Maritime glossary
Capesize
A large dry bulk carrier above roughly 150,000 DWT, too big for the Suez and Panama canals.
Definition
A Capesize is a dry bulk carrier above about 150,000 DWT, too large for the Suez and Panama canals, so it historically routed around the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn. Capesizes carry mainly iron ore and coal on long-haul routes from Brazil and Australia to Asia. The even larger Newcastlemax and Valemax ships are sized to specific export terminals. Capesize earnings swing hard with steel demand and are a leading indicator for the dry bulk market.
How Vessel Hunter uses Capesize
Vessel Hunter tracks the Capesize fleet by owner and operator, so yards and suppliers can target the long-haul ore and coal tonnage directly.
Related terms
- Bulk Carrier
A single-deck ship built to carry unpackaged dry bulk cargo like grain, coal, ore, and cement in large holds.
- Panamax
A vessel sized to the original Panama Canal locks, with a beam limit of 32.31 metres.
- Handysize
A small, flexible dry bulk carrier of roughly 10,000 to 40,000 DWT, often fitted with its own cranes.
- DWTDeadweight Tonnage
The maximum weight in tonnes a vessel can carry (cargo, fuel, ballast, crew, stores) without exceeding its load line.
- Baltic Dry IndexBDI
A daily index of dry bulk freight rates across Capesize, Panamax, and Supramax routes, a barometer of the bulk market.
The bigger picture
Capesize is one piece of the commercial maritime picture Vessel Hunter pulls together for shipyards, suppliers, service providers, and port agents. Every vessel record bundles AIS, ownership, inspections, dry-dock history, casualty record, classification status, and a verified contact for the operator decision-maker behind the ship, so the team that reaches out first wins the work.
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