Dry cargo Industry

Dry Bulk Trades

Dry bulk trades comprise iron ore, coal, grain, timber, steel and other similar cargoes which are shipped in bulk as opposed to carried in containers or other unit loads. Delivering these commodities every day requires an efficient dry cargo shipping industry - without which, world trade as we know it would cease.

Dry bulk shipping refers to the movement of significant commodities carried in bulk : - the so-called major bulks, together with ships carrying steel products (coils, plates and rods), lumber or log carriers and other commodities classified as the minor bulks.

The importance of the dry bulk industry is that without the estimated 285 million deadweight tons of dry bulk shipping, global trade, industry and ultimately our current lifestyles, could not be maintained.

The international steel industry - for example, could not function without an efficient and cost effective maritime industry transporting the raw materials - coal and iron ore, as well as the means to ship the finished product around the world.

Looking around the average home, the unseen links with the dry cargo industry are all around. Toasting a piece of bread involves metal components in the toaster - manufactured processes using ores and alumina, grain used in the bread and coal-generated electricity providing the power.

Last Updated on Thursday, 23 July 2009 11:17

Industry facts and figures

Intercargo has provided a wealth of statistical data on the dry bulk sector in their 2008-2009 Publication, "Benchmarking Bulk Carriers". Included in that document are details of the number of Dry Bulk Managers, the current and future fleet profile, ages and port State control performances.

Otherwise and as a taster of that document, which is available from Intercargo or www.witherbyseamanship.com. Intercargo is pleased to record that the safety trend of bulk carriers continues to improve; that there were an estimated 6,337 Dry Bulk Vessels over 10,000 dwt trading internationally on 1 July 2008 and that Intercargo entered vessels continued to have a lower port State control Deficiencies Per Inspection rating than the industry average.

We estimate that 462 Bulk Carriers and similar vessels were detained in the Paris MoU, Tokyo MoU and USCG in 2007, plus an additional 44 in the Indian Ocean.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 August 2009 07:55