Stowage Factor

Stowage Factor (SF) is a critical metric in maritime chartering that defines the relationship between cargo weight and the volume it occupies. It is effectively the inverse of density and determines whether a vessel will "load down" (reach its maximum weight capacity) or "cube out" (run out of hold space).

Key Operational Factors:

• Broken Stowage: The unusable space in a cargo hold caused by the irregular shape of the cargo, hold structural members, or dunnage materials.
• Freight Ton Calculation: Shipowners charge based on whichever is greater: the Weight (MT) or the Measurement (Volume/SF), ensuring revenue optimization for light, bulky cargo.

Mastering SF allows planners to select the most appropriate vessel type�favoring high-cubic holds for commodities like light machinery or standard grain holds for dense minerals�minimizing freight waste and maximizing vessel stability.