Ships should be ablle to clear out empty coastal barb camps and ancient ruins!!!

[Laurwin]

It makes sense. The ships would get close to shore and send an exploration party or a boarding party composed of marines or sailors.

 

[daft]

Only if you loaded a scout/explorer or a military unit onto a ship, otherwise a no no. Ah yes, I forgot, in Civ V, for the first time since the early 1990's you cant load units onto transport ships, how ingenious.