When your cargo doesn’t fit neatly into a standard container, breakbulk shipping is often the best — and sometimes the only — solution.
Breakbulk shipping is as old as maritime trade itself, but it continues to evolve even today. Better equipment, modern ports, and improved logistics technology have made it easier for shippers to get their oversize, overweight, unusually shaped, and bulk shipments from origin to destination.
After coordinating international shipments for decades — including project cargo transportation — ATS International understands the challenges that come with breakbulk shipping.
In this article, we’ll tell you what breakbulk shipping is, how it works and how to overcome the challenges that come with project freight.
What Does Breakbulk Mean? Breakbulk Cargo Definition
Breakbulk cargo refers to freight that is too large, heavy, or oddly shaped to fit in a standard shipping container. Instead of being packed in boxes or bulk form, each piece is handled individually. These shipments may also be called non-containerized cargo or project cargo.
Common examples of breakbulk freight include:
- Wind turbine blades and towers
- Industrial machinery and generators
- Construction and mining equipment
- Steel beams and industrial pipe
- Boats, vehicles, or aircraft components
Because of their size and weight, these goods require customs handling, lifting, and stowage plans to ensure safety and balance during transportation.
Breakbulk shipping is an ideal solution for these over-dimensional (OD) cargo types, as it doesn't force shippers to break down products into smaller pieces to load them onto a vessel.
With no disassembly (and reassembly at the goods' destination) to worry about, breakbulk transportation can save shippers time, money, and stress while reducing the risk of cargo damage during transit.
Additionally, if your breakbulk shipment doesn't require a port crane for unloading, you may have a wider range of port options (like Roll-On/Roll-Off (RoRo) shipping) and save some money, too.
How Does Breakbulk Shipping Work?
Breakbulk shipping relies on specialized planning and coordination at every step. Unlike containerized freight, which can be highly automated, breakbulk logistics require human expertise and customized solutions.
While the unique nature of breakbulk cargo means there's no such thing as an "average" shipment, here's a general overview of how breakbulk shipping works:
1. Shipment Planning & Engineering
Every breakbulk shipment starts with a detailed feasibility and engineering plan. Logistics professionals will assess the cargo's size, weight, and structural limits to determine the safest loading, transportation, and unloading methods.
2. Port Operations
Breakbulk cargo typically moves through dedicated terminals designed for heavy-lift operations. Cranes, slings, and spreader bars are used to lift each piece onto or off the vessel.
Port crews will follow a coordinated plan to keep the ship balanced, the cargo secure, and the entire operation safe.
3. Vessel Transport
Breakbulk vessels have open or reinforced decks that allow for flexible cargo placement. Each piece of the shipment will be lashed and secured to prevent movement during transit.
4. Delivery & Final Mile
Once the vessel reaches port, specialized trucking (like those provided by ATS Specialized) or rail services will handle the inland leg. Oversized trailers and escort vehicles ensure safe delivery from dock to destination.
How Is Breakbulk Shipping Priced?
Breakbulk cargo is typically priced per metric ton or cubic meter. Due to the specialized nature of breakbulk shipping, providing a general price range for these types of shipments is difficult.
Your breakbulk shipping rate will ultimately depend on your specific cargo descriptions, dimensions, weights, handling requirements, and shipping lanes, among other factors.
Compared to containerized shipping, breakbulk is often associated with higher costs due to its increased handling and skilled labor requirements. Working with an experienced international freight forwarder to identify possible cost efficiencies elsewhere can help you stay on budget.
Breakbulk Shipping vs. Bulk Shipping
Although "breakbulk" and "bulk" sound similar, they describe two very different types of cargo — and understanding the difference is key to choosing the right transport method for your freight type.
In short: breakbulk shipping moves things, bulk shipping moves materials.
Bulk shipping involves transporting large quantities of homogeneous (uniform) materials that are not packaged or counted individually. These goods are loaded directly into a ship's hold and handled using conveyor belts, pipelines, or pumps rather than cranes.
Traditional bulk shipping is either considered dry bulk or liquid bulk. Common examples of bulk goods include:
- Grain and fertilizers
- Coal and ores
- Crude oil, cement, or chemicals
In contrast, breakbulk shipping handles distinct, countable units of cargo that are too large or irregular for containers.
Here's a quick breakdown of the breakbulk vs. bulk shipping particulars:
| FEATURE | BREAKBULK | BULK |
| Cargo Type | Large, individual items | Loose, uniform commodities |
| Handling | Lifted and secured piece by piece | Pumped or poured directly into vessel holds |
| Packaging | Usually crated, palletized, or uncovered | Unpackaged, free-flowing |
| Equipment | Heavy-lift cranes, slings, rigging | Conveyors, hoppers, pumps |
| Ideal Use Cases | Project cargo, industrial equipment | Commodities and raw materials |
If you're shipping individual machines or fabricated components, breakbulk is your solution. But if your commodity can be poured, pumped, or scooped, it's bulk.
Challenges in Breakbulk Logistics
Despite technological progress, breakbulk remains one of the most complex forms of freight movement. Common challenges encountered in breakbulk logistics include:
- Higher handling costs due to specialized equipment and skilled labor needs
- Increased risk of damage due to extra handling
- Limited port capabilities for oversized cargo
- Variable transit times because loading and securing can take longer
- Regulatory complexity when crossing international borders
The key to overcoming these challenges lies in choosing a transportation provider with ample experience in breakbulk shipping.
Your freight forwarder should have a team that is well-versed in the international and breakbulk shipping processes, including common risk points, so they can help you avoid them from the start.
To reduce risk and ensure your cargo arrives safely and intact, you should also look for project cargo freight forwarders with modernized network. These providers leverage tech advancements like digital cargo tracking, 3D modeling tools, and automated/"smart" cranes and rigging.
The Future of Breakbulk Shipping
Breakbulk shipping has been around for centuries, but it has never stopped evolving. While breakbulk shipping remains quite labor-intensive, technological advancements have transformed how it’s planned, managed, and executed.
Today’s logistics providers use a blend of digital tools, automation, and sustainability practices to make the process more efficient and transparent. Engineers have pioneered new vessel designs with greater capacity and lift capabilities of 800+ metric tons.
Another example of innovation in breakbulk shipping is the 53’ BreakBulk Boxx™ — designed by ATS to revolutionize breakbulk cargo loading and unloading.
The BreakBulk Boxx allows breakbulk cargo to be side-loaded and unloaded like a flatbed or flat rack. Once loaded, the BreakBulk Boxx ships like a typical container for the ocean voyage.
The BreakBulk Boxx is currently available in the U.S.–Puerto Rico trade lane or for dedicated fleet use by a shipper in defined trades.
Choose Experience For Your Breakbulk Logistics
Breakbulk cargo shipping has long been a cornerstone of global trade. Today, it powers industries that build and maintain our modern world by moving large, heavy, and complex cargoes safely and efficiently.
Even with the technological innovations that have made breakbulk shipping a more seamless process, non-containerized cargo moves can be challenging to plan and nerve-wracking to execute.
That's why working with an experienced international freight forwarder like ATS International is vital. Leaning on the network, expertise, and technology access of expert breakbulk shipping providers can make the difference between a successful project and a logistics nightmare.
If you're interested in learning more about ATS International's breakbulk cargo services, contact us today to request a quote. We're happy to share our expertise to make your project painless.
