Dry bulk chartering
Dry bulk chartering: the right bulk carrier for your cargo.
Grain, fertilisers, coal, ores, cement, clinker and steel. We find bulk carriers that can load the full stem, work both berths and make the laycan, and your broker negotiates freight and terms. Our AI-supported system matches them to your cargo in seconds.
- Volume checked
- Stowage factor against grain capacity, at the worst case of the tolerance.
- Gear and grabs
- Geared ships where the terminal has no shore cranes.
- Draft and ports
- Draft and port limits at both ends, before an offer goes out.
Dry bulk cargoes we charter for
Each cargo family brings its own checks before a ship is proposed. Where a cargo has its own page, its name links to it.
| Cargo family | Examples | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Grain and agri | Wheat, barley, corn, oilseeds, meals | Hold cleanliness, grain capacity, fumigation |
| Fertilisers | Urea, ammonium nitrate, other fertilisers | IMSBC group, moisture, hold condition |
| Coal and ores | Coal, coke, iron ore, manganese, minerals | IMSBC group and moisture limits, tank-top strength |
| Cement and clinker | Cement, clinker, gypsum | Dust and loading method, gear and grabs |
| Steel products | Coils, billets | Tank-top strength, lashing |
| Scrap | Heavy melting scrap, shredded, bundles | Cubic intake, grabs and magnets, tank-top strength |
| Minor bulks | Salt, sugar and other minor bulks | Stowage factor, cleanliness, port equipment |
Choosing the right bulk carrier
| Class | Approx. deadweight | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Handysize | 15,000 to 40,000 dwt | Smaller parcels, river and draft-restricted ports |
| Supramax / Ultramax | 50,000 to 67,000 dwt | Grain, fertiliser and coal stems, ports without shore cranes |
| Panamax / Kamsarmax | 65,000 to 85,000 dwt | Larger stems between terminals with shore equipment |
What we check before proposing a ship
- Intake against quantity and tolerance
- Stowage factor against grain or bale capacity
- IMSBC cargo group and moisture limits where relevant
- Gear, grabs and hold configuration
- Draft and length limits at load and discharge
- Hold cleanliness for grain and sensitive cargo
- Laycan feasibility from the ship's open position
A bulk carrier fits a cargo when it can load the full stem, work the berth and make the laycan. Price comes after that.
Voyage or time charter
For a single parcel, a voyage charter gives a fixed freight per tonne with no bunker risk. For regular volumes a contract of affreightment can secure tonnage and price. Operators and traders take trip or period time charters when they want to run the voyage themselves.
Our trades
From our Istanbul desk we work the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and the Mediterranean most closely, with onward trades to the Red Sea, the Middle East, West Africa and the Continent. The trade lanes below have their own page, with the cargo, the ships and what moves the freight on each.
| Trade lane | Cargo | Ships that usually fit |
|---|---|---|
| Black Sea to Egypt grain | Grain | Handysize, Supramax and ultramax |
| Black Sea to Türkiye grain | Grain | Handysize |
| Northern Europe to Türkiye scrap | Scrap | Handysize, Supramax and ultramax |
Questions, answered
- What size of bulk carrier do I need?
- It depends on the quantity, the stowage factor and the ports. A 25,000 mt grain parcel into a small port may need a geared handysize; a 55,000 mt coal stem suits a supramax or ultramax.
- Do you arrange part cargoes?
- Where a ship can combine parcels safely, yes. Tell us the quantity and ports and we will see what the market offers.
- What do you need for a dry bulk quote?
- Commodity, quantity with tolerance, load and discharge ports, laycan, load and discharge terms, and the stowage factor if you have it.
Explore more
Matched in seconds, negotiated by a broker
Send us a cargo or an open vessel. Our system matches it in seconds, and your broker comes back with the best options.