Collier (ship)

A collier is a bulk cargo ship built or specially adapted to carry coal, a trade that supported a large and specialized fleet from the era of sail through the height of the coal-fired steamship age, moving coal from mining regions to industrial cities, power stations and coaling stations that fueled other steam-powered ships around the world. Early sailing colliers, particularly the flat-bottomed vessels built in northeast England for the coastal coal trade to London, were valued for their cargo capacity and ability to sit upright on tidal mudflats for loading, and Captain James Cook's exploration ships were themselves converted colliers chosen for their sturdy hulls and cargo space. The collier trade declined through the twentieth century as oil, natural gas and, later, cleaner-burning fuels reduced demand for seaborne coal in many of its traditional markets.