拖輪服務業務指向國內外客戶提供船舶靠離碼頭、海上拖帶運輸、海上交通、海上起重等服務，屬于港口作業輔助服務，是港口作業中不可或缺的重要環節。拖輪服務業務發展與港口經濟發展息息相關，呈正相關關系。近年來，受世界宏觀經濟的影響，港口貿易增長相對穩定。為促進港口經濟的發展，我國重點推進區域港口公共資源整合，促進港口碼頭大型化發展，隨著港口逐漸整合，規模日趨增大，港口經濟的規模效應亦將突顯，對于拖輪服務業務的需求量也日益加大。

按(an)載(zai)(zai)運的(de)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)物種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)類(lei)(lei)和裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)卸方(fang)式可分為以(yi)(yi)(yi)下幾類(lei)(lei)：①干(gan)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，又(you)(you)分雜(za)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)和散貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)兩(liang)類(lei)(lei)。雜(za)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)以(yi)(yi)(yi)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)載(zai)(zai)各種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)件(jian)雜(za)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)為主。新型雜(za)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)多(duo)(duo)設(she)計(ji)成對貨(huo)(huo)(huo)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)適(shi)應性強的(de)多(duo)(duo)用(yong)途船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。散貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)專門用(yong)于(yu)(yu)載(zai)(zai)運各種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)散裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)物，又(you)(you)可分為運煤船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)、礦砂船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)、散糧船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)、運木(mu)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)和散裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)水泥船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)等。②液貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)載(zai)(zai)各種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)液態(tai)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)物的(de)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，主要有(you)油船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)、液體(ti)化(hua)學品船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)、液化(hua)氣船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。此(ci)外，還有(you)能兼裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)液貨(huo)(huo)(huo)和干(gan)散貨(huo)(huo)(huo)的(de)兼用(yong)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。③集(ji)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)箱(xiang)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，以(yi)(yi)(yi)標準集(ji)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)箱(xiang)為貨(huo)(huo)(huo)運單元(yuan)(yuan)的(de)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。這種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)航速高，航行于(yu)(yu)固定(ding)航線，利用(yong)港口專門用(yong)于(yu)(yu)設(she)備(bei)進行快速裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)卸。④滾裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，又(you)(you)稱“開(kai)上開(kai)下”船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)上設(she)有(you)活動跳(tiao)板(ban)，載(zai)(zai)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)拖車能直接開(kai)上開(kai)下。滾裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)卸快，適(shi)合于(yu)(yu)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)運集(ji)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)箱(xiang)和大件(jian)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)。⑤載(zai)(zai)駁船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，又(you)(you)稱子(zi)母船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，是以(yi)(yi)(yi)載(zai)(zai)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)駁船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)作為貨(huo)(huo)(huo)運單元(yuan)(yuan)的(de)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。這種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)載(zai)(zai)運的(de)貨(huo)(huo)(huo)物在港口中轉可以(yi)(yi)(yi)不用(yong)碼頭(tou)，不用(yong)倒載(zai)(zai)，實現江海直達運輸。⑥冷藏(zang)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，專門裝(zhuang)(zhuang)(zhuang)運易腐鮮貨(huo)(huo)(huo)的(de)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。⑦駁船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)以(yi)(yi)(yi)及與(yu)之配套使(shi)用(yong)的(de)拖船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)、推(tui)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。它(ta)們分別組成拖帶船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)隊或頂推(tui)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)隊，多(duo)(duo)用(yong)于(yu)(yu)江河。

可分為(wei)以下五類(lei):①海(hai)洋(yang)(yang)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，包括(kuo)遠洋(yang)(yang)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)和(he)沿(yan)海(hai)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。遠洋(yang)(yang)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)噸位(wei)大，航速高(gao)，設(she)備(bei)齊全(quan)，有為(wei)旅(lv)(lv)客(ke)(ke)準備(bei)的(de)(de)(de)舒適的(de)(de)(de)生活條件(jian)。在航空運輸(shu)興起以前，國(guo)際郵件(jian)主要(yao)(yao)靠遠洋(yang)(yang)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)運送(song)，因此這類(lei)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)又稱為(wei)郵船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。20世(shi)紀70年代(dai)以后，這類(lei)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)已(yi)停止(zhi)建造。但在一些國(guo)家(jia)國(guo)內航線上(shang)以運輸(shu)旅(lv)(lv)客(ke)(ke)為(wei)主的(de)(de)(de)沿(yan)海(hai)客(ke)(ke)貨船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)仍在建造使(shi)用(yong)。②旅(lv)(lv)游(you)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，內河(he)拖輪(lun)，是60年代(dai)興起的(de)(de)(de)、供旅(lv)(lv)游(you)者(zhe)旅(lv)(lv)行(xing)游(you)覽用(yong)的(de)(de)(de)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)型同(tong)遠洋(yang)(yang)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)相(xiang)似，但噸位(wei)較小。船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)上(shang)設(she)備(bei)齊全(quan)的(de)(de)(de)，能為(wei)旅(lv)(lv)客(ke)(ke)提(ti)供療(liao)養、娛(yu)樂和(he)智(zhi)力開發(fa)等綜合服務。③汽車客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，是60年代(dai)興起的(de)(de)(de)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)種(zhong)。除(chu)載客(ke)(ke)外能同(tong)時載運一定數(shu)量的(de)(de)(de)旅(lv)(lv)客(ke)(ke)自(zi)備(bei)汽車。④內河(he)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，是江河(he)湖(hu)泊上(shang)的(de)(de)(de)傳統客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)。載客(ke)(ke)量大，設(she)備(bei)較海(hai)洋(yang)(yang)客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)簡(jian)單。⑤小型高(gao)速客(ke)(ke)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，主要(yao)(yao)有水翼(yi)船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)和(he)氣墊船(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)(chuan)，多用(yong)于沿(yan)海(hai)和(he)內河(he)短途(tu)航行(xing)