Focusing on five major types of cargo transport ships，such as oil tankers，this paper investigates the overall development status of international transport ships and the characteristics of the changes in such ships in recent years to adapt to the new requirements of the development of ship types in the new development stage on the planning and construction of ports in China.Considering the conditions of international waterways，the conditions of China’s port waterways and waters，the transportation economy of various types of cargoes，and the development trends of China’s energy and industries，this paper analyzes the future development trends of major types of cargo transport ships on the global scene and explores the impact of the development trends on the port construction and planning in China.The research results show that the major types of cargo transport ships differ greatly from each other in their enlargement trends and the development trends of their main ship type，ultimately necessitating the close tracking and adjustment or advanced scheming of terminal planning and layout for corresponding cargo types.