For dry bulk cargo, quantity alone is not enough to calculate a realistic freight indication.
The stowage factor shows how much space one tonne of cargo occupies inside the vessel. It can determine whether a shipment reaches the vessel's deadweight limit or fills the available hold volume first.
For example, a dense cargo such as clinker occupies much less space than a lighter agricultural product such as sunflower meal.
This affects vessel selection.
Before approaching owners, useful information includes:
- cargo description;
- total quantity;
- stowage factor;
- loading and discharging ports;
- laycan;
- loading and discharging rates;
- moisture or special cargo restrictions;
- draft limits at both ends.
A vessel that is suitable for 20,000 mt of one commodity may not be the most efficient option for 20,000 mt of another.
The difference can influence:
- vessel size;
- usable cargo capacity;
- port draft;
- voyage economics;
- freight per tonne.
That is why cargo owners should provide the stowage factor whenever possible before requesting freight.
At Best Break Bulk, we compare cargo characteristics with suitable coaster, Handysize and Supramax tonnage and negotiate freight based on the actual voyage requirements.
A more accurate cargo description usually means a more realistic freight indication.
See also: Dry bulk cargo chartering.