These ships carry cargo in bulk. Examples of these cargoes are grain, wood chips, coal, and iron ore. Usually these ships are not fitted with their own cargo handling gear like cranes. All the loading and unloading are done by the shore facilities. Light objects like grain or woodchip, are blown into the ship's cargo hold using flexible ducting and fan. Some shore installations have conveyors that drop the cargo into the cargo hold. When one cargo hold is full, loading is continued on the next hold, but not necessarily in sequential order. The ship's deck officers will load, keeping the ship's stability in mind. If the shore installation is not movable, then the ship will have to move to accommodate the next cargo hold location. Usually, manipulating the mooring ropes at the bow and stern of the ship does this. Sometimes, the engines have to be started to assist in the movement of the ship.
The bulk carrier's stay in port can be quite long, perhaps about 4 to 5 days. The location of the cargo loading port is usually remote, because the bulk cargo is usually taken from mining, forested, or farming areas. Some of these areas can be very beautiful scenic spots, unspoiled, and away from the regular tourist destinations.
The deck of the bulk carrier is normally free of obstructions and good for jogging in fine weather. This type of ship is easy to maintain and life on board is comparatively simple.
Many of these ships operate on tramping charter. This means the ship goes wherever there is cargo, as opposed to the liners that ply on a fixed route. The seaman working on a bulker can expect to travel to many different unplanned destinations during his service on board.
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