Last updated: 26 October 2026 · By Steve Joury, cargo trip advisor at CargoHolidays
A large cargo ship can weigh well over 200,000 tonnes when fully loaded; the biggest container ships and oil tankers are among the heaviest moving objects people have built. But ‘weight’ in shipping has several meanings. Here’s how ship tonnage works, with typical figures.
Key facts at a glance
| Measure | What it means |
|---|---|
| Lightship weight | The empty ship: steel, engines, equipment |
| Deadweight (DWT) | Everything it can carry: cargo, fuel, water, stores, crew |
| Displacement | Lightship + deadweight: the total weight of water the loaded ship pushes aside |
| Gross tonnage (GT) | A measure of enclosed volume used for fees and rules – not a weight |
So when people ask how much does a cargo ship weigh, the honest answer is usually its displacement when loaded.
| Ship | Approx. deadweight |
|---|---|
| Feeder container ship | 10,000 – 40,000 t |
| Neo-Panamax container ship | 100,000 – 150,000 t |
| Ultra-large container ship (24,000 TEU) | ~200,000 – 240,000 t |
| Capesize bulk carrier | ~170,000 – 210,000 t |
| Very large ore carrier | Up to ~400,000 t |
| VLCC oil tanker | ~300,000 t |
Figures are rounded and vary between designs. For dimensions, read how big is a container ship and biggest ships in the world.
A ship floats because it displaces a weight of water equal to its own weight (Archimedes’ principle). Its huge hull spreads that weight over a vast volume, so the average density of the ship – steel plus all the air inside – is less than seawater. Load more cargo and the ship sinks deeper until it displaces enough water again. Load lines painted on the hull show the safe maximum depth.
A container ship often hits its weight limit before every slot is full, especially with heavy cargo. Officers calculate stability for every voyage, placing heavy boxes low. Too much weight up high makes a ship roll badly – read cargo ships in storms.
Large cargo ships can weigh well over 200,000 tonnes when fully loaded; small feeders weigh far less.
The total weight a ship can carry: cargo, fuel, water, stores and crew.
No. Gross tonnage measures the ship’s internal volume.
It displaces a weight of water equal to its own weight, and its average density is less than seawater.
Very large ore carriers and crude oil tankers are among the heaviest when loaded.
Feel the scale for yourself
Stand on the deck of a 200,000-tonne ship as a passenger on a freighter voyage.
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