Loading…
A working taxonomy of commercial vessels, organised by what they carry. Size ranges are typical and overlap; classification societies (IACS members), the IMO Type and Statcode (Lloyd's List Intelligence), and individual charterers all use slightly different cut-offs. Where common trade names exist (Handysize, Suezmax, ULCV) those are used in preference to abbreviations.
Two sizing conventions matter most for laden trades: Panamax (≤ 32.31 m beam, ≤ 294.13 m LOA, ≤ 12.04 m draft) for the original Panama locks, and the post-2016 Neo-Panamax (≤ 49 m beam, ≤ 366 m LOA, ≤ 15.2 m draft). Suez has no formal beam restriction but a maximum draft (~20.1 m) and air draft (~68 m at the Suez Canal Bridge).
Crude trades from Middle East / West Africa to Asia / Europe / US. Single propeller, slow-steam economical at 13–15 kt.
West Africa / Mediterranean / Black Sea crude trades.
North Sea, Caribbean, intra-Asia crude. Named for the Average Freight Rate Assessment scale.
Clean and dirty product trades. Beam ≤ 32.31 m (old Panama locks).
Refined products: gasoline, gasoil, jet, naphtha. The workhorse of clean-product trade.
Short-haul products and chemicals; coated tanks.
Stainless or coated tanks; segregated parcels. Cargo book per Annex II.
Membrane (Mark III, NO96) or Moss spherical containment. Steam, dual-fuel diesel-electric, or X-DF / ME-GA propulsion.
Pressurised, semi-refrigerated, or fully refrigerated (VLGC ≥ 80 000 m³). Carries propane, butane, ammonia, ethylene.
Geared (own cranes), often 4 × 30 t. Grain, fertiliser, sugar, steel, project cargo. Versatile, port-flexible.
Geared. Coal, grain, ores, alumina, aggregates.
Gearless. Iron ore, coal, grains, bauxite.
Post-1980s, beyond old Panama lock width.
Iron ore and coal long-haul, Brazil/Australia to China/Japan/Europe. Too large for Suez/Panama, hence "Cape" (Good Hope/Horn).
Iron ore from Brazil / Australia.
Aggregate, cement, coal, grain. Discharges without shore equipment.
Regional services connecting hubs to smaller ports. Often geared.
Pre-2016 Panama-compliant boxships.
Beyond old Panama beam; pre-2016 mainline tonnage.
Designed for the expanded Panama locks (2016).
Asia–Europe and trans-Pacific mainline; not Panama-transitable.
Bananas, fruit, fish, meat. Increasingly displaced by reefer containers on container ships.
Cars and rolling equipment. Multiple decks accessed via stern/quarter ramps. PCTCs add adjustable decks.
Combination RoRo + container, common on transatlantic.
Project cargo, modules, transformers, yachts, breakbulk. Often geared with twin heavy-lift cranes.
Pulp, paper, packaged lumber, project cargo. Box-shaped holds, gantry cranes.
Pipe, mud, brine, bulk cement, deck cargo to rigs and platforms. DP-2 standard.
Anchor handling for moored MODUs, towing, supply, occasional well stimulation. Heavy stern roller and tow winch.
Multi-purpose support, dive support, IMR (inspection / maintenance / repair). DP-2 or DP-3.
Drilling and well intervention in shallow waters; legs jacked down to seabed and hull lifted clear of waves.
Deep- and ultra-deep-water drilling. Drillships are ship-shaped; semis are column-stabilised.
Floating Production / Storage / Offloading. Receives well stream, processes, stores, offloads to shuttle tanker.
Offshore wind turbine installation (jack-up cranes ≥ 1500 t) and operational support (walk-to-work gangway).
Largest hotel afloat; SOLAS Ch II passenger ship rules and Safe Return to Port (SRtP).
Day or overnight passenger / vehicle service. Stern/bow ramps; some "cruise ferry" class.
Wave-piercing catamaran or surface-effect monohull; HSC Code applies.
FAO classifies by gear; STCW-F applies.
ASD, Z-drive, tractor (Voith Schneider). Escort tugs operate in indirect mode at speed.
Strengthened bow, hull, propulsion; bubbler/wash systems; LIRS records ice transits.
Mostly outside SOLAS but often classed for insurance and crewing.