ABSTRACT
The most important development within shipping in the post—World War II period has been the pronounced tendency toward specialization of services and ships. The hull and the machinery are the two main components of the ship. Choice of the proper engine is made only after the ship's trade or service has been defined and hull design determined. All of the considerations of machinery are closely connected to the shape of the hull which, in turn, depends on the many factors and requirements of the trade. The technological advance that has made possible development, and which can be seen today in the numerous types of ships in operation, has affected the ship's machinery, hull, and cargo handling equipment. Shipping is an international business with many opportunities for the shipowner to transfer the ship from one trade to another in response to market conditions.
