Mini bulker / coaster
- DWT
- 1,000–10,000 t
- Length (LOA)
- 60–125 m
- Beam
- 10–20 m
- Draft
- 4–8 m
Small inter-island and river bulk trades; shallow ports.
Vessel stowage
Ship Types & Sizes: Handysize, Supramax, Panamax, Feeder, Barges
Generic size classes of container ships, bulkers, tankers, general cargo ships, 180–330 ft barges and LCTs: DWT/TEU, length, beam, draft and use.
Ship group
Find the class from a figure
t
Rounded typical ranges for education — not data of any particular ship.
Matching class
Handymax / Supramax / Ultramax
Supramax about 50–60k DWT, Ultramax about 60–65k DWT; geared, common for Indonesian coal and nickel.
DWT40,000–65,000 t
Length (LOA)180–200 m
Beam30–32.3 m
Draft11–13.5 m
Length & beam comparison
LOA · BDry bulk carriers classes
Handysize
- DWT
- 10,000–40,000 t
- Length (LOA)
- 130–180 m
- Beam
- 23–30 m
- Draft
- 9–10.5 m
Flexible for small ports; usually 4–5 holds with own cranes.
Handymax / Supramax / Ultramax
Matching class- DWT
- 40,000–65,000 t
- Length (LOA)
- 180–200 m
- Beam
- 30–32.3 m
- Draft
- 11–13.5 m
Supramax about 50–60k DWT, Ultramax about 60–65k DWT; geared, common for Indonesian coal and nickel.
Panamax / Kamsarmax
- DWT
- 65,000–85,000 t
- Length (LOA)
- 225–229 m
- Beam
- 32.2–32.3 m
- Draft
- 13.5–14.5 m
Kamsarmax uses the 229 m length accepted at Kamsar port; usually gearless.
Post-Panamax
- DWT
- 85,000–100,000 t
- Length (LOA)
- 229–255 m
- Beam
- 36–43 m
- Draft
- 14–15 m
Wider than the old Panamax; long-haul coal and grain routes.
Capesize
- DWT
- 100,000–220,000 t
- Length (LOA)
- 250–300 m
- Beam
- 43–50 m
- Draft
- 17–18.5 m
Too large for the old Panama/fully laden Suez routes; iron ore and coal; offshore transshipment.
VLOC
- DWT
- 220,000 t and up
- Length (LOA)
- 300–362 m
- Beam
- 50–65 m
- Draft
- 18–23 m
Very large ore carrier, up to about 400k DWT; dedicated ore terminals only.
About this calculator
Class names such as Handysize, Supramax, Panamax or feeder are the everyday language of chartering and port planning. Each name stands for a size range that came from a physical limit (the Panama Canal locks, Suez depth, a particular port) or from market habit. Knowing the class helps you judge whether a ship fits the load port, what parcel size is realistic and whether the ship carries its own cranes.
This page summarises generic classes for six groups: container ships (from small feeder to ULCV), dry bulk (mini bulker to VLOC), tankers (MR to VLCC), general cargo and multipurpose, deck barges with the feet-based naming common in Indonesia (180, 230, 250–270, 300 and 330 ft), and LCTs. For each class you see the DWT (or TEU) range, length overall, beam, draft and a note on typical use. Use the quick lookup to find the class from a DWT or TEU figure.
All figures are rounded typical ranges, not data of any particular owner's ship. Real ships with the same class name can differ quite a lot, especially barges built by local yards with different beams and depths. For load planning always use the actual ship's data.
Worked example
The quick lookup uses the table ranges:
- Bulk carrier 58,000 DWT → Handymax / Supramax / Ultramax (40–65 thousand DWT)
- Bulk carrier 81,000 DWT → Panamax / Kamsarmax
- Container ship 2,500 TEU → Feeder / Feedermax (1,000–3,000 TEU); 20,000 TEU → ULCV
- Tanker 150,000 DWT → Suezmax; barge 8,000 t → Barge 300 ft; LCT 1,200 t → large LCT
How to use it
Choose a ship group
Choose container, bulk, tanker, general cargo, barge or LCT to list its classes.
Find the class from a figure
Enter the DWT (or TEU for container ships) and see the matching class highlighted in the table.
Compare sizes
Use the length and beam chart to compare classes, then open the capacity calculator for a specific ship.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the name Panamax come from?
From the maximum size of the old Panama Canal locks: about 32.3 m beam, 294 m length and 12 m draft. Since the new locks opened in 2016, ships that fit them are called Neo-Panamax (about 366 × 51 m).
What is the difference between Supramax and Ultramax?
Both are geared bulk carriers. A Supramax is about 50–60 thousand DWT, an Ultramax about 60–65 thousand DWT with a beam still within Panamax. Both are very common for coal and nickel exports from Indonesia.
Is a 300 ft barge always 8,000 tonnes?
No. Capacity depends on beam, depth and maximum draft. A 300 ft barge with an 80 or 90 ft beam can differ by more than 2,000 t. Use the barge capacity calculator with the real dimensions.
Why do the figures differ from my ship?
The table gives typical ranges for education, not a ship register. Every ship has its own design; official figures are in the ship's certificates and specification, or the Q88 for tankers.
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