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Capesize

Class of dry cargo ships too large to transit the Panama or Suez Canals

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
1 min read
Source updated March 24, 2026
Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

Capesize ships are the largest dry cargo ships with ball mark dimension: about 170,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) capacity, 290 m (950 ft) long, 45 m (148 ft) beam (wide), 18 m (59 ft) draught (under water depth). They are too large to transit the Suez Canal (Suezmax limits) or Panama Canal (Neopanamax limits), and so have to pass either Cape Agulhas or Cape Horn to traverse between oceans.

When the Suez Canal was deepened in 2009, it became possible for some capesize ships to transit the canal and so change categories.

01Routes

Major capesize bulk trade routes include: Brazil to China, Australia to China, South Africa to China and South Africa to Europe.

After deepening of the Suez Canal, a formerly capesize bulk carrier approaches the Suez Canal Bridge.
After deepening of the Suez Canal, a formerly capesize bulk carrier approaches the Suez Canal Bridge.

02Classification

Ships in this class are bulk carriers, usually transporting coal, ore and other commodity raw materials. The term capesize is not applied to tankers. The average size of a capesize bulker is around 156,000 DWT, although larger ships (normally dedicated to ore transportation) have been built, up to 400,000 DWT. The large dimensions and deep draughts of such vessels mean that only the largest deep-water terminals can accommodate them.

Subcategories of capesize vessels include very large ore carriers (VLOC) and very large bulk carriers (VLBC) of above 200,000 DWT. These vessels are mainly designed to carry iron ore.

Capesize bulk carrier Cape Elise of 174,124 DWT at Inchgreen quay, Greenock, Scotland, for repairs in March 2014 after being struck by a massive wave. At 289 metres long, it was the largest ship to dock at Greenock in 20 years.
Capesize bulk carrier Cape Elise of 174,124 DWT at Inchgreen quay, Greenock, Scotland, for repairs in March 2014 after being struck by a massive wave. At 289 metres long, it was the largest ship to dock at Greenock in 20 years.
Watch videos about CapesizeExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Capesize”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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