"Suezmax" is a naval architecture term for the largest ship measurements capable of transiting the Suez Canal in a laden condition, and is almost exclusively used in reference to tankers. The limiting factors are beam, draft, height (because of the Suez Canal Bridge), and length[1] (even though the canal has no locks).
The current channel depth of the canal allows for a maximum of 20.1 metres (66 ft) of draft,[2] meaning that a few 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. The canal was deepened in 2009, increasing the draft from 18 to 20 metres (59 to 66 ft).
The typical deadweight of a Suezmax ship is about 160,000 tons; the typical beam (width) is about 48 m (157.5 ft). Also of note is the maximum head room—"air draft"—limitation of 68 m (223.1 ft), resulting from the 70 metres (230 ft) height above water of the Suez Canal Bridge. Suez Canal Authority produces tables of width and acceptable draft, which are subject to change.[1] From 2010, the wetted surface cross sectional area of the ship is limited by 1006 m2, which means 20.1 metres (66 ft) of draft for ships with the beam no wider than 50.0 m (164.0 ft) or 12.2 metres (40 ft) of draft for ships with maximum allowed beam of 77.5 metres (254 ft).[3]
The similar terms 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. The term "Chinamax" refers to vessels able to use a number of harbours while fully laden. "Capesize" refers to bulk carriers too big to pass through the Suez Canal—and needing to travel the Cape route around the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas—but recent dredging means many Capesize vessels can use the canal. Plans to deepen the draft to 70 feet (21 m) could lead to a redefinition of the Suezmax specification, as happened to the Panamax specification after deepening and widening of the Panama Canal.
Aframax is a freight rating, not a geographic routing limiter, for tankers are those with a capacity of 80,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT) to 120,000 DWT.
Container shipsedit
Vessels longer than 400 meters need permission from the Suez Canal Authority to transit the canal. As of 2020, the largest container ships in service all have a length of (close to) 400 meters, and a beam and draft that fit just within the limits of the canal.[4] The ship Ever Given, which ran aground in the Suez Canal in 2021, has Suezmax size with 399.9 meters length and 58.8 meters beam.[5]
^ ab"SCA – Rules of Navigation". www.suezcanal.gov.eg. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
^. Reuters Africa. Thomson Reuters (af.reuters.com). 26 July 2010. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
^Suez Canal Authority – Beam and Draught Table 2013-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
^Park, Nam Kyu; Suh, Sang Cheol (2019-05-06). "Tendency toward Mega Containerships and the Constraints of Container Terminals". Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 7 (5): 131. doi:10.3390/jmse7050131.
suezmax, naval, architecture, term, largest, ship, measurements, capable, transiting, suez, canal, laden, condition, almost, exclusively, used, reference, tankers, limiting, factors, beam, draft, height, because, suez, canal, bridge, length, even, though, cana. Suezmax is a naval architecture term for the largest ship measurements capable of transiting the Suez Canal in a laden condition and is almost exclusively used in reference to tankers The limiting factors are beam draft height because of the Suez Canal Bridge and length 1 even though the canal has no locks A Suezmax oil tanker Seavigour in 2017General characteristicsTonnagetypically 160 000 DWTLength275 m 902 ft maximum Beam77 5 metres 254 ft maximum 50 m 164 ft at 20 1 m draft Height68 m 223 ft maximum Draft20 1 m 66 ft maximum Two ships moored at El Ballah during a Suez Canal transitPost deepening of the Suez Canal larger ships pass through the canal in this case a capesize bulk carrier approaches the Egyptian Japanese Friendship BridgeComparison of bounding box of Suezmax with some other ship sizes in isometric view Contents 1 Description 2 Container ships 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription editThe current channel depth of the canal allows for a maximum of 20 1 metres 66 ft of draft 2 meaning that a few 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 The canal was deepened in 2009 increasing the draft from 18 to 20 metres 59 to 66 ft The typical deadweight of a Suezmax ship is about 160 000 tons the typical beam width is about 48 m 157 5 ft Also of note is the maximum head room air draft limitation of 68 m 223 1 ft resulting from the 70 metres 230 ft height above water of the Suez Canal Bridge Suez Canal Authority produces tables of width and acceptable draft which are subject to change 1 From 2010 the wetted surface cross sectional area of the ship is limited by 1006 m2 which means 20 1 metres 66 ft of draft for ships with the beam no wider than 50 0 m 164 0 ft or 12 2 metres 40 ft of draft for ships with maximum allowed beam of 77 5 metres 254 ft 3 The similar terms 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 The term Chinamax refers to vessels able to use a number of harbours while fully laden Capesize refers to bulk carriers too big to pass through the Suez Canal and needing to travel the Cape route around the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas but recent dredging means many Capesize vessels can use the canal Plans to deepen the draft to 70 feet 21 m could lead to a redefinition of the Suezmax specification as happened to the Panamax specification after deepening and widening of the Panama Canal Aframax is a freight rating not a geographic routing limiter for tankers are those with a capacity of 80 000 tonnes deadweight DWT to 120 000 DWT Container ships editVessels longer than 400 meters need permission from the Suez Canal Authority to transit the canal As of 2020 the largest container ships in service all have a length of close to 400 meters and a beam and draft that fit just within the limits of the canal 4 The ship Ever Given which ran aground in the Suez Canal in 2021 has Suezmax size with 399 9 meters length and 58 8 meters beam 5 See also editPanamax List of Panamax ports Cargo ship Size categories Malaccamax nbsp Transport portalReferences edit a b SCA Rules of Navigation www suezcanal gov eg Retrieved 2020 03 19 Egypt s Suez canal H1 revenue traffic up upgrade helps Reuters Africa Thomson Reuters af reuters com 26 July 2010 Archived from the original on 19 January 2012 Retrieved 26 March 2011 Suez Canal Authority Beam and Draught Table Archived 2013 06 04 at the Wayback Machine Park Nam Kyu Suh Sang Cheol 2019 05 06 Tendency toward Mega Containerships and the Constraints of Container Terminals Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 7 5 131 doi 10 3390 jmse7050131 Ever Given 18265351 ABS Record American Bureau of Shipping Retrieved 25 March 2021 External links editShip sizes Archived 2021 05 03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Suezmax amp oldid 1188393662, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
