Type C8 ships measuring 876 feet (267 m) from stem to stern, and designed to make 16.2 knots (30.0 km/h; 18.6 mph).

Barges and lighters are usually unpowered floating platforms for inland waterways that are separated from the open seas.

Barge and lighters are typically towed or pushed around harbors, canals or rivers by tugboats.

On the deck are special rails to move the lighters down the length of the ship to their holding spot.

The Lash Lighter Basin at Bayview–Hunters Point, San Francisco is a protected port that is used by C8-class ships for loading and unloading lighter-barges.

In 1974-75 Avondale Industries built nine 41,000 DWT C9-S-81d barge carriers, some used by the US Navy.