A ship built to carry loose dry cargo such as coal, iron ore or grain in large holds.
Sizes range from Handysize (about 35,000 tonnes) to Capesize (over 150,000 tonnes), which are too large for the Suez or Panama canals when fully loaded.
Related terms
- Bulk cargo — Unpacked cargo loaded straight into a ship’s hold: coal, ore, grain, oil.
- Capesize — The largest dry bulk carriers, about 180,000 deadweight tonnes and 290 m long.