break bulk

[ breyk buhlk ]

adjective

, Transportation.

1. of or relating to general cargo, usually manufactured goods, that is marked for individual consignees and has to be loaded and unloaded piece by piece at each point of transfer: Compare bulk cargo.

   Despite the dominance of container shipping, these companies continue to specialize in break bulk cargo, especially in the transport of large vehicles and agricultural equipment, which often need to be broken down into smaller components.

2. of or relating to the small, conventional cargo ships designed to hold general cargo: Compare container ship.

   We are confident that the future of break bulk vessels is safe, with no chance of their becoming redundant.

Word History and Origins

Origin of break bulk¹

First recorded in 1615–25; break ( def 10 ) + bulk ¹( def 16 )

Example Sentences

In the past, shipping was “break bulk cargo” handled manually by longshore workers.

From Seattle Times

Until the late 1990s, fresh produce was shipped on break bulk ships—general cargo vessels with big refrigerated spaces—from the production site to a single destination.

From Wall Street Journal

When ships moored, hordes of longshoremen unloaded “break bulk” cargo crammed into the hold.

From Economist

Workers will still handle U.S. mail, military cargo, perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables, and “break bulk” goods such as cars, wood products and steel, according to a strike-preparations from the ILA.

From Washington Post

Workers will still handle U.S. mail, military cargo, perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables, as well as “break bulk” goods such as cars, wood products and steel, according to a strike-preparations memo from the ILA.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• clear out
• discharge
• disgorge
• dump
• get rid of
• jettison
• off-load
• remove
• unpack