Final answer:
Break bulk and dry bulk ships with their own cranes are called gear bulkers. They can handle a diverse range of cargos, from refrigerated goods to liquid or gas cargos. Dry bulk carriers, which differ from container ships in their trade patterns and ballast water dischaarge, play a vital role in global trade and its environmental impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
Break bulk and dry bulk ships that have their own cranes are called gear bulkers. These ships are equipped to handle various types of cargo, ranging from cruise liners to ferries. Such vessels can carry refrigerated cargo, roll-on/roll-off for wheeled cargo, and can manage liquid or gas cargos like petroleum, LNG, or orange juice. This category of ships also includes a diverse range that covers tugs, barges, drilling rigs, offshore supply vessels, cable layers, and more.
When it comes to dry bulk carriers, they play a critical role in maritime shipping, being the dominant ship type in ballast water (BW) vector. They are known for their dynamic movement patterns, often changing routes in response to market changes, which means their operation is not as predictable as that of container ships. These ships are designed to transit usually between two ports, either fully loaded with cargo or in ballast, and they can be called upon to serve different destination ports based on the shifting demands of commercial trade.
Container ships, on the other hand, are more likely to follow regular routes, making frequent stops to load and unload as opposed to the bulkers, which transport large quantities of singular commodities and unload less frequently. The behavior and routing patterns of dry bulk carriers influence the patterns of BW discharge, which has implications for environmental concerns, such as the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) through BW release.