Definition of the word tonnage

The word "tonnage" originated from the Middle English word "tunag" which means the weight capacity of a ship to carry a specific amount of cargo. During the medieval period, German merchants would store their goods in large wooden vessels called "tuns." These tuns weighed around 2,240 pounds (1,020 kilograms) and served as a standard for measuring cargo. As seafaring became more commercialized in the 14th century, the term "tonnage" came to describe the amount of cargo that a ship could transport, measured in tons. The size of a ship's tonnage depended on its capacity to hold cargo, and it became a crucial factor for calculating duties and taxes on imported goods. The British Admiralty began regulating the measurement of tonnage in 1412 through the "Tunnage and Poundage," a tax that was due on all imported goods. This tax was calculated based on the tonnage of the ship carrying the cargo, and it provided a steady source of income for the Admiralty. The concept of tonnage eventually expanded to include the measurement of the physical size and weight of a ship. Today, tonnage is used as a calculation for determining the size and capacity of commercial ships, as well as for determining registration fees, insurance premiums, and port fees. In summary, the word "tonnage" originated from the medieval practice of measuring cargo in German wooden vessels called "tuns," which transformed into a crucial factor for calculating duties and taxes on imported goods, leading to its widespread use as a calculation for determining the size and capacity of commercial ships today.