General Cargo Vessels: Technicalities, Uses, and Advantages
General cargo vessels are multipurpose vessels that transport a wide range of goods. This is in contrast with oil tankers that transport only oil and ro-ro vessels that only transport vehicles. General cargo vessels do not transport a specific cargo type.
Technical Details of General Cargo Vessels
Types of General Cargo Vessels
These vessels have the following types:
Ships With Cargo Gears: These ships have their own derricks and cranes and do not rely on ports for these facilities. They cut through the bunkering time, especially at the ports with minimal facilities.
Ships Without Cargo Gears: These general cargo vessels do not have their own gear and rely on the port’s infrastructure for loading and unloading. They work better with well-equipped ports.
Sea River Vessels: These ships have mixed functionality as they can move through open seas and also dock at inland river ports.
Coastal Trade Liners: These are smaller vessels that move between neighbouring countries. They usually don’t go to the deep sea and are best for regional trade.
Dimensions and Capacity
These ships vary greatly in size and carrying capacities. However, we have provided details of a typical general multi purpose cargo vessel.
Length: 135 metres
Carrying Capacity: Around 2750 to 13,700 DWT
Engine Power and Performance:
These ships usually move at a speed of around 12-13 knots per day, consuming around 7-15 tons of fuel per day. Fuel consumption increases with speed.
Uses of General Cargo Vessels:
General cargo vessels are used for various purposes.
Industrial Use:
These cargo ships carry a versatile range of cargo. Some raw cargo is so irregularly shaped or oversized that it can not fit into containers or lanes. Such cargo is transported using general cargo vessels.
Commercial Use:
They are used in regional and coastal shipping routes where ports may not have much advanced infrastructure.
Advantages of General Cargo Vessels
General multipurpose cargo vessels have their own set of perks and advantages.
Flexibility:
General cargo vessels carry a wide variety of goods. There’s so much you can ship using general cargo vessels.
Accessibility:
As these ships have their own cranes and cargo gear, they can easily work at ports with little loading and unloading equipment.
Efficiency:
These ships can be used to carry liquid cargo like oil and gas cargo. This makes them quite efficient for shippers who want to trade a variety of cargo. They can rely on one ship instead of hiring separate specialised ships for liquid and gas transport.
FAQs
Q: What are multipurpose ships generally used to carry?
A: Multipurpose ships are used to carry paper products, timber, machinery, hazardous material, bulk cargoes, steel coils etc.
Q: What is multipurpose general cargo?
A: A multipurpose general cargo is a ship that is used to carry various types of non-specific cargo, whether in bulk, units, or containers.
Q: What is the difference between geared and gearless general cargo vessels?
A: Geared cargo vessels have their own cranes and derricks and don’t rely on ports for loading and unloading. Gearless cargo vessels don’t have their own gear and rely on the port’s infrastructure.