Bulk cargoes used to be carried in general cargoships.

After World War 2, “Liberty ships” (a special class of ships that were built during World War 2)  and other war-built ships (known as Victory, Fort, Ocean, Park-class ships) were also used to move bulk cargoes.

From the late 1950s, changes were made to the design of ships to carry bulk cargoes. Owners who had been using war-built ships (or even older ships) to carry bulk cargoes wanted to replace their vessels with new, specially-designed ships. New vessels were built with their designs that were modified to carry bulk cargoes. Other operators continued to use standard cargoships to move bulk cargoes.

When the first dedicated bulkers began to be built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, they had :

• accommodation & engine aft
• derricks (more modern bulkers have cranes; others are gearless)
• four or five holds
• no tweendecks

The Japanese-designed Freedom ships became popular with those transporting bulk cargoes, as did the British-designed SD14 ships.

Many other classes of bulkers were also built. Cranes were fitted, rather than derricks.

A shipbuilding boom began as hundreds of new bulk carriers were ordered to replace older ships.

Growth in size of bulk carriers

Some ships need to be relatively small to enter smaller or shallower ports, and/or to carry smaller amounts of cargo. Therefore the Handysize bulker remains very common.

However, owners realised that moving larger volumes of cargo at a time saved money.

Larger bulkers were built, particularly for the “long haul” iron ore and coal trades, e.g. Brazil to Asia; Richards Bay to Asia.

For 26 years, Berge Stahl (built 1986) was the largest bulker.

• Length: 343m
• Beam: 64m
• Draught: 23m
• Deadweight: 364 767 dwt

The largest bulker is now the Vale-class with a length of closer to 400 metres, a beam of around 70 metres, and a summer loaded draught of about 26 metres.

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Bulk cargoes used to be carried in general cargoships. Memphis City sailing from Cape Town with about 4500 tons of grain (circa 1936).

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After World War 2, “Liberty ships” and other war-built ships (Victory, Fort, Ocean, Park-class ships) were used to move bulk cargoes. South African Liberty ship President Kruger circa 1950.

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A typical Victory ship, built in 1945, and often used to carry bulk cargoes.

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Ships, owned by the South African Railways & Harbours (Sarships), carried coal and other minerals to Asia or west Africa, and loaded railway sleepers for the return voyage to South Africa.

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Later, the Sarships only moved coal from Maputo (then called Lourenco Marques) to Cape ports for steam locomotives, power stations, industrial furnaces and domestic use. Hangklip is seen discharging coal in Cape Town.

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Johan Hugo, a small gearless bulker, was built in 1966 for the South African Railways & Harbours specially to move coal to Cape ports from Maputo (then called Lourenco Marques) As the use of coal declined, the number of ships moving coal from Maputo to Cape ports decreased. In 1984, Johan Hugo was sold.

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The 1961-built cargoship Hendrik Fisser, modified for bulk cargoes. She often brought phosphate cargoes from Safi (Morocco) to Cape Town.

• Length: 160m
• Beam: 21m
• Draught: 8.4m
• Deadweight: 13 372 dwt

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Lola, Japanese-built c.1970, with derricks. Her cargo of logs had shifted during her voyage from Brazil. Some had gone overboard off the Cape.

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Freedom class ship

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SD 14: This class of vessel was built as a replacement for some of the war-built classes. (Liberties, Victories, Oceans, Forts, Parks, etc.)

• Length: 140m
• Deadweight: 14000 dwt

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Sea Merchant. Note the cranes.
• Built: 1983
• Length: 178m
• Deadweight: 35419 dwt

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Berge Stahl, the world’s largest bulk carrier at Saldanha Bay, December 2006.

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Foredeck, Berge Stahl.

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Vale Brazil, currently the largest ore carrier (built 2012). Source of photograph unknown.
• Length: 386 m
• Draught: 27 m
• Deadweight: about 400 000 dwt