What is the nature of water transportation and trace the developmental importance of the mode

Answer 1

Water transportation uses natural infrastructure as support. Unlike rail, and road, water transportation enjoys a low infrastructure cost (except for canals). Whereas rail needs track, and trucks need road, water is a naturally occurring medium. Rivers, inlands channels, and oceans can be used to transport with very little modification. However water does require ports or other types of load / unload facilities. These can be expensive and congested.

Water transportation has played an important role in the development of the U.S. The early settlers used water as a means to access markets in England and Europe. Additionally water was used to transport goods using inland rivers. Many of our major cities developed around water ports on the coasts. Inland river and Great Lakes transportation provided access to inland settlements with coastal cities. If one looks at a map, it becomes clear that waterways were a prime determinant of population centers and the industrial and commercial concentration, particularly at port cities.