Part 1 of 8 – Familiarization - Dry cargo
Part 2 of 8 – Familiarization - Tankers
Part 3 of 8 – Familiarization - Offshore
Part 4 of 8 – Familiarization - Geography
Part 5 of 8 - Crew composition and certification
Part 6 of 8 - Various terminology
Part 7 of 8 – Supply and demand
Part 8 of 8 – Communication and planning
Dry Cargo Vessel Types
General Cargo Vessels are the most basic dry cargo carrying vessel; they
are used to carry loose and irregular cargo which is not suitable for
container, Ro-Ro, bulk or specialist heavy lift vessels. General cargo
vessels are often fitted with cranes/derricks - which are used to load and
unload cargo
Derricks
Geared
equipped with their own cargo loading
equipment,
Cranes
Bulk Carriers are used to transport loose dry cargoes such as
ore, grains and cement . Bulk carriers are loaded by spouts,
conveyors or by cranes fitted with grabs, some carriers have
cranes fitted to allow the loading and unloading of cargo without
the need for port equipment
Further explanation on bulk carriers in the next few slides.
Gearless
Gearless with 5 Hatches
Dry Cargo Vessels
➢
General Cargo vessels transport goods that do not require specialized shipping,
often transported in pallets or bags. These ships carry cargo in holds similar to those
found on bulk carriers, typically have fewer compartments . General cargo vessels often
use their own cargo gear to load/discharge cargo.
➢ A bulk carrier is specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as
grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Today, bulkers make up 15% - 17%
of the world‘s Merchant Navy Fleet ] and range in size from single-hold mini-bulkers
to mammoth ore ships able to carry 400,000 (DWT). Cargo loading operations
vary in complexity and loading and discharging of cargo can take several days, Bulk
carriers can be gearless ( dependent upon terminal equipment) or geared ( Having
cranes integral to the vessel).
➢ Container ships are the most commonly used vessels in maritime shipping, with
many spanning over 1,300 feet in length and offering capacities of over 18,000
twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU .
➢ Roll-on/Roll-off or “RO-RO,” vessels exist in several varieties to carry many types
of wheeled vehicles, from consumer automobiles to railroad cars, and are outfitted
with ramps to allow for easy loading and unloading.
➢ Reefer Refrigerated vessels, or “reefers,” safely carry perishable cargo, such as meat
or fruit, in temperature-regulated cargo holds. These vessels have become less
common in recent years, as refrigerated units on container ships have become a more
economical option.
➢ Livestock Carriers or cattle carrier - These ships are often converted from other
types of vessel and are equipped with pens for large numbers of animals
➢ Woodchip Carriers - designed to carry woodchips (shredded wood) in bulk. They are
usually constructed with watertight (in contrast to weathertight) cargo holds to prevent
water ingress. This is particularly important as contact with water causes woodchips to
expand and could cause severe damage to the structure of the ship. .
➢ Timber /log Carriers- used for carrying timber or logs in the holds and on deck.
Generally, they are fitted with cranes that can handle logs that weight up to 25 tonnes.
These ships usually have fixed or portable uprights ( Stanchion) to support logs/
timbers lashed on deck. Crew need to have special experience on lashing/unlashing
➢ Self-Unloader Bulk Carriers -Similar in hull structure to other bulk carriers, these
vessels are fitted with one of two systems for discharging cargo:
Various Bulk carrier sizes
Bulk carriers come in all sizes, from the smallest ships of only a few hundred
tons deadweight to the largest of over 360,000 tons, 340 metres or more in
length, 63 metres in beam and with draughts of 23 metres.
Mini bulk carrier
Handysize bulk carrier
Mini Bulk Carrier (100 - 130m length , less
than 10m draft & 3000 ~ 23,999 DWT)
Employed in coastal trade, serving as feeder
vessels to large ships. Their main trade
consists of short sea voyages, carrying limited
quantities of bulk cargoes generally to smaller
ports
'Handysize' are the medium bulk carriers of
between 24000 ~ 35000 DWT ( 130 - 150 m
length & 10m draft ). They can carry cargoes to
a large number of ports, may carry
considerable variety and quantity of bulk
cargoes.
Handymax bulk carrier
Supramax bulk carrier
'Handymax' bulk carriers of between 35,000 and
50,000 tonnes deadweight.( 150 - 200 m length &
11 ~ 12 m draft ).These bulkers are well suited for
small ports with length and draught restrictions,
Primarily used for carrying dry cargo such as iron
ore, coal, cement, finished steel, fertilizer, and
grains etc.
Supramax - These vessels are ranging between
50,000dwt and 63,000dwt ), have usually five cargo
holds and deck cranes with a lifting capacity
between 25metric tons and 40metric tons with most
vessels being fitted with own grabs.
Supramax vessels are very popular among dry
cargo shippers due to their larger cargo carrying
capacities and on-board cargo handling flexibility.
Their favorable size allows them to trade in a much
wider range of world ports and terminals.
Panamax bulk carrier passing through Panama canal
lock gate
'Panamax' ( length 200-230 m , draft 13 ~ 15 m ) refers to design size limitations
imposed by the Panama Canal
Breadth (beam) must not exceed 106 feet (32.2 m), fully loaded vessels must not
exceed 80,000 tons deadweight. Generally carry grain, coal and iron ore
Cape size Bulk
'Capesize' bulk carriers ( length 230 ~ 270 m , draft 17 m ) of 80,000 to 199,000 DWT
which are too large for the Panama Canal . Only a few ports in the world can
accommodate them in fully loaded condition.
Cape size Bulk carrier – Fully Loaded
Suezmax bulk carrier
Suezmax means the largest vessel that can pass
through the Suez canal. The maximum allowed
draught of the Suez canal is currently 18.90 m (62
feet). However, the authorities intend to increase
this draught to 21.95 m by the end of 2017.
Suezmax bulk carrier during Suez
canal passage
Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC) ( 270m and more 20m draft or more & 180,000 DWT
and more )
Kamsarmax ( 229 m. (max) 82,000 DWT (approx) ) Maximum size allowed for port
Kamsar in Equatorial Guinea.
Handysize Bulk carrier
Note DWT ,Cranes on deck
Cape Size Bulk carrier
Supramax Bulk carrier
Panamax Bulk Carrier
Standard containers are measured as TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) and are generally 20 feet (1
TEU) or 40 feet (2 TEUs) long. All standard shipping containers are 8 feet wide and 8 feet 6 inches tall.
Each container is but also to each other to provide integrity. Containers are usually loaded by
specialised cranes or even general purpose cranes with container lifting attachments but some small
container vessels are geared to allow self-loading/discharging.
Container Ship Size Categories
Capacity
(TEU)[19]
Ultra Large
14,501 and
Container Vessel higher
(ULCV)
Name
New Panamax
Length
Beam
1,200 ft
160.7 ft
(366 m) and (49 m) and
longer
wider
Draft
49.9 ft
(15.2 m)
and
deeper
Example
With a length of 400 m, a
width of 59 m, draft of 14.5
m, and a capacity of 18,270
TEU, are able to transit the
Suez canal.
With a beam of 43 m, ships
are much too big to fit
through the Panama Canal's
old locks, but could easily fit
through the new expansion
10,000–
1,200 ft
14,500
(366 m)
5,101–10,000
160.7 ft
(49 m)
49.9 ft
(15.2 m)
Panamax
3,001 – 5,100 965 ft
(294.13 m)
106 ft
(32.31 m)
39.5 ft
upper limit of the Panamax
(12.04 m) class, with an overall length
of 292.15 m, beam of 32.2m,
and maximum depth of 13.3
m passing through the
Panama Canal.)
Feedermax
2,001 – 3,000
Feeder
Small feeder
1,001 – 2,000
Up to 1,000
Post-Panamax
Container ships under 3,000
TEU are typically called
feeders.
Roll on-Roll off or Ro-Ro vessels come in many
forms including vehicle ferries and cargo ships
carrying truck trailers but the major type used for the
transport of road vehicles is the car carrier.( Pure
Car carrier –PCC) These slab-sided vessels feature
multiple vehicle decks comprising parking lanes,
linked by internal ramps with access to the shore
provided by one or more loading ramp. Cargo
capacity of such vessels is measured in Car
Equivalent Units (CEU)
Livestock Carriers or cattle carrier
These ships are often converted from other types of vessel
and are equipped with pens for large numbers of animals.
The main considerations during the transport of livestock are
adequate ventilation, food and water . Some livestock
carriers are reported to be able to transport up to 120,000
sheep. A Common route for livestock carriers is Australia and
New Zealand to the Middle East.
Timber /log Carriers- used for carrying timber or logs in
the holds and on deck. Generally, they are fitted with
cranes that can handle logs that weight up to 25 tonnes.
These ships usually have fixed or portable uprights (
Stanchion) to support logs/ timbers lashed on deck. Crew
need to have special experience on lashing/unlashing
Passenger ships – Ferries / Cruise ships
This category includes everything
from 10 person ferries up to
cruise ships able to carry over
6,000 passengers.
Ferries, 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 able to carry
over 1,300 cars and 2,000
passengers.
. .
Today, cruise ships have wide
range of facilities including
casinos, gymnasiums, shops,
theatres, cinemas, pools,
restaurants and bars. Popular
cruising areas are the
Mediterranean, Caribbean and
Scandinavia.
Dry cargo ships – Recruitment guide
•
▪
▪
•
•
Those who are fond of going ashore at ports while the ship visits different
countries, a dry ship is the right choice for them. Some container ships
touches port every 2-3 days with port stay of at least one day. Same is the
case with bulk carriers which has long stay at port. Some bulk carrier stay
at port for a very long time
Usually less sailing time
Those who feel sea sick may prefer bigger ships or ships that do short
sailing.
– Less riskier than tanker ships (With the type of hazardous cargo tanker
ships ) hence less wages and longer contracts
– Marine engineers have the advantage of not getting involved in cargo
operations in ports unlike in tankers, especially gearless ships.
• No ship to ship operation
• Faster career growth - Promotions on dry ships are must faster as
compared to tanker ships. Many sailing on tankers go back to dry vessels
to get promotion and then later on come back to tankers
• - Much less salary compared to tankers
All Crew -Following not required
▪ 1. Tanker courses and dangerous cargo endorsement
▪ LCHS course
▪ STS Experience
▪ Vetting experience
▪ Rank , operator , type of vsl matrix
Deck Officers/Deck Crew
▪ Experience on specific type of vsl - hold cleaning/ lashing/ grain
loading/Timber log carriage
Engineers
• Crane/cargo gear experience will be required for geared vsl
Notes:
▪ Contract are usually a month longer for officers compared to tankers.
▪ Port stay on Bulk carriers/general cargo vsls may be longer compared to
tankers
▪ Next port is normally known once the voyage starts