# General cargo ship

> A versatile cargo ship intended mainly for goods handled as separate packages or units.

## Record

- Record type: Encyclopedia entry
- Canonical page: https://admiralsatlas.com/en/ship-types/general-cargo-ship/
- Last updated: 2026-09-22

## Article

A **general cargo ship** is primarily designed for cargo that is handled as separate units rather than poured into a hold as dry bulk or pumped into tanks. Its cargo may include packaged goods, pallets, steel products, and other mixed consignments. The layout can include one or more decks and multiple holds.

This is the type recorded for [AAL GALVESTON](/en/ships/aal-galveston-9393577/). A general cargo classification does not by itself establish the vessel's lifting capacity, whether it has cranes, or which cargo it is carrying on a particular voyage; those require ship-specific evidence.

[Further reading: IMO ship-type descriptions](https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/regulationsdefault.aspx).