What is the name of a flat-bottomed boat used to transport goods?

• A. Sloop
• B. Dhow
• C. Barge
• D. Galleon

Answer: (C)

Flat-bottomed cargo vessels designed for rivers are built to maximize cargo capacity in shallow water. This hull shape lets the boat sit low in the water when loaded, enabling navigation through shallow channels where deeper ships can’t go, which is ideal for moving bulk goods like coal, grain, or sand along inland waterways. That combination of hull design and inland use defines a barge. The other options fit different needs: a sloop is a single-mast sailing boat intended for sailing, not inland cargo transport; a dhow is a traditional sailing vessel of the Indian Ocean; a galleon is a large, multi-deck ocean-going ship from the age of exploration. So the flat-bottomed boat used to transport goods is a barge.