How much a ship can carry, in tonnes, including cargo, fuel, water and stores.
DWT is the main size measure for tankers and bulk carriers; container ships are usually measured in TEU.
Related terms
- TEU — Twenty-foot equivalent unit: one 20-foot container. A 40-foot container is 2 TEU.
- Capesize — The largest dry bulk carriers, about 180,000 deadweight tonnes and 290 m long.
- VLCC — Very large crude carrier: an oil tanker of about 300,000 deadweight tonnes, about 330 m long.