Mother Vessel

Definitions #

A large ocean-going container ship that carries cargo between major ports, often used in transshipment, where smaller feeder ships bring containers to and from nearby smaller ports.

Technical In liner shipping, the deep-sea ocean vessel that calls at hub ports and receives or discharges containers to be relayed to regional feeder vessels.

Example The mother vessel arrives at the hub port every Friday, followed by feeder departures to the regional ports.

Etymology #

From mother as an adjective meaning 'main or central' plus vessel, a watercraft; thus the principal (large) ship of a shipping route, as opposed to feeder ships.

Collocations #

mother vessel schedule 大型母船的船期安排
mother vessel call 母船挂靠港口
mother vessel transshipment 经母船转运操作

Real Business Examples #

The mother vessel schedule directs the feeder vessel connection times.
The transshipment of containers occurs when the mother vessel berthes at the hub terminal.

Register & Variants #

Register: neutral
BrE/AmE: 全球通用，主要用于航运操作语境

Synonyms & Antonyms #

Synonyms: ocean-going vessel, deep-sea carrier
Antonyms: feeder vessel, feeder ship

Common Errors #

误用 parent vessel 航运业固定术语为 mother vessel，parent vessel 常指公司集团船舶，非货物转运语境。
混淆母船与主船母船是指承担干线运输的大船；主船（main ship）不一定是母船，主船可能指一艘船队中的旗舰。

Confusable Terms #

Feeder Vessel vs Mother Vessel: 母船承担干线运输，喂给船（feeder）从母船接驳货物至周边小港。

Frequently Asked Questions

母船的转运原理是什么？?

货物由小港的喂给船运至母船挂靠的枢纽港，在母船上装卸并按航线集中运输至下一港口节点。

母船是必须为大型船吗？?

视情况而定，通常母船载重吨远大于喂给船，但具体标准因航线和码头限制而异。

Published: 2026-10-04 Category: Shipping