| Vessel Name | Type | Subtype | TEU / DWT | Max Draft (m) | Length (m) | Beam (m) | GT | Year Built | Notes |
|---|
Draft is fundamentally linked to a vessel's design purpose. Container ships carry lightweight but voluminous cargo, requiring deep hulls (12-17m) for stability with stacks of containers on deck. Bulk carriers haul dense commodities like iron ore and coal; their drafts (10-23m) scale directly with deadweight tonnage. Tankers carry liquid cargo in segmented tanks, and the largest ULCCs reach drafts of 24.5m. Cruise ships have drafts of just 8-10m despite their enormous superstructure, because passenger decks are lightweight and stability comes from beam and ballast rather than depth.
Draft determines which ports a vessel can access. Ports with depth limitations (< 12m) cannot accommodate deep-draft Capesize or VLCC vessels, which is why transshipment hubs and offshore lightering operations exist.
| Canal | Max Draft | Max Beam | Max Length | Vessel Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panama Canal (Neopanamax) | 15.2 m | 51.25 m | 366 m | Neopanamax |
| Panama Canal (Original locks) | 12.0 m | 32.3 m | 294 m | Panamax |
| Suez Canal | 20.1 m | 77.5 m | 400 m | Suezmax |
| Kiel Canal | 9.5 m | 32.5 m | 235 m | Kielmax |
| Malacca Strait | 23.0 m | -- | -- | Malaccamax |
The Panama Canal expansion (2016) raised the draft limit from 12.0m to 15.2m, enabling Neopanamax container ships of up to 14,000 TEU to transit. Suez can pass nearly all vessels except the largest ULCCs.
| Port | Channel Depth | Max Vessel Draft | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai (Yangshan) | 16.5 m | ~15.5 m | ULCV, VLCC (tidal) |
| Singapore | 16.0-23.0 m | ~20.0 m | All vessel types |
| Rotterdam (Maasvlakte) | 24.0 m | ~22.5 m | ULCC, Valemax |
| Los Angeles / Long Beach | 16.8 m | ~15.2 m | ULCV (up to 22,000 TEU) |
| Antwerp | 16.0 m | ~15.2 m | Neopanamax, Suezmax |
| Santos (Brazil) | 15.0 m | ~13.5 m | Panamax, Supramax |
| Newcastle (Australia) | 16.2 m | ~15.0 m | Capesize, Newcastlemax |
GOTEC AI draft measurement works across all vessel types.
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