The ship that transports goods is called cargo ship, which mainly refers to modern ships driven by mechanical wheels. It enables people to trade between different regions of the world. Today, a large number of different types of freighters built by various countries sail on the sea, ranging from large oil tankers to small tugboats, from ferry carriers to ships specially designed to search for damaged ships.

Although modern transport ships are of various types and structures, they are all composed of hull (including superstructure) and power plant (see ship power plant), and are equipped with various outfitting equipment and systems. The hull and its superstructure are the main body of the transport ship, providing space for passengers, crew, cargo, power plants, oil, water and other materials.