Bulk cargo refers to goods that are transported in large quantities, unpackaged, and poured or loaded into the vessel’s holds, rail cars, or specialized road tankers. It is homogeneous cargo, meaning it is all the same type.
Bulk cargo is handled by specialized equipment (like conveyors, pipelines, and gravity systems) and travels on specialized ships (like bulk carriers for dry goods or tankers for liquid goods).
Bulk Cargo is generally divided into two types:
- Dry bulk: Commodities such as grain, coal, iron ore, cement, and fertilizers.
- Liquid bulk: Commodities such as crude oil, petroleum products, chemicals, and liquefied natural gas.