Dry Bulk Vessel Charter
Bulk carriers move most of the world's loose dry cargo: grain, coal, ores, fertilizers, cement and more. Here is how a dry bulk charter works and what to have ready.
What a bulk carrier is
A bulk carrier is a single-deck ship with large cargo holds built to carry unpackaged cargo in bulk. Size classes run from small handysize ships through handymax, supramax and panamax up to large capesize ships, and the right class depends on cargo quantity, ports and draft.
Cement is carried by specialised cement carriers.
Which cargoes go by bulk carrier
Typical dry bulk cargoes are grain and oilseeds, coal, iron ore, bauxite, fertilizers, sugar, cement, scrap and salt. See our guides to grain cargo and coal, iron ore and minerals.
How a dry bulk charter is arranged
Most dry bulk cargoes are chartered on a voyage charter: one cargo, named loading and discharging ports, a laycan (the dates the ship must be ready to load) and freight per tonne. When the charterer wants the ship for a period, a time charter or a trip time charter is used instead.
What to prepare before you post
Cargo and quantity, loading and discharging ports, the laycan, and the size of ship you can accept. A freight idea helps ship operators answer faster, and "best offer" is a normal choice.
Search bulk carriers for your cargo
Shipfixing connects charterers and ship operators. We scan for suitable ships. Voyage requests for ships below 10,000 DWT need no signup and no membership.
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