Break bulk
Goods loaded and carried individually rather than in a container — drums, bags, pallets, crates and boxes, typically handled by geared or RoRo vessels.
Specialized freight
Bulk cargo & ship chartering
Not every shipment fits in a box. For break bulk, oversized equipment and cargo measured in thousands of tons, we tap into a network of shipowners, ship brokers and agencies to arrange chartering — a specialized corner of freight that's harder to access without the right relationships.
What counts as bulk or break bulk
"General cargo" outside of standard containers falls into a few distinct categories, each handled differently on the water.
Neo-bulk
Uniform, non-containerized goods such as lumber, paper products and steel that are stowed and counted as individual units rather than poured or pumped.
Dry bulk
Unpackaged commodities loaded directly into a vessel's hold — coal, iron ore, grain and sand, typically handled with grabs or suction conveyors.
Liquid bulk
Vegetable oils, chemicals and LNG carried in tank vessels fitted with pumps and pipelines built for the specific cargo.
When ship chartering makes sense
Choosing the most efficient way to move cargo always comes down to route, volume and what the cargo actually is. Once a shipment stops fitting the economics of standard containers — oversized machinery, vehicles, project cargo, or commodity volumes running into thousands of tons — chartering a vessel, in whole or in part, becomes the more efficient option.
In some short-sea trades, containerized shipping has actually displaced traditional break bulk because it's less labor-intensive and can be cheaper at smaller volumes. But once cargo volume passes roughly 2,000 tons, bulk transport tends to become competitive again — and at the largest lot sizes, it's the only practical option.
Freight chartering is one of the more conservative, relationship-driven corners of the shipping market. We work with shipowners, ship brokers and agencies who bring both a track record and the market knowledge needed to place cargo at a fair rate.
Not sure if your cargo qualifies? If it's oversized, exceeds container weight or dimension limits, or you're moving raw commodities by the thousand-ton lot, it's worth asking. Send us the details and we'll tell you honestly whether chartering or a standard container move fits better.
Bulk carrier size classes
Vessels are classified by deadweight tonnage (DWT) — the maximum weight of cargo, fuel and supplies they can carry.
~50,000–60,000 DWT
Supramax
Geared and self-sufficient at smaller ports, a common choice for grain, coal and minor bulk cargo.
~65,000–80,000 DWT
Panamax
Sized to the traditional Panama Canal locks, a workhorse for coal, grain and iron ore on major trade routes.
~90,000–200,000+ DWT
Capesize
Too large for the Suez or Panama Canal, routed around the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn — the class used for iron ore and coal in the largest lot sizes.
Classification of bulk cargo
Non-grain bulk
Ore, ore concentrates, coal, building materials, salt and raw sugar — homogeneous or mixed particles of limited size, handled with grabs, conveyors or suction equipment.
Grain cargo
Cereals, legumes and oilseeds, split further by physical properties (flowability, density, moisture) and biological properties (respiration, germination, self-heating) that affect how they're stowed and ventilated.
Whatever the cargo, the carrier has to account for its specific properties to keep the load stable, the vessel safe, and the cargo intact for the whole voyage — which is exactly why this end of shipping stays expertise-driven rather than fully self-service.
Have a bulk or oversized shipment?
Tell us about your cargo, route and volume and we'll advise whether chartering fits, and connect you with the right vessel.
Contact us