Feeder ship

In general, a feeder means a seagoing vessel with an average capacity of 300 to 1000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

[1] Feeders collect shipping containers from different ports and transport them to central container terminals where they are loaded to bigger vessels, or for further transport into the hub port's hinterland.

In that way the smaller vessels feed the larger liners, which carry thousands of containers.

Over the years, feeder lines have been established by organizations transporting containers over a predefined route on a regular basis.

Container ships are distinguished into seven major size categories: small feeder, feeder, feedermax, panamax, post-Panamax, new Panamax and ultra-large (ULCV).