Suezmax

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Two ships moored in El Ballah while crossing the Suez Canal
The 70 meter high Suez Canal Bridge limits the maximum height of the Suezmax ships.

Suezmax is a size specification for ships. It is defined by the maximum dimensions that are permitted for passage through the Suez Canal when loaded. The Suez Canal allows the following dimensions:

  • Draft : 20.1 m (66  feet [ft] ) (as of January 2010)
  • Height: 68 m
  • Beam: 77.49 m (254 ft 3 in)

As there are no locks in the Suez Canal , there is no length limit. Ships that are unable to cross the Suez Canal are grouped under the term Capesize .

Since the last deepening, the Suez Canal can be crossed fully loaded by 62.6% of all tankers, 96.8% of bulk carriers and 100% of container ships and other ships. As a result, the term Suezmax has largely lost its practical meaning.

The height restriction of 68 m is also not relevant for the majority of the ships. It is only a limiting factor for crane ships or heavy lift or multi-purpose ships with a high deck cargo.

For both tankers and container ships , the draft is usually the limiting factor. For tankers, Suezmax corresponds to around 240,000  dwt .

There are (as of mid-2017) no container ships that have reached this limit (see table Container ship # Development of ship size ).

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