View source for Suezmax

{{Short description|Largest ships that can transit the Suez Canal}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = The Seavigour oil tanker (2017).jpg
| Ship caption = A Suezmax oil tanker, ''Seavigour'', in 2017
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = 
| Ship tonnage = typically {{DWT|160,000}}
| Ship displacement = 
| Ship length = {{convert|400|m|abbr=on}} (maximum)
| Ship beam = {{convert|77.5|m|ft}} (maximum); {{convert|50|m|abbr=on|0}}&nbsp;(at 20.1 m draft)
| Ship height = {{convert|68|m|abbr=on|0}} (maximum)
| Ship draught = 
| Ship draft = {{convert|20.1|m|abbr=on}} (maximum)
| Ship depth = 
| Ship decks = 
| Ship deck clearance = 
| Ship ramps = 
| Ship ice class = 
| Ship sail plan = 
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = 
| Ship speed = 
| Ship capacity = 
| Ship crew = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

[[File:SuezCanal ElBallah.JPG|right|thumb|upright=1.2|Two ships moored at El Ballah during a Suez Canal transit]]
[[File:Capesize bulk carrier at Suez Canal Bridge.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Post-deepening of the [[Suez Canal]], larger ships pass through the canal – in this case, a [[capesize]] [[bulk carrier]] approaches the [[Egyptian–Japanese Friendship Bridge]]]]
[[File:Ship measurements comparison.svg|thumb|400px|Comparison of [[bounding box]] of Suezmax with some other ship sizes in isometric view]]

"'''Suezmax'''" is a [[naval architecture]] term for the largest ship measurements capable of transiting the [[Suez Canal]] in a laden condition, and is almost exclusively used in reference to [[oil tanker|tankers]]. The limiting factors are [[beam (nautical)|beam]], [[draft (hull)|draft]], height (because of the [[Suez Canal Bridge]]), and length<ref name=":0">{{Cite web| url=https://www.suezcanal.gov.eg:443/English/Navigation/Pages/RulesOfNavigation.aspx|title=SCA – Rules of Navigation| website=www.suezcanal.gov.eg| language=en|access-date=2020-03-19}}</ref> (even though the canal has no [[Lock (water transport)|locks]]).

== Description ==
The current channel depth of the canal allows for a maximum of {{convert|20.1|m|ft}} of draft,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://af.reuters.com/article/idAFJOE66P09P20100726 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119101337/http://af.reuters.com/article/idAFJOE66P09P20100726 |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 January 2012 |title=Egypt's Suez canal H1 revenue, traffic up; upgrade helps |date=26 July 2010 |work=Reuters Africa |publisher= Thomson Reuters (af.reuters.com) |access-date=26 March 2011}}</ref> meaning that a few fully laden [[supertanker]]s are too deep to fit through, and either have to unload part of their cargo to other ships ("transhipment") or to a pipeline terminal before passing through, or alternatively avoid the Suez Canal and travel around [[Cape Agulhas]] instead. The canal was deepened in 2009, increasing the draft from {{convert|18|to|20|m|ft}}.

The typical [[Deadweight_tonnage|deadweight]] of a Suezmax ship is about 160,000 tons; the typical beam (width) is about {{convert|48|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}. Also of note is the maximum head room—"[[air draft]]"—limitation of {{convert|68|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}, resulting from the {{convert|70|m|ft|adj=on}} height above water of the [[Suez Canal Bridge]]. [[Suez Canal Authority]] produces tables of width and acceptable draft, which are subject to change.<ref name=":0" /> From 2010, the wetted surface cross sectional area of the ship is limited by {{cvt|1006|m2|ft2}}, which means {{convert|20.1|m|ft}} of draft for ships with the beam no wider than {{convert|50.0|m|ft}} or {{convert|12.2|m|ft}} of draft for ships with maximum allowed beam of {{convert|77.5|m|ft}}.<ref>[http://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/Files/2-2010.pdf Suez Canal Authority – Beam and Draught Table] {{webarchive| url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604114747/http://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/Files/2-2010.pdf |date=2013-06-04 }}</ref>

The similar terms [[Panamax]], [[Malaccamax]], and [[Seawaymax]] are used for the largest ships capable of fitting through the [[Panama Canal]], the [[Strait of Malacca]] and [[Saint Lawrence Seaway]], respectively. The term "[[Chinamax]]" refers to vessels able to use a number of harbours while fully laden. "[[Capesize]]" refers to [[bulk carrier]]s too big to pass through the Suez Canal—and needing to travel the [[Cape route]] around the [[Cape of Good Hope]] and [[Cape Agulhas]]—but recent dredging means many Capesize vessels can use the canal. Plans to deepen the draft to {{convert|70|ft|m|order=flip}} could lead to a redefinition of the Suezmax specification, as happened to the Panamax specification after deepening and widening of the Panama Canal.

[[Aframax]] is a freight rating, not a geographic routing limiter, for tankers are those with a capacity of {{DWT|80,000|metric|disp=long}} to {{DWT|120,000}}.

== Container ships ==
Vessels longer than {{convert|400|m|ft}} need permission from the [[Suez Canal Authority]] to transit the canal. As of 2020, the [[List of largest container ships|largest container ships]] in service all have a length of (close to) 400&nbsp;metres, and a beam and draft that fit just within the limits of the canal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rules of Navigation2020 pdf page 75 |url=https://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/FlipPDFFiles/RulesOfNavigation/index.html#p=75 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.suezcanal.gov.eg}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal| last1=Park| first1=Nam Kyu| last2=Suh|first2=Sang Cheol|date=2019-05-06 |title=Tendency toward Mega Containerships and the Constraints of Container Terminals| journal=Journal of Marine Science and Engineering| language=en| volume=7|issue=5| pages=131|doi=10.3390/jmse7050131| doi-access=free}}</ref> The ship [[Ever Given]], which [[2021 Suez Canal obstruction|ran aground in the Canal in 2021]], has Suezmax size being 399.9&nbsp;metres long and with a {{convert|58.8|m|ft|adj=on}} beam.<ref name="ABS">{{csr|register=ABS|id=18265351|shipname=Ever Given|accessdate=25 March 2021}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Panamax]]
* [[List of Panamax ports]]
* {{format link|Cargo ship#Size categories}}
* [[Malaccamax]]
* [[Q-Max]]
{{Portal|Transport}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://maritime-connector.com/wiki/ship-sizes/ Ship sizes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503010753/http://maritime-connector.com/wiki/ship-sizes/ |date=2021-05-03 }}

{{Suez Canal}}
{{Ship measurements}}

[[Category:Ship types]]
[[Category:Suez Canal|Max, Suezmax]]
[[Category:Tankers]]
[[Category:Ship measurements]]