13.Bulk carrier

Bulk carriers are used to carry coal, grain, phosphates and other "loose" cargo. They come in various sizes and configurations, depending on the nature of the cargo and the area served. Some of these vessels are too large for the Panama Canal (the same can be true of containerships). These are known as post Panmax ships. This means that they are more than 32.2 meters in the beam. They are almost always employed in tramp service. That is, they often work on a contract basis rather than carrying cargo on a regular, established route. Thus the name, they are truly tramps, going where the cargo needs to be taken. A special type of bulk carrier is found on the Great Lakes between the U.S. and Canada and adjoining water ways.