Abstract: A vessel for carrying steel slabs or like cargoes, comprising a hull having a stern and a bow, an upper weather deck at least one cargo hold, an opening predominantly through the weather deck and communicating with the interior of the hull of the vessel, loading apparatus to transfer slabs to, and from, a wharf through the opening, at least one conveyor extending longitudinally of the vessel and past the cargo hold, the loading apparatus being adapted to deliver slabs to, and from, the conveyor, and a load transport crane within the vessel for transferring the slabs between the conveyor and the cargo hold. In a variation the weather deck has openings which are aligned with the openings to the cargo holds to allow a bulk commodity to be carried by the vessel.