Bulk Carrier

When a shipper orders a vessel for the purpose of shipping ocean freight, there could be numerous vessels that are used. One type of ship that has been used in the international shipping industry for many years has been the bulk carrier. Essentially, the bulk carrier is a vessel that specializes in transporting bulk cargo. If a shipment is not packed neatly in a container, and is loose while in transit, then it is considered to be bulk cargo.

There are different sizes of bulk carriers on the ocean today. The smallest size is usually considered to be called handsize and can hold up to 35,000 tons deadweight. Handymax can hold up to 50,000 tons deadweight. The largest bulk carrier fits over 80,000 tons deadweight and is called capsize. Since bulk cargo is not stored in containers, the crew will store the bulk cargo in cargo holds, which is the large area of the ship for this. Sometimes, a cargo hold could result in structural problems on a bulk carrier and cause sinking. Another issue is cargo shifting while on voyage. Because of these safety problems, most ocean ships today are not bulk carriers. Recently, the publication of Maritime Executive reports that food shippers in the Far East are switching to container ships instead of bulk vessels. The reason is because of how the shipping market is developing with better ocean shipping rates for containers.

If you need help with bulk cargo shipping, speak to a freight forwarder and they can provide great information about booking your shipment.