Types Of Commercial Vessels By Type Of Cargo And Dimensions

 Commercial vessels can be generally divided into wet and dry cargo ships and vary in dimensions/width and length. Draft or water depth is a limitation that determines the minimum water depth a boat or cargo ship can navigate. Beam or a vessel’s widest point determines the canal locks a commercial ship can fit. Based on the size, dry cargo ships can be sub-divided into handymax, seawaymax, small handy size, etc. Examples of wet cargo ships are ULCC, VLCC, and Q-Max. In addition, ships also fall in several major categories based on the type of cargo, including reefer, multi-purpose, dry bulk, tanker, and container ships. Import and Export Agent in India predominantly works with general cargo, container and heavy lift/project cargo and freight carrying vessels to transport our client’s cargoes around the globe. Below are some common categories based on the type of cargo and maximum dimensions.

1.      Tanker ships

These are specialized commercial ships that are used to move liquid cargo. Based on the type of cargo they move, tankers can be divided into product and chemical carriers, liquefied gas carriers, and petroleum tankers. Petroleum or oil tankers ship crude as well as by-products. There are also vessels for specialized transportation which are used for economic and military needs, including floating storage units, ore-bulk-oil carriers, and replenishment ships.

 

Product and chemical carriers mainly ship liquid products and chemicals and are further sub divided into integrated tug barges and wine and juice tankers. The third variety, liquefied gas carriers ship chemical gases such as liquefied petroleum and natural gas. Based on maximum dimensions, tanker ships can be handy, lighters, handymax, Panama, ULCC,  and VLCC.

 

2.      Bulk Carriers

Bulk carrier ships are designed to move cargo such as coals, grains, ores, cooking oils, and refrigerated goods. Other types of bulk cargo include:

●Animal products and livestock, including livestock feed

● Raw products and produce, including corn, rice, seeds, and refined and raw sugar

●Agricultural products such as plastic granules, resin powder, pallets, and fertilizers

●Cements  and minerals such as salt, limestone, copper, gravel, and sand

There are also subtypes such as lakers, self-discharging bulkers, BIBO, and conventional bulkers. Based on maximum dimensions, bulk carriers can be seawaymax/ passing through the St. Lawrence Seaway/, Newcastlemax/ships that can enter the Newcastle Port, Australia/, and so on.

 

3.      Container Ships

Container ships are designed to move large quantities of goods in containers. Based on size, such ships are Post-Panamax, Suezmax, Panamax, and Post-Suezmax. Refrigerated container ships are specialized vessels and a sub–category for refrigerated transport. They carry cargo such as offal, fish, cheese and butter, packed meat, and meat carcass.

 

4.      Roll-On Roll-Off

These commercial vessels are specially designed to move wheeled cargo such as railroad cars, cars, trailers, semi-trailer trucks, and buses. The main categories here are complete RoRo, Ro Pax, RoRo+ LMSR which are used to move military cargo. ConRo is another variety that is used to ship vehicles, oversized cargo, and containers, as well as heavy equipment.

 

5.      General Cargo Vessels  

General Cargo, known as breakbulk, is usually on pallets or in bags. There may be specialised handling facilities for such cargo, but usually loading and unloading is carried out using cranes and straps (for boxes) or slings (for bags). These vessels can also carry loose and irregular cargo, in which case the vessel’s crew and port stevedores pack the cargo to minimise damage and maximise space.

Although largely replaced by bulk and container carriers, general cargo vessels still operate throughout the world.

 

6.       Vessels

Ships designed to carry refrigerated cargo and perishable goods such as fruit or meat are known as “Reefer Vessels”. Cargo is stowed in holds which are then sealed and temperature controlled. Traditional reefer vessels have been largely replaced by the use of reefer containers which are carried aboard container vessels. Reefer containers need a power source to function and often require inspection during the voyage.

7.      Crude Carriers

The largest ships afloat are the Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and the Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCCs). These ships are designed to load crude oil and transport it to refineries around the world where it can be processed into petroleum products. The largest crude carriers often load and unload at offshore buoys and terminals as they are too large to enter most ports.

8.      Specialised Cargo Ships

Most types of cargo could be considered as specialised due to the specific loading, unloading or storage arrangements required. Many such cargoes are, however, moved with such regularity and ease that the term ‘specialised’ takes on a new meaning. For the purpose of this article, it refers to cargoes that are either difficult to categorise as dry or liquid, or to cargoes that are relatively difficult to handle.

9.      Passenger Vessels

This category includes everything from 10-person foot ferries up to cruise ships able to carry over 6,000 passengers. Perhaps the most specialised cargo of all, the needs and desires of passengers have driven the design of modern ferries and cruise vessels.

Ferries, once seen as a means to an end for most, are now lavishly equipped with lounges, restaurants, shops and entertainment facilities – particularly when the ferry is on a relatively long route. The ships have got larger too. The Ulysses, for example, which runs between Holyhead and Dublin, is able to carry over 1,300 cars and 2,000 passengers.

The first example of ships undertaking a public ‘cruise’ can be traced back to the nineteenth century but cruising gained mass popularity in the later twentieth century. Many cruise vessels were originally liners that were sent to warmer climates during seasonal bad weather on their regular routes. Arguably, the last of the liners is the Queen Mary 2, which still operates a regular transatlantic service.

Today, cruise passengers expect a wide range of facilities including casinos, gymnasiums, shops, theatres, cinemas, pools, restaurants and bars. The largest cruise vessels are up to 360 m. long and 60 m. wide. Popular cruising areas are the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Scandinavia.

10.  Tugs

Even with the advent of highly manoeuvrable vessels, the tug is still vitally important to the maritime industry. Modern tugs are highly manoeuvrable with pulling power that can exceed 100 tones! Harbor tugs are very common at ports around the world, and generally less powerful. These vessels assist in berthing, unberthing and moving large or unyieldy vessels within port limits. Tugs are also used to assist vessels during bad weather or when carrying dangerous or polluting cargoes. Harbour tugs are also employed to move barges, floating cranes and personnel around ports. Larger units are kept on standby in strategic locations to act as deep-sea rescue and salvage tugs.

Tugs are also used to tow barges from port to port and move large structures such as offshore platforms and floating storage units. Some tugs can push barges; this is particularly common on rivers where the tug is able to exert more turning force on the tow. There are also tugs that are designed to ‘slot’ into a barge or hull. Once secured, this composite unit behaves and is treated like a standard powered vessel. These composite units are common on North American river and coastal trade.