The choice of ship size on deep-sea general cargo routes †

The introduction of unit load methods, particularly the cellular container system, has been associated with a large increase in ship size on some of the world's major general cargo routes. In this sector, ship size is determined by a set of interactions between handling performance, route length, traffic flow, itinerary, requirements for frequent and regular service, port costs and general system organization. This paper explores these relationships to identify major influences and to consider the prospects for further growth.