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Ship Design Codes by USMC
Ship Design Codes used by the U.S. Maritime Commission
The ship design classification system used by the U.S. Maritime Commission employs the structure:
Example : C4-S2-A4
where
|
represents
|
C
|
ship type, as shown in the first table below
|
4
|
ship size, as shown in the first table below
|
S
|
propulsion system, as shown in the second table below
|
2
|
passenger capacity and number of propellers, as shown in the second table below
|
A
|
sequential letter indicating the specific design for this type of ship
|
4
|
sequential number indicating the specific revision to this design
|
Code
|
Ship Type
|
Size Code
|
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1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
||
Length on Waterline (ft)
|
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B
|
Barge
|
up to 100
|
100 to 150
|
150 to 200
|
200 to 250
|
250 to 300
|
300 to 350
|
350 to 400
|
C
|
Cargo Ship
|
up to 400
|
400 to 450
|
450 to 500
|
500 to 550
|
550 to 600
|
600 to 650
|
650 to 700
|
G
|
Great Lakes Cargo Ship
|
up to 300
|
300 to 350
|
350 to 400
|
400 to 450
|
450 to 500
|
500 to 550
|
550 to 600
|
H
|
Great Lakes Passenger Ship
|
up to 300
|
300 to 350
|
350 to 400
|
400 to 450
|
450 to 500
|
500 to 550
|
550 to 600
|
IB
|
Integrated Tug-Barge
|
up to 200
|
200 to 300
|
300 to 400
|
400 to 500
|
500 to 600
|
600 to 700
|
700 to 800
|
J
|
Inland Cargo Ship
|
up to 50
|
50 to 100
|
100 to 150
|
150 to 200
|
200 to 250
|
250 to 300
|
300 to 350
|
K
|
Inland Passenger Ship
|
up to 50
|
50 to 100
|
100 to 150
|
150 to 200
|
200 to 250
|
250 to 300
|
300 to 350
|
L
|
Great Lakes Bulker (Laker)
|
up to 400
|
400 to 450
|
450 to 500
|
500 to 550
|
550 to 600
|
600 to 650
|
650 to 700
|
LG
|
Liquid Gas Carrier
|
up to 450
|
450 to 500
|
550 to 600
|
600 to 650
|
650 to 700
|
700 to 750
|
750 to 800
|
N
|
Coastwise Cargo Ship
|
up to 200
|
200 to 250
|
250 to 300
|
300 to 350
|
350 to 400
|
400 to 450
|
450 to 500
|
OB
|
Oil/Bulk/Ore Carrier
|
up to 450
|
450 to 500
|
500 to 550
|
550 to 600
|
600 to 650
|
650 to 700
|
700 to 800
|
P
|
Passenger Ship
|
up to 500
|
500 to 600
|
600 to 700
|
700 to 800
|
800 to 900
|
900 to 1000
|
1000 to 1100
|
Q
|
Coastwise Passenger Ship
|
up to 200
|
200 to 250
|
250 to 300
|
300 to 350
|
350 to 400
|
400 to 450
|
450 to 500
|
R
|
Refrigerated Cargo Ship
|
up to 400
|
400 to 450
|
450 to 500
|
500 to 550
|
550 to 600
|
600 to 650
|
650 to 700
|
S
|
Special Purpose Ship
|
up to 200
|
200 to 300
|
300 to 400
|
400 to 500
|
500 to 600
|
600 to 700
|
700 to 800
|
T
|
Tanker
|
up to 450
|
450 to 500
|
500 to 550
|
550 to 600
|
600 to 650
|
650 to 700
|
700 to 800
|
U
|
Ferry
|
up to 100
|
100 to 150
|
150 to 200
|
200 to 250
|
250 to 300
|
300 to 350
|
350 to 400
|
V
|
Tug
|
up to 50
|
50 to 100
|
100 to 150
|
150 to 200
|
200 over
|
|
|
|
Notes:
|
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Larger ships have size codes that are incrementally larger.
|
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Liberty ships were EC2, the E being for Emergency.
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Victory ships were VC2, the V being for Victory.
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Code
|
Propulsion System
|
Notes:
|
||||||
S
|
Steam
|
The letter code alone indicates a single-screw ship that carries 12 or fewer passengers.
|
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M
|
Motor
|
The suffix T indicates a twin-screw ship that carries 12 or fewer passengers.
|
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SM
|
Steam and motor
|
The suffix TR indicates a triple-screw ship that carries 12 or fewer passengers.
|
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SE
|
Turbo-electric
|
The suffix QR indicates a quadruple-screw ship that carries 12 or fewer passengers.
|
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ME
|
Diesel-electric
|
The suffix 1 indicates a single-screw ship that carries more than 12 passengers.
|
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G
|
Gas turbine
|
The suffix 2 indicates a twin-screw ship that carries more than 12 passengers.
|
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GE
|
Gas turbine-electric
|
The suffix 3 indicates a triple-screw ship that carries more than 12 passengers.
|
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N
|
Nuclear
|
The suffix 4 indicates a quadruple-screw ship that carries more than 12 passengers.
|
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