A ship

Ship

Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...

 engaged in the tramp trade is one which does not have a fixed schedule or published ports of call. As opposed to freight liners

Freight liner (ship)

A freight liner is a cargo ship sailing on a regular schedule, as opposed to a tramp ship.The fee is listed in a liner tariff by owner or freight conference and unchanged in a rather long time....

, tramp ships trade on the spot market

Spot market

The spot market or cash market is a public financial market, in which financial instruments or commodities are traded for immediate delivery. It contrasts with a futures market in which delivery is due at a later date...

 with no fixed schedule or itinerary/ports-of-call(s). A Steam ship engaged in the tramp trade is sometimes called a tramp steamer; the similar terms tramp freighter and tramper are also in use.

The term is derived from the British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

meaning of "tramp" as itinerant beggar or vagrant; in this context it is first documented in the 1880s, along with "ocean tramp" (at the time many sailing vessels engaged in irregular trade as well).

There are several tramp charter types for hiring vessels.

External links

• Internet Guide to Freighter Travel - traveling by tramp freighters