Suezmax
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Suez Canal. (Discuss) Proposed since November 2008. |
Suezmax is a naval architecture term for the largest ships capable of transiting the Suez Canal fully loaded, and is almost exclusively used in reference to tankers. Since the canal has no locks, the only serious limiting factors are draft (maximum depth below waterline), and height due to the Suez Canal Bridge. The current channel depth of the canal allows for a maximum of 18.9 m (62.0 ft) of draft, meaning many fully laden supertankers are too deep to fit through, and either have to unload part of their cargo to other ships ("transhipment") or to a pipeline terminal before passing through, or alternatively avoid the Suez Canal and travel around Cape Agulhas instead. Currently, the canal is being deepened to 18 to 20 m (59.1 to 65.6 ft).[citation needed]
The typical deadweight of a Suezmax ship is about 150,000 tons and typically has a beam (width) of 46 m (150.9 ft). Also of note is the maximum head room—"air draft"—limitation of 68 m (223.1 ft), which is the height above water of the Suez Canal Bridge. Suez Canal Authority produces tables of width and acceptable draft, which are subject to change[1]. Currently the wetted surface cross sectional area of the ship is limited by 945 m2, which means 18.9 m (62.0 ft) of draught for ships with the beam no wider than 50.0 m (164.0 ft) or 12.2 m (40.0 ft) of draught for ships with maximum allowed beam of 77.5 m (254 ft).
Improvements are envisaged so that in 2010, the maximum draft will increase to 22 m (72.2 ft), in order to allow supertankers. Until then supertankers must discharge part of their cargo at the entry of the channel and reload it at the other end, transported along the way by pipeline.[citation needed]
Similar terms of Panamax, Malaccamax and Seawaymax are used for the largest ships capable of fitting through the Panama Canal, the Strait of Malacca and Saint Lawrence Seaway, respectively. Aframax tankers are those with a capacity of 80,000 t DWT DWT uses unsupported parameter (help) to 120,000 DWT.
See also
References
Modern merchant ships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overviews |  | |
| Dry cargo | ||
| Tankers | ||
| Passenger | ||
| Support | ||
| Other types | ||
| Related | ||
 | This article about a type of ship or boat is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |