In today’s world of 500,000 ton containerships, it would seem that the pre-WWII “tramp” steamer wold be an anachronism. A “tramp” was a small cargo ship that had no fixed schedule-it would call at various ports, take on cargo, and head to the next port. They were a popular item in fiction-a stranded American in China cold always get home by signing on as a crew member. (Richard Halliburton traveled the world this way).
Wikipedia claims they still exist:
Due to the explosion of liner services, and in large part, due to containerization in the early 1950’s, the tramp trade has decreased, but is by no means forgotten. A contemporary trend in the shipping business called marketing mix has resulted in renewed interest in tramp shipping.[5] To increase profits, liner companies are looking at investing into tramp ships to create a buffer when the market is down. For example, Mitsui OSK Lines possesses a large fleet with tramp ships and liners. With both types of shipping covered they are able to service a world economy even in a down market.[5] The beauty of tramp ships is they are relied upon at a moment’s notice to service any type of market. Even in a down economy there will be a market for some type of commodity somewhere and the company with the ships able to exploit that market will do better than the company relying on liner services alone.
A boat or ship engaged in the tramp trade is one which does not have a fixed schedule, itinerary nor published ports of call, and trades on the spot market as opposed to freight liners. A steamship engaged in the tramp trade is sometimes called a tramp steamer; similar terms, such as tramp freighter and tramper, are also used. Chartering is done chiefly on London, New York, and Singapore shipbroking exchanges. The Baltic Exchange serves as a type of stock market index for the trade.
The term t...
I have no idea if you can still negotiate cheap passage on one.
Good Lord, evidently you can: