What is breakbulk cargo: meaning, benefits, and shipping process

Need to transport oversized, heavy, or irregularly shaped goods overseas? You may encounter some unique challenges. Traditional intermodal containers have size and weight limitations making them unsuitable for oversized cargo. At the same time, chartering an entire vessel for a single large shipment could derail your logistics budget.

The solution? Break bulk shipping.

Read on to understand more about break bulk and how it works.

What is break bulk cargo?

Break bulk cargo refers to goods you can't fit inside a standard dry container due to size, shape, or weight. This includes oversized, irregularly shaped, extremely heavy, or hazardous goods requiring special handling.

The term ‘break bulk’ comes from breaking down large consignments into small pieces to load onboard ships in the past. Today, it refers to any oversized cargo you can’t ship in containers.

Break bulk is non-unitised and non-containerised cargo. This means it is transported in the vessel hold or on deck rather than in containers.

Such large and heavy cargo is often used in big industrial projects. That’s why break bulk shipping and other types of special cargo can also fall under project logistics.

What type of cargo can you ship as break bulk?

Almost any type of oversized, heavy, or irregular cargo can be shipped as break bulk, including:

• Heavy machinery and equipment: Excavators, bulldozers, cranes, turbines, and presses
• Vehicles: Trains, locomotives, trams, yachts, boats, and aircraft fuselages
• Infrastructure materials: Steel beams, bridge parts, windmill blades, and tower sections
• Odd-shaped cargo: Silos, tanks, boilers, presses, tubes, pipes, and cylinders

In short, break bulk shipping is ideal for transporting project cargo, parts for oil rigs, power plants, construction material, or anything else that won’t fit into a standard intermodal container.

Looking to ship special cargo? With over 40 years of experience transporting oversized and heavy shipments, we can take your cargo to any part of the world. Explore Maersk Special Cargo.

Is there a difference between bulk and break bulk cargo?

While sounding similar, don’t confuse break bulk cargo with bulk cargo. Here’s how they differ:

• Bulk cargo refers to large quantities of homogenous, unpacked dry cargo shipped in bulk carriers, including commodities like grain, coal, ore, fertilisers, cement, sugar, etc.
• Break bulk cargo is heterogeneous, irregularly shaped cargo packed into a hold. It’s not uniform, like bulk cargo.
• While bulk cargo can be pumped or conveyed for loading/unloading, break bulk requires individual lift-on/lift-off handling.
• Bulk carriers have cargo holds with tops open for loading; break bulk vessels have closed holds with hatches for cargo access

Break bulk and Out of Gauge (OOG) cargo

Out-of-Gauge (OOG) cargo is any shipment that exceeds the standard dimensions or weight limits for transportation, typically by rail, road, or sea. So what’s the difference between OOG cargo and break bulk (BBK) shipments?

• Containerisation: OOG cargo is often containerised, but in non-standard dry containers like open tops or flat racks. BBK, on the other hand, is typically shipped in break bulk form, meaning it is not contained within standard shipping containers.
• Size and weight: OOG cargo is specifically defined by its dimensions and weight exceeding standard container limits. BBK, while often oversized or heavy, doesn’t necessarily have to exceed standard container dimensions.
• Specialised handling: Both OOG and BBK require specialised handling methods, but OOG often involves more complex procedures due to its irregular shape and size.

Break bulk shipping vs container shipping

While containers are ideal for most cargo, break bulk has advantages in certain scenarios:

How is break bulk cargo shipped?

Break bulk needs customised port infrastructure and heavy-duty handling equipment that suits oversized individual cargo units. When aboard container ships, break bulk cargo is typically transported on a bed of flat rack containers. These are special containers designed to accommodate oversized or irregular-shaped cargo that doesn’t fit into standard containers. Break bulk cargo can also be shipped on board specialised vessels.

Here’s a glimpse into how break bulk cargo is shipped:

1. Packaging: Breakbulk cargo often requires custom packaging to protect it during transit.
2. Dedicated terminals: Specialised facilities equipped with heavy-duty cranes and other equipment are used for handling breakbulk.
3. Loading and unloading: BBK cargo is loaded and unloaded individually, often using cranes or manual labour.
4. Cargo securement: Dunnage and lashing are used to secure cargo within the vessel.
5. Inland transportation: Special trailers or barges may be required for inland transport of oversized loads.

Break of bulk point is the point where the handling or mode of transport changes, like port to ship or ship to truck. Unlike containerised cargo, you need to load and unload break bulk cargo at these transfer points individually. These terminals are specially equipped with infrastructure and gear to handle oversized cargo.

Pros and cons of break bulk cargo

Wondering whether you should opt for break bulk? Consider these points:

Pros of break bulk cargo

• Can transport oversized or irregularly shaped cargo.
• No weight restrictions, unlike containers.
• Cargo is secured and protected in closed holds.
• Specialised vessels and equipment designed for heavy lifts.
• Ideal for minimal or infrequent shipments.
• Lower costs than chartering a vessel for one-off large cargo.

Cons of break bulk cargo

• Less efficient than container shipping in terms of time and effort.
• Requires port infrastructure for special handling.
• Higher risk of damage due to individual handling since cargo is huge and irregular.
• Slower loading and unloading than containerised goods.
• Less frequent sailings than container vessels due to the limited availability of specialised shipping equipment.
• Higher costs than container shipping for regular cargo parts.

How to book break bulk cargo

And that’s it! We hope this breakdown (pun intended!) gave you a good understanding of break bulk shipping and the flexibility it offers to carry out large-scale project logistics.

Break bulk cargo needs high security and top-tier infrastructure at every stage of the shipping process. That’s why you need to work with a reliable project logistics partner that offers the human and digital capabilities needed to see it through efficiently.

Maersk has decades of experience dealing with special cargo. Our special cargo experts understand the challenges involved and can guide you through the entire process. Discover our Special Cargo services and get an online quote within four hours.