When it comes to seafreight cargo, there are a variety of cargo ships and modes of shipping based on the cargoes available..
Container Vessels – is currently the most common mode of transport used for carrying 20′, 40′ and 45′ containers.. More details on size/type and usage of containers will follow in another article.. These come in various capacities ranging from about 85 teus (twenty equivalent units) to 15,000+ teus.. The biggest currently being the Emma Maersk..
Bulk Vessels – Used for the carriage of bulk commodities like wheat, sulphur, iron ore, coal etc etc..
Breakbulk Vessels – Used for the carriage of various kinds of cargoes – bagged cargo (cement, sugar etc), palletised cargo (paint, chemicals etc), timber etc etc
Ro-Ro Vessels – Used for the carriage of wheeled cargo like cars, buses, trucks, exacavators etc etc.. Where the option is available, these vsls can also carry some project cargoes as long as these are loaded on mafi trailers or any other wheeled modes.. Further classified as PCC (Pure Car Carriers) & PCTC (Pure Car & Truck Carriers) the purpose of which are obvious from the names..
Multi-purpose Vessels – Used for the carriage of a combination of above cargoes.. Very versatile, popular and useful vessels specially along certain routes which require self-geared vessels and do not have shore handling facilities..
Tanker Vessels – Used for the carriage of various liquid cargoes like oil, chemicals etc..
Crude Carriers – Used for the carriage of (you guessed it) crude oil – further classified as VLCC (Very large Crude Carriers) and ULCC (Ultra large Crude Carriers)
LNG Carriers – Used for the carriage of Liquified Natural Gas..
Reefer Vessel – Used for the carriage of frozen cargoes or temperature controlled cargoes like fruits, meat, fish etc..
Cargo ships are classified under different categories based on their size, dimension and weight..
Most common classifications (at the time of this post)