Bulk Vessel Size Guide — DWT, Cargo Capacity, Port Constraints
Bulk dry vessel size reference for international commodity trade. Handysize, Handymax, Supramax, Ultramax, Panamax, Kamsarmax, Post-Panamax, Capesize. DWT ranges, cargo capacity, draft, port suitability for Egyptian commodity exports.
Bulk Vessel Size Guide — From Handysize to Capesize
International dry bulk shipping uses 7 standard vessel size classes, distinguished by deadweight tonnage (DWT), beam, draft, and the canals/ports they can transit. Understanding which vessel size matches your cargo + lane economics is critical for FOB/CIF pricing accuracy.
The 7 standard dry bulk vessel classes
| Class | DWT range | Typical cargo capacity | Draft | LOA | Beam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handysize | 10,000-35,000 | 8,000-30,000 MT | 8-11 m | 130-180 m | 22-28 m |
| Handymax | 35,000-50,000 | 30,000-44,000 MT | 11-12 m | 180-200 m | 28-32 m |
| Supramax | 50,000-60,000 | 44,000-54,000 MT | 12-13 m | 195-210 m | 32-34 m |
| Ultramax | 60,000-65,000 | 54,000-58,000 MT | 13 m | 200 m | 34 m |
| Panamax | 65,000-80,000 | 58,000-72,000 MT | 14 m | 225 m | 32 m (max for old Panama locks) |
| Kamsarmax | 80,000-90,000 | 72,000-82,000 MT | 14.5 m | 229 m | 32 m |
| Capesize | 100,000+ (typical 170-180k) | 90,000-170,000 MT | 18 m+ | 290 m | 45 m |
Egyptian port compatibility matrix
| Port | Max draft | Typical largest vessel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damietta (EGDAM) | 15 m | Kamsarmax, partial Capesize | Egypt's deepest container + bulk port |
| Alexandria (EGALY) | 14 m | Panamax/Kamsarmax | Older infrastructure, slower turnaround |
| El Dekheila (EGEDK) | 17 m | Capesize | Deep-water terminal, large cement + iron ore |
| Ain Sokhna (EGSOK) | 17 m | Capesize | Red Sea side, container hub |
| Port Said East (EGPSE) | 18.5 m | Capesize+ | New container terminal, deepest in Egypt |
| Al-Arish (EGEAR) | 9 m | Handysize | Coastal sea-salt port, limited |
| Adabiya (EGADA) | 10-11 m | Handymax | Niche bulk |
| Suez (EGSUZ) | 11 m | Handymax/Supramax | Mostly transit, some discharge |
| Safaga (EGSGA) | 10 m | Handysize | Niche, phosphate exports |
Cargo-vessel matching by commodity
Cement + Clinker
Salt (de-icing + industrial)
Gypsum + Plaster
Fertilizers (Urea, DAP, NPK, MAP)
Iron ore + bauxite + coal
Special vessel-class notes
Suez Canal Capacity
- SCNT (Suez Canal Net Tonnage) is the basis for transit fees
- Suezmax refers historically to tankers/bulk vessels at the canal's maximum drift restrictions
- New Suez Canal expansion (2015) allows two-way Capesize transit
- Cargo to/from Mediterranean Egyptian ports avoids canal entirely; Red Sea Egyptian ports use canal for Atlantic/European destinations
Panama Canal expansion
- Original locks: max beam 32.3 m (true Panamax)
- Expanded locks (2016): allow up to 49 m beam, 366 m LOA — opens Post-Panamax routes for Capesize-style vessels
- Affects Asia ↔ US East Coast + Europe ↔ Pacific Latin America economics
Vessel speed + bunker
- Bulk vessels: eco-speed 11-12 knots, service speed 14-15 knots, full speed 16-17 knots
- Voyage planning: roughly 0.4-0.5 days per 1,000 nautical miles at service speed
- Damietta → Hamburg ~3,200 nm = ~12-15 day voyage at service speed
How vessel size affects your CIF cost
Larger vessels = lower $/MT freight, but require deeper port draft, larger cargo lot size, longer lay-can. Smaller vessels = higher $/MT but more flexible.
Typical breakeven for Egyptian commodity exports:
How Egypt Globe Group handles vessel matching
We have framework rate agreements with 12+ shipping lines covering Handysize → Kamsarmax bulk vessels from all 7 Egyptian export ports. We quote freight as part of CIF based on vessel size that fits your cargo lot.
Quality at the Core — the verification behind the reference
The figures on this page are reference data; the cargo itself is verified lot by lot. Egypt Globe Group was incorporated in 2014 with a dedicated internal Quality Assurance division, and every consignment passes five verification gates between the source and the buyer's arrival laboratory. Specification is guaranteed at the port of loading and binding under the sales contract.
| Gate | Control | Evidence issued | Who · frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Extraction / source | Source sampling on every production lot | Source laboratory · per lot |
| 2 | Processing | Washing, screening, drying, grading or milling verified against the contract specification | Plant QC · per batch |
| 3 | Port laboratory | Full analysis against the contract specification; Certificate of Analysis or Mill Test Certificate issued before the Bill of Lading | EGG port QC lab · per shipment |
| 4 | Independent inspection | Pre-shipment sampling, witness testing, draft survey or tally; sealed retained samples held 90 days | TÜV Austria / SGS / Intertek / BV · per vessel |
| 5 | Destination acceptance | CoA cross-referenced with the buyer's arrival laboratory; retained samples arbitrate any variance | Buyer laboratory · on discharge |
- Quality & compliance — the QA charter, inspection partners and destination conformity programmes
- Inspection & QC · Trade documentation · Loading ports
- Request a quote — priced FOB / CIF / CFR offer, sample Certificate of Analysis and inspection protocol within 24 hours
Contents· 8 sections
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