ABSTRACT
The break bulk sector has a long history closely connected to trade. For centuries, goods have been shipped around the world and across oceans. Initially, substitution was the main factor behind containerization with the gradual capture of the break bulk cargo market. This process has been particularly visible in many ports, as illustrated by rising containerization degrees, which is the ratio between containerized throughput of the port and its total general cargo volumes. Many of the contemporary break bulk markets still rely on the massification of flows of similar products, such as a reefer ship filled with bananas or a coaster filled with steel coils. Project cargo, heavy lifts, and machinery are among the most important segments within break bulk. As with most other segments, it is a collection of different load units with no common standard since their units are project-related.
