Break bulk cargo, also known as general cargo, is a term used in shipping to refer to goods that are stowed on board a ship in individually counted units. Break bulk cargo is not transported in shipping containers, but rather in smaller containers such as bags, boxes, cartons, crates, drums, or barrels/vats. The term "break bulk" comes from the phrase "breaking bulk," which refers to unloading part of a ships cargo or commencing the unloading process from the ships hold(s) . Break bulk cargo is typically transported in general cargo vessels, which are designed to carry various types of cargo.
Break bulk cargo consists of goods that are transported, stowed, and handled piecemeal to some degree, typically bundled somehow in unit loads for hoisting, either with cargo nets, slings, or crates, or stacked on trays, pallets, or skids. Examples of common break bulk goods include reels and rolls, steel girders, structural steel, heavy or oversized goods, manufacturing equipment, construction equipment, and vehicles. Break bulk cargo is often used for oversized or heavy items that cannot be easily containerized.
Break bulk cargo is manually carried on and off the ship when no hoisting equipment is available, over a plank, or it might be passed from man to man via a human chain. However, break bulk cargo is typically loaded and unloaded using high-capacity deck cranes and additional equipment necessary to load and unload oversized or heavy goods. Break bulk cargo must be securely lashed down to prevent it from shifting during transit and causing damage to the vessel or other cargo.
Break bulk cargo is priced per metric ton or cubic meter, so estimating costs is harder and requires very specific cargo descriptions, dimensions, and weights. Break bulk cargo is a great option for over-dimensional cargo because it doesnt usually require you to break down products to load them onto a vessel. However, the volume of break-bulk cargo has declined worldwide since the 1960s in favor of the mass adoption of intermodal containers.
