Ship Size Brackets

Type	Sub-type	*At least*	*But not more than*
Tanker	ULCC	300,000 dwt
	VLCC	200,000 dwt	300,000 dwt
	Suezmax	120,000 dwt	200,000 dwt
	Aframax	80,000 dwt	120,000 dwt
	Panamax	60,000 dwt	80,000 dwt
	Small		60,000 dwt
Bulker	ULBC	300,000 dwt
	VLBC	200,000 dwt	300,000 dwt
	Capesize	100,000 dwt	200,000 dwt
	Panamax	60,000 dwt	100,000 dwt
	Handymax	40,000 dwt	60,000 dwt
	Handysize		40,000 dwt
Containership	Post-Panamax	5,000 teu
	Panamax	3,000 teu	5,000 teu
	Sub-Panamax	2,000 teu	3,000 teu
	Handy	1,000 teu	2,000 teu
	Feedermax	500 teu	1,000 teu
	Feeder		500 teu

(1) A "Suezmax" ship can transit the Suez Canal, the controlling dimension for which is a maximum draft of 19 meters (62 feet).

(2) An "Aframax" ship can call at most U.S. ports, the controlling dimension for which is a maximum draft of 12 meters (40 feet).

(3) A "Panamax" ship can transit the Panama Canal, the controlling dimension for which is a maximum beam of 32 meters (106 feet).

(4) "dwt" is short for deadweight tons. The deadweight of a ship is the weight of what it carries, which is mostly its cargo, but also includes fuel, stores, etc. The weight of the ship itself is called its "lightweight". Deadweight + lightweight = displacement.

(5) "teu" is short for "twenty-foot equivalent unit". Because containers come in a variety of sizes, total capacity is calculated in teus. The published capacities of many of the newest and largest containerships may be either overstated or understated according to the whim of their owners. In addition, there are some large "Panamax" containerships which have more cargo capacity than some of the smaller Post-Panamax containerships.