MarineTraffic is able to define vessels by type according to:
- the information they transmit via their AIS transponders
- the information stored in our comprehensive maritime database.
Using those 2 sources, we can separate them into different Commercial Markets. Although specifying the exact definition of each Commercial Market and it's most important components is not an easy task, the following table shows the Markets that MarineTraffic uses in a number of services:
COMMERCIAL MARKETS |
CONTAINER SHIPS |
DRY BREAKBULK |
DRY BULK |
LNG CARRIERS |
LPG CARRIERS |
WET BULK |
PASSENGER SHIPS |
OFFSHORE/RIGS |
RO/RO |
SUPPORTING VESSELS |
PLEASURE CRAFT |
FISHING |
OTHER MARKETS |
Furthermore, larger vessels, such as freighters and tankers, can be further categorised into Commercial Size Classes based on their means of measuring their size. This information has been gathered in our database and it's solely responsible for this categorisation.
Consequently, the categorisation is not universal. You may come across slightly different size-ranges per Category. The size-ranges, as mentioned in the table below, are used by MarineTraffic to further categorise the recorded vessels in its database. An example of putting such information to use is the Port Congestion charts, that can be found in the Ports' Detail Page, or the Data Exploration Tool, where various options have a filter for Commercial Market and Commercial Size Class. Additionally, they can be used as input parameters of the Port congestion API service.
MarineTraffic makes use of such information, as follows:
VESSEL TYPE | SIZE CATEGORY | SIZE (in TEU) |
CONTAINER SHIPS | SMALL FEEDER | 0 – 999 |
CONTAINER SHIPS | FEEDER | 1,000 – 1,999 |
CONTAINER SHIPS | FEEDERMAX | 2,000 – 2,999 |
CONTAINER SHIPS | PANAMAX | 3,000 - 5,099 |
CONTAINER SHIPS | POST PANAMAX | 5,100 – 9,999 |
CONTAINER SHIPS | NEW PANAMAX | 10,000 – 14,499 |
CONTAINER SHIPS | ULCV | ≥ 14,500 |
VESSEL TYPE | SIZE CATEGORY | SIZE (in DWT) |
DRY BREAKBULK |
HANDYSIZE | 0 - 39,999 |
DRY BREAKBULK | HANDYMAX | 40,000 - 59,999 |
DRY BREAKBULK | PANAMAX | 60,000 - 79,999 |
DRY BREAKBULK | POST PANAMAX | 80,000 - 119,999 |
DRY BREAKBULK | CAPESIZE | 120,000 - 199,999 |
DRY BREAKBULK | VLBC/ULBC | ≥ 200,000 |
DRY BULK | HANDYSIZE | 0 - 39,999 |
DRY BULK | HANDYMAX | 40,000 - 59,999 |
DRY BULK | PANAMAX | 60,000 - 79,999 |
DRY BULK | POST PANAMAX | 80,000 - 119,999 |
DRY BULK | CAPESIZE | 120,000 - 199,999 |
DRY BULK | VLBC/ULBC | ≥ 200,000 |
WET BULK | HANDYSIZE | 0 - 39,999 |
WET BULK | HANDYMAX/MR | 40,000 - 59,999 |
WET BULK | PANAMAX/LR1 | 60,000 - 79,999 |
WET BULK | AFRAMAX/LR2 | 80,000 - 119,999 |
WET BULK | SUEZMAX | 120,000 - 199,999 |
WET BULK | VLCC/ULCC | ≥ 200,000 |
VESSEL TYPE | SIZE CATEGORY | SIZE (in Liquid Gas) |
LNG CARRIERS | SNGC | 0 - 59,999 |
LNG CARRIERS | HNGC | 60,000 - 99,999 |
LNG CARRIERS | MNGC | 100,000 - 139,999 |
LNG CARRIERS | LNGC | 140,000 - 199,999 |
LNG CARRIERS | VLNGC | ≥ 200,000 |
LPG CARRIERS | SGC | 0 - 14,999 |
LPG CARRIERS | HGC | 15,000 - 24,999 |
LPG CARRIERS | MGC | 25,000 - 49,999 |
LPG CARRIERS | LGC | 50,000 - 60,999 |
LPG CARRIERS | VLGC | ≥ 61,000 |