Chartering · 08
Vessel Types for Cargo Chartering in Asian Trades
Kiev Shipping Ltd provides ship chartering and maritime brokerage services for dry bulk, breakbulk, project, liquid bulk and general cargoes moving to or from ports in China, South Korea, Japan, India and other Asian countries.
The suitable vessel type depends on cargo quantity, dimensions, weight, packing method, loading method, ports, laycan and market availability.
The vessel dimensions, deadweight, crane capacities, deck strengths and other specifications shown below are indicative only. Actual characteristics vary considerably depending on vessel design, class, configuration and trading area. Final vessel selection remains subject to cargo requirements, port restrictions, technical suitability and market availability.
Bulk Carriers
Used for grain, coal, fertilisers, minerals, ores, salt and other dry bulk cargoes.
Bulk carriers are designed to transport unpackaged dry bulk commodities loaded and discharged through deck hatch openings.
- large, unobstructed single-deck cargo holds, often configured with hopper and topside tanks
- cargo loaded through deck hatch openings
- cargo handling by shore grabs, vessel cranes, conveyors or other terminal equipment, depending on the vessel and port facilities
- geared or gearless configurations, depending on vessel design and terminal requirements
- a wide range of sizes, from coasters to Capesize vessels
Typical cargoes include:
- coal
- iron ore
- grain
- cement
- bauxite, salt, fertilisers and other dry bulk commodities
Hold suitability, tank-top strength, cargo-handling arrangements and the applicable IMSBC Code schedule must be assessed against the particular cargo before fixing.
| Coaster / Mini Bulker | 3,000–10,000 |
|---|---|
| Small Handy | 10,000–28,000 |
| Handysize | 28,000–42,000 |
| Supramax | 50,000–60,000 |
| Ultramax | 60,000–66,000 |
| Panamax / Kamsarmax | 70,000–85,000 |
| Capesize | 100,000–200,000+ |
General Cargo Vessels
Used for breakbulk cargoes, steel products, machinery, bagged cargoes and other non-containerised shipments.
General cargo vessels offer flexible transportation options for conventional cargoes such as steel products, timber, bags, crates, pallets and industrial machinery.
- geared or gearless configurations, depending on vessel design
- suitability for a broad range of non-containerised cargoes
- flexible stowage in cargo holds, tweendecks or on deck, subject to vessel approval and securing requirements
- single-deck or tweendeck arrangements
Typical cargoes include:
- steel products
- timber
- bagged cargoes
- crated and palletised cargoes
- industrial machinery
- breakbulk and oversized cargoes
Geared vessels may handle cargo using their own cranes, subject to lifting capacity, outreach, cargo weight and applicable port requirements.
| Deadweight (DWT) | 12,000–25,000 |
|---|---|
| Length overall (LOA) | 120–160 m |
| Beam | 17–25 m |
| Draft (fully laden) | 6–9 m |
| Cranes | 2–4 (30–120 t each) |
| Holds | 2–4 |
| Hatch type | Box or pontoon |
| Hatch opening | Wide, suitable for out-of-gauge cargo |
| Service speed | 12–14 knots |
Multipurpose Vessels
Used for project cargo, heavy equipment, machinery and mixed breakbulk parcels requiring flexible deck and hold configurations.
Multipurpose vessels are designed to transport project cargo, steel products, machinery, timber and other non-containerised cargoes.
- vessel cranes with capacities depending on vessel design, with some vessels offering combinable heavy-lift capacity
- large and flexible cargo holds, often with removable tweendecks
- suitability for heavy, oversized and mixed cargo parcels
- stowage in cargo holds, on tweendecks or on deck, subject to approval and securing requirements
- suitability for regional and long-distance voyages, subject to trading limits and vessel availability
Typical cargoes include:
- project cargo
- heavy and oversized units
- mixed breakbulk parcels
- steel products
- machinery
- timber
Combined lifting capacity must not be confused with the safe working load of each individual crane. Any combined lift remains subject to the vessel’s approved lifting arrangements and operational requirements.
| Deadweight (DWT) | 12,000–25,000 |
|---|---|
| Length overall (LOA) | 130–180 m |
| Beam | 20–26 m |
| Draft (fully laden) | 7–10 m |
| Cranes | Vessel-specific; combinable on many designs |
| Holds | 2–4 |
| Hatch type | Box or pontoon |
| Hatch opening | Wide, suitable for out-of-gauge cargo |
| Service speed | 12–15 knots |
Heavy-Lift Vessels
Used for heavy, oversized and technically complex project cargoes requiring high lifting capacity.
- onboard heavy-lift cranes that reduce dependence on shoreside lifting equipment
- combined lifting capacities that vary considerably by vessel design—approximately 400 to 1,200 MT on many vessels, with specialised units offering different capacities
- suitability for oversized, heavy and complex cargoes
- reinforced tank tops and weather decks
- open-deck or box-shaped hold arrangements on many designs
Typical cargoes include:
- industrial equipment
- wind-turbine components
- transformers
- yachts, workboats and floating units
- pressure vessels
- construction machinery
Actual lifting capacity, outreach, deck strength and lifting arrangements must be checked against the weight and lifting points of each cargo unit.
| Deadweight (DWT) | 10,000–40,000 |
|---|---|
| Length overall (LOA) | 130–200 m |
| Beam | 20–32 m |
| Draft (fully laden) | 7–11 m |
| Crane capacity | Vessel-specific; individual and combined SWL to be verified for each lift |
| Hatch type | Box or open deck |
| Hatch opening | Wide, full beam in many cases |
| Deck strength | Permissible point and distributed loads vary by vessel and stowage position |
| Service speed | 12–15 knots |
Ro-Ro, Lo-Lo and Ro-Lo Vessels and Handling Methods
These handling methods may be used for buses, trucks, trailers, wheeled machinery and other cargoes suitable for rolling, lifting or combined operations.
Three principal handling modes are distinguished:
- Ro-Ro — loading and discharging via the vessel’s ramp
- Ro-Lo — combined handling using ramp and crane operations
- Lo-Lo — loading and discharging by crane, including buses and machinery with approved lifting arrangements
Typical cargoes include:
- trucks
- trailers
- buses
- cars
- wheeled machinery
- project cargo carried on MAFI trailers or roll trailers
Availability depends on the required route, vessel schedule, berth suitability and ramp interface conditions. Unit dimensions and weights, operational condition, ramp angle and safe working load, approved lifting points, and applicable battery or dangerous-goods documentation must be confirmed before fixing.
| Deadweight (DWT) | 5,000–40,000 |
|---|---|
| Length overall (LOA) | 100–240 m |
| Beam | 18–32 m |
| Draft (fully laden) | 5–9 m |
| Deck configuration | Multiple cargo decks |
| Access system | Stern or side ramp |
| Cargo handling | Self-propelled, towed or carried on MAFI trailers via vessel ramps; selected units may also be lifted by crane |
| Service speed | 14–22 knots |
Tankers
Used for crude oil, CPP, DPP, liquid chemicals, vegetable oils and other liquid bulk cargoes, subject to cargo specifications and vessel suitability.
Tanker types may include:
- crude oil tankers
- product tankers
- chemical tankers
- stainless-steel chemical tankers
- coated tankers suitable for vegetable oils and other sensitive cargoes
- small tankers and coastal tanker tonnage
Typical cargoes include:
- crude oil
- CPP — clean petroleum products
- DPP — dirty petroleum products
- liquid chemicals
- vegetable oils
- base oils
- molasses
Final cargo acceptance, tank-coating compatibility, heating capability, acceptability of previous cargoes and technical suitability remain subject to approval by the vessel’s owners or operators and other responsible parties.
| Deadweight (DWT) | 5,000–50,000 |
|---|---|
| Length overall (LOA) | 100–220 m |
| Beam | 16–36 m |
| Draft (fully laden) | 6–13 m |
| Cargo system | Segregated tanks |
| Cargo tank material / coating | Epoxy-coated, zinc-coated or stainless steel, subject to cargo compatibility and vessel specification |
| Pumps and pipelines | Cargo pumps, pipelines and segregation arrangements vary by vessel and must meet terminal and cargo requirements |
| Service speed | 11–15 knots |
Gallery
Photos
Information required for a freight indication
- exact cargo description and specifications
- quantity and tolerance, or number of units
- dimensions and weight of each unit, where applicable
- packing method, where applicable
- loading port
- discharging port
- cargo readiness date or required laycan
- loading and discharging terms and rates
- photographs, technical drawings and packing list, where available
- special handling requirements, dangerous-goods status and berth restrictions, where applicable
For dry bulk cargoes, please also provide the cargo grade and stowage factor.
For project and heavy-lift cargoes, please specify the preferred loading method—Lo-Lo, Ro-Ro or Ro-Lo—and provide all applicable technical and dangerous-goods documentation.
For liquid bulk cargoes, please also provide the density, temperature, viscosity, flash point, SDS/MSDS, required tank coating, and any heating, segregation or pumping requirements, where applicable.
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- Dry bulk, breakbulk and general cargo chartering
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Chartering
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Heavy, oversized and specialised cargoes from Asian ports: vessel searches, freight indications, fixture negotiations and commercial voyage follow-up.
Tanker Brokerage
Crude oil, CPP, DPP, liquid chemicals, vegetable oils and other liquid bulk cargoes destined for Asian ports, subject to cargo specifications and vessel suitability.
Send Your Cargo Enquiry
For a freight indication, please send cargo details, route, quantity, laycan and any special requirements.