Types of container ships used in the maritime industry
Container ships are large seagoing vessels that assist the maritime industry in the international transport of goods packed in cargo containers. They play a dynamic role in balancing the needs of the supply chain through intermodal freight transport. It is primarily a cost-effective solution for international shipments. Depending on the requirements for the type of cargo and shipping containers, there are various types of container ships that meet the needs of consumers.
Until the 2000s, the main types of container ships were:
Panamax - Container ships 965 feet long, 106 feet wide and up to 41.2 feet deep can pass through the Panama Canal. The first was launched in the 1980s to pass through the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The storage capacity of ships of this class varies from 4,000 to 7,000 TEU.
Post-Panamax - falls under the category of extra large container ships with a capacity of 7000 - 13000 TEU. They were created to pass through the new sea routes bypassing the Panama Canal. These vessels reach a length of 1200 feet, a width of 160.7 feet and a draft of 49.9 feet and account for about 30% of the total number of container ships.
With the development of container transportation, ships of the Super-Post-Panamax (more than 13,000 TEU), Explorer Class (more than 16,600 TEU), Triple E-Class (more than 18,200 TEU), Post-Triple E-Class (more than 21,000 TEU) types appeared and the size of container ships continues to grow, as does the upgrading of major shipping channels.
Vessels of the following types are used for the transportation of petroleum products:
Suezmax - a vessel with a capacity of 12,000 TEU can pass through the Suez Canal. In size, it is smaller than ships of the Post Panamax class. This is a tanker built to carry fuel.
Malaccamax - These custom-built tankers allow the transport of raw oil through the Channel of Malacca. They have a capacity of 18,000 TEU, are 1,542 feet long, 197 feet wide and have a draft of 82 feet.
