cargo ships. The term break bulk derives from the phrase breaking bulk—the extraction of a portion of the cargo of a ship or the beginning of the unloading process from the ship’s holds. These goods may not be in shipping containers. Break bulk cargo is transported in bags, boxes, crates, drums, or barrels. Unit loads of items secured to a pallet or skid are also used. A break-in-bulk point is a place


where goods are transferred from one mode of transport to another, for example the docks where goods transfer from ship to truck. Break bulk was the most common


form of cargo for most of the history of shipping. Since the late 1960s the volume of break bulk cargo has declined dramatically worldwide as containerization has grown. Moving cargo on and off a ship in contain- ers is much more efficient, allowing ships to spend less time in port.


Rebar cargo being loaded


Break bulk cargo also suffered from greater theft and damage so what we see today as breakbulk cargoes, are often large, heavy, or difficult to handle cargoes that can otherwise not be transported in containers. In spite of the decline in break-


bulk cargo due to containerization, the future of breakbulk cargoes is bright. The globalization of certain industries certainly helps with this. For example, the consolidation of the steel industries with the majority of this industry in the hands of two mammoth Indian Companies, Arce- lorMittal and the Tata Group. Steel is manufactured in their steel mills where economies are most efficient, the semi-manufactured steel in slabs, coils, or rods is then shipped to destinations as breakbulk cargoes where this steel is further processed for final use. Canada, amongst other countries, has seen the effects of this; more semi-manufactured steel


is imported to Canada for final processing with the majority of Canada’s steel mills now inactive or vastly throttled down. If the growth of Breakbulk Europe


is a sign of the breakbulk markets, one would think we can see the light in the tunnel. The conference and exhibition has seen some healthy growth over the years. Whereas it started as a small exhibition and conference at a local Antwerp Hotel some 7 years ago, Breakbulk Europe now is the largest conference and exhibition of its kind and again saw a healthy increase of some 20% of attendants and exhibitors this year.


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Photo: Ron Samson 13


May 2014


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