Shipping and Transport
There is a long history of shipping and trade in Devon. Ships from around the world come to the ports of Devon, where ships of exploration left for the coasts of North America and the Newfoundland fisheries many years ago.
Around 90% of world trade is carried by the international shipping industry. Without shipping the import and export of goods on the scale necessary for the modern world would not be possible. There are around 50,000 merchant ships trading internationally, transporting every kind of cargo. The world fleet is registered in over 150 nations, and manned by over a million seafarers of virtually every nationality.
Seaborne trade continues to expand, bringing benefits for consumers across the world through competitive freight costs. Thanks to the growing efficiency of shipping as a mode of transport and increased economic liberalisation, the prospects for the industry's further growth continue to be strong.
Data sourced from Shipping Facts.
For more information on the shipping records that Plymouth City Council hold, please see the shipping records and their archives in focus pages.
For more information on the transcripts and indexes that are available on CD of Plymouth City Council’s shipping records, please see the Plymouth Merchant Ships website.
Lloyds List provides information and news on shipping and seafaring.
Boating Business – news and comment for UK leisure marine businesses.
Maritime Journal – insight for European commercial marine industries. Includes a comprehensive, searchable Directory, listing products and services available to the european commercial marine industry.
Seawork – international commercial marine exhibition and forum. Seawork International is the biggest and fastest growing business to business event for the commercial marine and workboat sectors in Europe. Attracting more than 6000 high calibre visitors from 40 countries across the globe, Seawork is a one-stop forum where buyers, sellers, innovators and legislators come together for three invaluable days at one incomparable location.
Dart Harbour is a Trust Port in one of the finest natural harbours in the UK. The River Dart whose source is high on Dartmoor flows through the towns of Totnes and Dartmouth, South Devon. While the Dart is a busy port for local fishing vessels and naval shipping, it also makes an ideal and attractive stopover for smaller cruise ships and a wide variety of private luxury yachts. The river Dart is navigable from Dartmouth to the weir at Totnes.
Marine aggregate dredging 1998-2007 – a ten year review from the Crown Estate.
This report takes a ten-year overview of an initiative launched in 1999 as a means of reporting the dredging footprint of the UK marine aggregate industry.