Maritime glossary
General Cargo Ship
A flexible ship that carries packaged, palletised, or break-bulk cargo, often with its own cranes.
Definition
A general cargo ship, sometimes a multi-purpose vessel or MPP, carries break-bulk and packaged goods, project cargo, bagged commodities, and often containers, frequently with its own cranes so it can work ports that lack shore handling. These ships are the workhorses of regional and developing-market trades, smaller and more flexible than dedicated bulkers or boxships, and they trade across both voyage and time charters.
How Vessel Hunter uses General Cargo Ship
Multi-purpose tonnage calls at a wide spread of smaller ports, which makes the approaching-ports inbox in Vessel Hunter especially useful for agents and chandlers serving them.
Related terms
- Ro-Ro VesselRoll-on/Roll-off
A ship with ramps that lets wheeled cargo drive on and off under its own power or on trailers.
- Reefer Ship
A refrigerated cargo ship built to carry perishable goods like fruit, fish, and meat at controlled temperatures.
- Bulk Carrier
A single-deck ship built to carry unpackaged dry bulk cargo like grain, coal, ore, and cement in large holds.
The bigger picture
General Cargo Ship 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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