Legal Definitions - merchantman

A merchantman is an older, somewhat archaic term referring to any ship or vessel primarily used for commercial purposes, such as transporting goods or passengers for trade. This includes ships engaged in commerce between different countries (foreign trade) or between different states within the same country (interstate trade). Essentially, it distinguishes a commercial vessel from a military warship or a private pleasure craft.

• Example 1: During the 17th century, a large wooden sailing ship, laden with tea and silk, departed from China bound for European ports.

  This ship would be considered a merchantman because its sole purpose was to transport valuable goods across international waters for sale and profit, engaging in foreign commerce.

• Example 2: In the mid-19th century, a paddle-wheel steamboat regularly plied the waters of the Mississippi River, carrying bales of cotton from plantations in Louisiana to textile mills in Missouri.

  This steamboat functioned as a merchantman because it was employed in the commercial transport of goods between different states, facilitating interstate trade.

• Example 3: Before the advent of modern container ships, a freighter carrying lumber from the Pacific Northwest to ports along the East Coast of the United States was a common sight.

  Such a freighter was a classic example of a merchantman, as its role was to move bulk commodities for commercial exchange over long distances, serving the merchant service.