ABSTRACT
Break bulk is a broad term used to describe any cargo that does fit into the standardised form of the rectangular box. While there are striking examples of remarkable heavy load and semi-submersible vessels that carry incredibly vast and heavy cargoes, this segment actually represents a smaller portion of break bulk cargo operations. The operating model of many break bulk shipping companies remains that of traditional tramping, carried out on a global scale. While this may conjure images in one’s mind of decrepit, rusty, sea-beaten vessels operating in regions forgotten by the rest of the world, this is far from the case. The Dutch organisation Dynamar is one of the key analysts of the break bulk sector, and publishes a series of reports and studies concerning the market. Western Australia is the present major area for vast projects, all related to this country and continent’s efforts to become the world’s second largest supplier of Liquefied Natural Gas by 2015.
