From this analysis we can derive four conclusions on the role of economies of scale
in sea transport:
1. Big ships are always cheaper than small ships creating a financial incentive to use
a bigger ship in a particular trade, other things being equal.
2. In absolute terms, the economies of scale on short-haul routes are much smaller
than on long-haul routes, so there is less financial incentive to invest in the necessary
infrastructure to handle bigger ships.
3. Short-haul trades spend less of their time at sea, therefore design should be focused
on cargo handling.
4. Delivery volumes increase rapidly as the voyage length reduces, so the ship size
also depends on there being sufficient cargo to fully occupy bigger ships.