Stowage factor

Stability factor (SSA) Stowage factor) indicates how many cubic meters (or cubic feet) of space is occupied by one metric ton of a certain type of cargo in the hold of a cargo ship. This notional amount shall be calculated in order to know the extent necessary for the normal conditions of the loading area, including the losses caused by means of transport and packaging, in relation to the weight of the load.

We use the table of stowage factors (SF) for different bulk cargoes:

Name	m3/mt	Cubic foot/mt
Stone	1,39	49
Coal tar pitch	1,33 -1,56	47 – 55
Cake	1,3 – 1,84	46 – 65
Ammonium sulphate	1,19 – 1,27	42 – 45
Carbon / anthracite large	1,27	45
Coal Australia	1,22 – 1,33	43 – 47
Coal Japan	1,27 – 1,33	45 – 47
Coal USA	1,3 – 1,42	46 – 50
Coal Poland	1,36 – 1,44	48 – 51
Coal Welsh	1,19 – 1,27	42 – 45
Oats	1,87 – 1,89	66 – 67
Bauxite	0,85 – 0,93	30 – 33
Buckwheat	1,53 – 1,6	54 – 57
Potatoes	1,42 – 1,56	50 – 55
Raw sugar in Bolivia	1,27 – 1,44	45 – 51
Sugar beet	3,71	131
Sugar beet pulp pellets	1,56 – 1,84	55 – 65
Sugar Cuba	1,3 – 1,32	46 – 47
Salt	0,99 – 1,13	35 – 40
Ferro-se	0,7	25
Ferrochrome	0,42	15
Phytophylitis	0,84	30
Phosphate North Africa	0,65 – 0,85	23 – 30
Iron ore Barahanda	1,9 – 2,3	67 – 81
Iron ore Canada	0,74	26
Iron ore in Mauritania	0,82	29
Iron ore in Sierra Leone	0,74	26
Iron ore Poti	0,74	26
Iron ore on the island of the Philippines	0,71	25
Iron ingots	0,79	28
Graphite	0,57 – 0,99	20 – 35
Grains	1,25	44
Guanan	1,19 – 1,25	42 – 44
Kainit	0,99- 1,05	35 – 37
Potassium nitrate	1,02	36
Potassium sulphate	1,26	44
Kaolin (Chinese clay)	1,13	40
Kapok India	1,8 – 2	64 – 71
Bone meal calcinet	3	106
Cast iron	0,28	10
Chinese clay	1,3	46
Cobalt	0,57	20
Coconut	3,96	140
Copra	2,35 – 2,77	83 – 98
Cogora extract granules	1,58 – 1,7	56 – 60
Cogora pellets	1,78	63
Coarse shavings	1,58 – 1,7	56 – 60
Kuanite	0,7 – 0,84	25 – 30
Corn	1,45 – 1,53	51 – 54
Maize YF1	1,28	45
Corn USA	1,39 – 1,7	49 – 60
Corn Kong	1,56 – 1,58	55 – 56
Corn South Africa	1,42 – 1,5	50 – 53
Maize East Africa	1,42 – 1,47	50 – 52
Corn WD1	1,34	47
Corn gluten granules in the USA	1,53 – 1,73	54 – 61
Corn WD	1,36	48
Copper concentrate	0,5	18
Wheat	1,27 – 1,42	45 – 50
Wheat Black Sea	1,19 – 1,27	42 – 45
Field spat	0,85	30
Magnesite fine	0,45	16
Magnesite Klinker	1,7	60
Manganese	0,7 – 0,84	25 – 30
Cotton seeds	1,84	65
Cotton seed oil	1,13	40
Molasses	0,79	28
Barley	1,47 – 1,56	52 – 55
Barley C1	1,48 – 1,51	52 – 53
Barley C2	1,56 – 1,59	55 – 56
Barley C3	1,67 – 1,7	59 – 60
Clay	0,7 – 0,84	25 – 30
Palm kernels	1,64	58
Pitch	1,36	48
Pyridite	0,85 – 0,99	30 – 35
Potasch nitrate	1,02	36
Peas	1,28	45
Beans	1,42 – 1,58	50 – 56
Beans	1,28	45
Horns	2,69 – 2,83	95 – 100
Nuts small and large	1,31	46
Rice bran pellets	1,47 – 1,7	52 – 60
Rye	1,36 – 1,47	48 – 52
Sal extract granules	1,64 – 1,76	58 – 62
Locust beans	2,38 – 2,55	84 – 90
Sunflower Argentina	2,12	75
Sunflowers USA	2,32	82
Sunflower Odessa	2,32 – 2,43	82 – 86
Sunflower seeds	1,81 – 1,95	64 – 69
Bran rice India	1,76 – 1,84	62 – 65
Linseed	1,56 – 1,58	55 – 56
Sierra	1,08 – 1,13	38 – 40
Sand vitreous	0,65 – 0,71	23 – 25
Soda nitrate	0,74	26
Soybeans	1,58 – 1,64	56 – 58
Soybeans USA	1,37	48
Soybeans Rio Grande	1,5	53
Soybean oil	1,1	39
Sorghum	1,67	59
Millet	1,27 – 1,44	45 – 51
Large magnesia	0,71 – 0,85	25 – 30
St. Stibis Australia	0,57	20
Super phosphate Casablanca	1,5	53
Super phosphate triple	1,04 – 1,33	37 – 47
Super Phosphate Triple Tampa	1,05 – 1,22	37 – 43
Tapioca pellets	1,58 – 1,64	56 – 58
Copper concentrate	0,56 – 0,63	20 – 22
Peanuts husked	2,97 – 3,11	105 – 110
Peanuts not peeled	3 – 3,7	106 – 131
Peanut cake	1,62 – 1,95	57 – 69
Fish meal (anchovies)	1,61 – 2,07	57 – 73
Fish meal (anchovies)	1,52- 1,61	54 – 57
Gravel	0,65	23

The stowage factor is calculated:

one large ton or 2240 pounds multiplied by volume in cubic feet. The result is divided by the weight of the load in pounds. The stowage factor thus determined shall be the number of cubic feet required to load one long tonne of a given load. If you are using a metric measure, the formula is to multiply 1 000 kilograms by volume in cubic metres divided by the weight of the load in kilograms. Let’s say you have a load of 15 cubic feet and 900 pounds. The calculation of the load is 2240 pounds, multiplied by 15, divided by 900. The charging factor is obtained at 37,3 cubic feet per tonne.

Here’s a table of conversion of stowage factors to other units of measure:

Cubic foot / Large ton	Cubic foot / Metric ton	Cubic meter / Metric ton	Cubic meter / Large ton	Large ton / Cubic meter	Metric ton / Cubic meter
35	34,45	0,975	0,991	1,009	1,025
40	39,37	1,115	1,133	0,883	0,898
41	40,35	1,143	1,161	0,861	0,875
42	41,34	1,171	1,189	0,841	0,854
43	42,32	1,199	1,218	0,821	0,834
44	43,31	1,226	1,246	0,803	0,815
45	44,29	1,254	1,274	0,785	0,797
46	45,27	1,282	1,303	0,768	0,780
47	46,26	1,310	1,331	0,751	0,763
48	47,24	1,338	1,359	0,736	0,748
49	48,23	1,366	1,388	0,721	0,732
50	49,21	1,393	1,416	0,706	0,718
51	50,19	1,421	1,444	0,692	0,704
52	51,18	1,449	1,472	0,679	0,690
53	52,16	1,477	1,501	0,666	0,667
54	53,15	1,505	1,529	0,654	0,664
55	54,13	1,533	1,557	0,642	0,652
56	55,12	1,561	1,586	0,631	0,641
57	56,10	1,589	1,614	0,620	0,629
58	57,08	1,616	1,642	0,609	0,619
59	58,07	1,644	1,617	0,599	0,608
60	59,05	1,672	1,699	0,589	0,598
61	60,40	1,700	1,727	0,579	0,588
62	61,02	1,728	1,756	0,570	0,579
63	62,01	1,756	1,784	0,561	0,570
64	62,99	1,784	1,812	0,552	0,561
65	63,97	1,812	1,841	0,543	0,552

In any case, in order to avoid mistakes and incomprehensions, we recommend that you set the stability coefficient each time before chartering the cargo by ship . And this will avoid problems when incomplete exhaustion of the ship’s volume or weight and possible “dead freight” invoices from ship owners.

The load comparative weight studies can be carried out by a surveyor, and in the absence of the possibility of hiring a surveyor , the tests can be carried out on their own.

If you have any questions or uncertainties, be sure to contact JSC Onze specialists.