(a) In what fours ways is water transportation important in international trade? (b) Highlight four limitations of water transpiration (c) How can these lim...

Answer Details

(a) Four ways water transportation is important in international trade

1. Carriage of bulky and heavy goods: ships can carry large quantities of heavy or bulky cargo (crude oil, timber, grains, machinery) that other means cannot handle economically.
2. Cheapest means over long distances: water transport has the lowest cost per tonne-kilometre, making distant trade profitable.
3. Connects countries and continents: oceans provide natural highways linking producing and consuming nations across the world.
4. Large carrying capacity: a single vessel can move enormous volumes at once, so world trade in large tonnages is possible.

(b) Four limitations of water transportation

1. It is slow compared with air and even road transport, so it is unsuitable for perishable and urgent goods.
2. It is restricted to coastlines and navigable waterways; it cannot reach inland or landlocked areas directly.
3. It is affected by weather and natural hazards such as storms, fog, ice and shallow or silted channels.
4. It requires costly port facilities and large capital for harbours, ships and dredging.

(c) How the limitations can be overcome

1. Link with other transport modes: connect ports to inland areas by good roads, railways and pipelines so goods reach the interior.
2. Dredging and canal construction: deepen and widen channels, build canals and locks, and construct artificial harbours to improve navigation.
3. Use of modern technology: equip ships and ports with radar, weather forecasting and navigational aids to reduce hazards; provide modern cargo-handling to speed up loading.
4. Provide adequate finance and maintenance of ports and vessels, and use faster and specialised ships (container and refrigerated vessels).