Despite the importance of fishing in the daily life and economy of coastal communities, the vessels present in different regions were not all entirely devoted to fishing. Waterways were, until very recently, the preferred means of communication between coastal and riverbank communities. For example, in the late nineteenth century the sea was the fastest and most effective way to transport goods between Lisbon and the Algarve. However, the advent of the railway, the construction of roads and bridges, among other factors, helped change this situation. There were also new types of ships and vessels which, eventually, overshadowed traditional boats.
Up until the first half of the 20th century, these traditional boats, which were used primarily for the transportation of both passengers and cargo, were quite a common scene in river estuaries.