re reading this blog post on? It probably spent time in a shipping container. The coffee maker, rice cooker or air fryer in your kitchen? Quite possibly the same story. Even the chair you're sitting on right now may have crossed an ocean before arriving at your home or office. **Read more**: [What Factors Affect Container Ship Capacity?](https://blog.martide.com/what-factors-affect-container-ship-capacity/) Add to that the fact that there are [different types of shipping containers](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-shipping-containers/), and the type of cargo they can hold can vary wildly in type, shape and size. [container-terminal-3.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/045979e9-bd5e-4d82-068d-41ad925c0400 "container-terminal-3.jpg") ## Bulk Carriers: Mountains of Loose Cargo Some products don't need boxes or containers. Instead, they're poured directly into a ship's enormous cargo holds. These vessels are known as [bulk carriers](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-bulk-carriers/), and they transport dry commodities in huge quantities. Common cargoes include: * Iron ore * Coal * Grain * Wheat * Corn * Soybeans * Fertilizer * Cement * Salt * Sugar Imagine trying to fit 180,000 tons of iron ore into individual containers – it'd take forever. Bulk carriers make moving these essential raw materials far more efficient. Many of these cargoes are used to produce everything from breakfast cereal to skyscrapers. [bulk carrier.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/a54023c4-0990-45ff-5890-6a49d22aee00 "bulk carrier.jpg") ## Tankers: Carrying Liquids Around the World Not everything being shipped is solid and tankers are specially designed to carry liquid cargo safely across the world's oceans. Their cargoes include: * Crude oil * Refined petroleum products * Diesel * Gasoline * Jet fuel * Chemicals * Vegetable oils * Molasses * Wine * Fresh water Some tankers transport [liquefied natural gas (LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-lng-and-lpg-tankers/), which must be kept at extremely low temperatures inside specially insulated tanks. [Oil tanker](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-oil-tankers/), chemical tanker and [gas carrier ships](https://blog.martide.com/about-gas-carriers/) look very different from container ships because almost all of their cargo is stored below deck. [oil-tanker-above.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/25c121a5-26e2-40b7-6971-2dd1cbc31b00 "oil-tanker-above.jpg") **Read more**: [Everything You Need to Know About Chemical Tankers](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-chemical-tankers/) ## Car Carriers: Floating Parking Garages Have you ever bought a new car that was built overseas? There's a good chance it arrived aboard a [car carrier ship](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-car-carriers/), also known as a [RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) ship](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-roro-ships/). These vessels resemble giant floating parking garages with multiple internal decks. They transport: * Cars * Vans * Trucks * Buses * Construction equipment * Agricultural machinery * Military vehicles Rather than using cranes, vehicles simply drive on and off using built-in ramps, making loading and unloading remarkably efficient. Some of the largest car carriers can transport more than 7,000 vehicles on a single voyage. [aerial-view-car-carrier.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/99adaccf-2fdf-462b-df7c-4d10d8875200 "aerial-view-car-carrier.jpg") ## Livestock Carriers: Animals at Sea While less common than other cargo ships, livestock carriers transport live animals between countries. Their passengers can include: * Sheep * Cattle * Goats These ships are specially equipped with feeding systems, ventilation, water supplies and veterinary facilities to help care for the animals during the voyage. ## Heavy Lift Ships: Moving the Impossible Some cargo is simply too large or too heavy for ordinary ships. That's where [heavy lift vessels](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-heavy-lift-vessels/) come in. [heavy-lift-vessel.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/0380e0d2-2d47-460d-d729-041ae762ac00 "heavy-lift-vessel.jpg") They transport enormous items such as: * Wind turbine blades * Offshore oil and gas equipment * Cranes * Factory components * Bridges * Locomotives * Massive generators Some heavy lift ships can even carry other ships. *Yes, ships shipping ships really is a thing! * ## Refrigerated Ships: Keeping Cargo Fresh Many food products need to stay cold throughout their journey. Some travel on regular container ships in refrigerated containers, while others are carried aboard dedicated reefer (refrigerated) ships. Typical refrigerated cargo includes: * Bananas * Citrus fruits * Meat * Fish * Seafood * Dairy products * Frozen foods Without refrigerated shipping, many supermarkets would look very different. [getty-images-7WW10q9RQSA-unsplash.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/68bcfa1e-b24a-4bd4-6ee9-9b04de4f4600 "getty-images-7WW10q9RQSA-unsplash.jpg") That fresh fruit available during winter? It often arrives after spending weeks at sea inside temperature-controlled storage. ## Cruise Ships Carry Cargo Too Although [cruise ships are designed for passengers](https://blog.martide.com/all-about-cruise-ships/) rather than freight, they still carry significant amounts of cargo. Every cruise will take onboard: * Fresh food * Drinks * Linen * Cleaning supplies * Spare parts * Fuel * Medical equipment * Luggage In fact, supplying a modern cruise ship is a major logistical operation, especially when feeding several thousand passengers and crew members every day. [cruise-ship-sunset.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/e5265835-deb1-4a1f-fefd-396201d03e00 "cruise-ship-sunset.jpg") ### Some Cargo Is Surprisingly Strange Shipping companies transport some wonderfully unusual cargoes. Over the years, ships have carried: * Giant dinosaur skeletons for museums * Theme park rides including entire roller coasters * Spacecraft components * Giant yacht masts * Locomotives * Penguins (under carefully controlled conditions) * Works of art worth millions One shipment might contain thousands of rubber ducks, while another could be delivering a complete offshore wind turbine. [julia-taubitz-I9jvUtJdVLU-unsplash.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/e4a9a20b-4f34-4230-f666-3d147bba9000 "julia-taubitz-I9jvUtJdVLU-unsplash.jpg") There really isn't much that hasn't crossed an ocean at some point. **Read more**: [How a Cargo Ship Accident Created a Colorful Treasure Hunt](https://blog.martide.com/how-cargo-ship-accident-created-a-treasure-hunt/) ### Dangerous Cargo Requires Special Care Not everything on board is as harmless as a cargo of bananas! Some ships transport dangerous goods, including: * Explosives * Industrial chemicals * Flammable liquids * Radioactive materials * Compressed gases * Batteries These cargoes are carried under [strict international regulations](https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/dangerousgoods-default.aspx). Special packaging, labeling, storage arrangements and emergency procedures help ensure they are transported safely. [gas-tanker.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/a53e377b-ceb0-44b6-7a14-357d30c2a800 "gas-tanker.jpg") Fortunately, despite the occasional headline-making incident, the vast majority of dangerous cargo reaches its destination without any problems. ## How Do Crews Know What's On Board? Imagine trying to find one specific container among 20,000 others. Thankfully, modern cargo ships don't rely on memory. Every shipment is carefully documented before loading. Advanced computer systems record exactly where each container or cargo item is stored, its destination and any special handling requirements. This careful planning also helps balance the ship properly, ensuring it remains stable throughout the voyage, [even in rough seas and stormy weather](https://blog.martide.com/how-do-cargo-container-ships-handle-rough-seas/). ### The Hidden Journey Behind Everyday Products One of the fascinating things about cargo shipping is how rarely we think about it. When we pick up groceries, order something online or purchase a new television, we don't usually stop to consider how it reached the shop, store or market. But chances are it spent days - or even weeks - crossing oceans aboard a cargo ship. [cargo-ship-turquoise-sea.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/MN7lylkJmHINZhrMCwblyA/6f1797b4-c9c7-40fb-dbac-c0404de05c00 "cargo-ship-turquoise-sea.jpg") From the grain used to bake bread to the steel used to build apartment blocks, shipping quietly supports modern life in ways most of us never notice. #### Final Thoughts So, what do cargo ships carry? *The better question might be: what don't they carry? * Cargo ships transport everything from food, fuel and furniture to cars, chemicals, clothing and countless other products that people rely on every day. Different types of vessels are designed for different kinds of cargo, whether that's thousands of containers, millions of gallons of liquid or mountains of raw materials. The next time you spot a cargo ship on the horizon, remember that it isn't just another vessel at sea. It, and of course its crew, is part of an enormous global network connecting countries, companies and consumers, carrying the everyday items that keep the world running - one voyage at a time.