They are usually equipped with cargo-handling gear (cranes or derricks) and are widely used on routes to and from draft-restricted ports that (a) cannot receive larger ships and (b) often lack their own land-based cargo-handling equipment; often located in the developing nations.

Many of these ships are extensively employed on intra-regional, shorter-haul trades. Special designs of ship are associated with the carriage of such cargoes as steel products and logs (i.e. open-hatch and log-fitted vessels); while some variants also exist in terms of cargo-handling equipment, e.g. grab-fitted tonnage possessing scoops that facilitate easier unloading of certain cargo types.

Although the 10-39,999 dwt size definition includes small Handysizes of below 20,000 dwt, the vast majority of the fleet is concentrated in the 25-29,999 dwt, 30-34,999 dwt and 35-39,999 dwt sizes.