Chain boat navigation on the Main was a special type of ship transport on the Main from 1886 to 1936. Along a chain laid in the river, chain boats pulled themselves upstream with several barges attached. The technology of chain shipping replaced the previous practice of towed shipping, in which the ships were pulled by horses.
As the canalisation project progressed upstream, the barrages required for this made chain towage more challenging, particularly due to the extended waiting times at the locks. This led to the emergence of a new competitor in the form of the propeller, which was made possible by the greater depth of the navigation channel. The use of diesel engines made the propeller a profitable option. The use of steam engines for the labour-intensive chain navigation became unprofitable, and this method was completely discontinued in 1936.