Different types of ships

1. General cargo ship

2. Bulk carrier
3. Car carrier
4. Container carrier
5. Reefer ship
6. Log ship
7. Woodchip carrier
8. Livestock carrier
9. Passenger ship
10. Specialized carrier
11. Crude oil Tanker
12. Chemical Tanker
13. Gas Tanker
Category of ships according to the type of cargo carried

1. Break bulk
2. Oil/chemical/gas
3. Cargo in bulk
4. Pure Car Carrier (PCC)/Pure Car and Truck Carrier(PCTC)
5. Container cargo
6. Reefer cargo
7. Logs
8. Woodchip
9. Cattle
10. Passenger
11. Equipment use such as pipes, cable, optics, and others
1. General Cargo Ship
Transport mainly cargo, goods,
and materials from one port to another.
2. Bulk Carrier
A merchant ship specially designed to transport
unpackaged bulk cargo in its cargo hold.

SOLAS Definition Chapter IX

Bulk Carrier – a ship which is constructed
generally with single deck, topside tanks and
hopper side tanks in cargo spaces, and it
intended primarily to carry dry cargo in bulk.
3. Car Carrier
A vessel designed for the
transportation of vehicles from one port
to another.
4. Container Carrier
Are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-
size intermodal containers, in a technique called
containerization.

Container Ship Sizes

 Panamax
 Suezmax
 Post-Panamax
 Post-Suezmax
 Post-Malaccamax
Panamax
Their dimension was such that they could pass the Panama
canal.
Post- Panamax
These sizes of vessels were subversive, introducing new ideas
and methods in the container shipping market.
Suezmax
These vessels have nearly the same size as that of the Suez
canal.
Post-Suezmax
Their dimensions are too big for the vessel to pass the Suez
canal.
Post – Malacamax
This size emulates the maximum permissible draught of 21m of
Malacca Strait.
The port authorities must be ready for this vessel to enter the
Ports. Presently only two ports in the world are prepared to accept this
size of ship, i.e., Singapore & Rotterdam.
5. Reefer ship
A refrigerated cargo ship typically
used to transport perishable
cargo, which require temperature-
controlled handling.
6. Log Ship
a type of ship specifically
designed for transporting large
quantities of logs or timber from one
location to another.
7. Woodchip Carrier
A specialized type of bulk carrier
designed specifically for the
transportation of woodchips.
8. Livestock Carrier
Are type of ships, which
specialise exclusively in the
transportation of large numbers of live
animals together with their
requirements for voyage.
9. Passenger Ship
A merchant vessel that are employed to aid in
the transiting of voyagers and passengers through the
medium of water transportation.

SOLAS – any ship with accommodation for more than

12 passengers is a passenger ship.
10. Specialized Carrier
A special vessel designed with a particular,
highly- specialized task in mind.

Ex: Ice breaking

Cable Laying
Drill Ship
11. Crude Oil Carrier
A ship designed for the bulk transport of
unrefined crude oil from the oil extraction facility to
the refineries.

VLCC – Very Large Crude Carrier

ULCC – Ultra Large Crude Carrier
12. Chemical Tanker
Are cargo ships constructed or adopted and
used for the carriage of any liquid chemicals in bulk.

MARPOL Annex II defined – A ship constructed or

adapted for carrying in bulk any liquid product listed
in chapter 17 of the International Bulk Chemicals
Code.
13. Gas Tanker
A cargo ship constructed or adopted
and used for the carriage in bulk of any
liquefied gas or other products listed in the
Gas Carrier Code.
1. Break Bulk
Is the system of transporting goods in
pieces separately, rather than shipped in a
container.

Example:
In crates
Bags
Boxes
Drums
Barrels

General Cargo Ship

2. Oil/chemical/gas Cargo

Types of cargoes being transported by

tanker vessel.

Some tanker vessel are designed to

carry both oil and chemical and also clean
petroleum products.

Tanker Vessel
3. Cargo in bulk
Cargo that is loaded directly into the
holds of the shipping vessel, without being
parcelled.

Bulk cargo can be classified as either

liquid or dry.

Bulk Carrier , Crude Oil Carriers,

Woodchip Carrier
4. Pure Car Carrier (PCC) / Pure
Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC)

PCC – They carry only cars.

PCTC – They transport various types of

four wheeled cargo.

Car Carrier
5. Container Cargo
Cargo that is transported in a container ship.

Two Types of Cargo Container:

1. Dry Container
- used for general cargo.
2. Reefer Container
- are for perishable goods or temperature-
sensitive products that need to be kept at a specific
temperature.

Container Carrier Vessel

6. Reefer Cargo
Are cargoes which dictates
temperature control during transport.

Three types of refrigerated cargoes:

1. Frozen Cargoes
2. Chilled Cargoes
3. Cooled Cargoes

Reefer Ship
7. Logs
A wood that is still intact when it is
cut from the tree.
Log Ship
8. Woodchip
Are very small pieces of wood,
usually made from waste wood, which are
used in processes such as making paper.
Woodchip Carrier
9. Cattle
One of the main cargo in livestock carriers.

10. Passenger

Cruise Ship – passengers used mainly for vacationing

and tours known as shore excursions.
Ocean Liner – are typically constructed to undertake
transcontinental voyages between specific ports.
Ferries – a watercraft that carries passengers, and
sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of
water.
11. Equipment use such as pipes,
cable, optics, and others.
This types of cargoes can be carried by
the following vessel:
 General cargo ship
 Container carrier
 Log ship
 Passenger ship
 Specialized carrier
 References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com
https://www.mlit.go.jp
https://www.en.m.wikipedia.org
https://www.nauticexpo.com
https://wwwmarineinsight.com