A) Shipping Lines:
The term “liner” refers to companies that operate ships and have regular scheduled services between specific ports. In liner services, ships transport cargo or passengers along a predetermined route and with a pre-determined timetable. The most important organizational unit in these companies is the “line management,” which is responsible for the operations and profitability of the service, as well as managing the vessel schedules, agency representation, and similar tasks. Line management is a challenging task that involves a large exchange of information and the preparation of transportation documents for hundreds of shipments on each voyage.
B) Regular Shipping Lines, Common Carriers:
Regular shipping lines are considered common carriers and may be members of a conference or shipping association. They announce their own schedules and typically accept any suitable cargo, provided there is available space. In regular liner services, various types of vessels are active, including roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) ships, container carriers, and general cargo vessels.