Breakbulk shipping
out-of-gauge pieces by sea
Breakbulk shipping of general cargo means individual pieces outside containers on vessels with their own cranes and open holds. We match tonnage to the dimensions and weight, agree stowage and securing with the vessel and manage the cargo from the load berth to the site in Russia.
Breakbulk freight is charged per freight ton — 1 tonne or 1 m³, whichever is greater — with surcharges for heavy and long pieces. Accurate drawings and a packing list before booking therefore save money.
Specification
Specification · Breakbulk. Standard terms · vessel, dates and rate are confirmed per shipment
Service
- Cargo
- steel structures, rolled steel, crated equipment
- Vessels
- MPV, heavy-lift, general cargo ships
- Options
- packing, survey, insurance, on-carriage
Terms
- Timing
- per vessel rotation; about 1–2 weeks from China
- Terms
- liner terms / FIO — per booking
- Currency
- USD / RUB
Logistics
- Before loading
- tonnage, stowage, lashing plan
- At port
- inspection, loading, securing, B/L
- After
- discharge, customs, delivery to site
Price
- Base
- freight per W/M + heavy-lift and length surcharges
- Extras
- lashing material, cradles, survey, storage — on request
Service flow
- 01
Cargo data and tonnage
We collect drawings and a per-piece packing list: dimensions, weight, centre of gravity, lifting points. We approach MPV and heavy-lift operators on the lane and compare rates, heavy-lift and length surcharges and vessel dates.
2–5 days - 02
Booking and stowage plan
We book the space and agree the stowage plan with the vessel: what goes below and what on deck. We check allowable deck and tweendeck loads, select cradles and prepare the lashing plan.
3–10 days - 03
Port delivery and inspection
The cargo is delivered to the berth by the date set by the vessel. A surveyor inspects the pieces before loading; defects are recorded and fixed where possible to avoid remarks on the mate's receipt.
per vessel schedule - 04
Loading and securing
Pieces are lifted by ship's or shore cranes and secured per the lashing plan. The surveyor checks the securing and issues a report; the bill of lading is issued, marked on deck for deck cargo.
1–3 days - 05
Discharge, customs, on-carriage
Discharge at Vladivostok, Vostochny or Nakhodka under survey, customs clearance and on-carriage by low-bed trailer or rail to the site.
2–7 days
Problems
Steel arrives at the port rusty or with damaged packing — the chief mate puts remarks on the mate's receipt, the bill of lading becomes claused and the bank rejects it under the letter of credit.
We inspect before loading, fix packing defects and agree the cargo condition wording with the vessel in advance.
Actual weight or centre of gravity differs from the declared figures — the vessel reworks the stowage, the piece does not fit and dead freight is charged for the unused space.
We verify drawings with the manufacturer before booking, arrange weighing if in doubt and mark the CoG on every piece.
Cargo on the weather deck gets soaked by seawater or shifts in heavy weather, and the carrier limits its liability for deck cargo.
Only suitable pieces go on deck; we require preservation and covers, secure to calculation and insure with on-deck stowage covered.
Documents
Documents for a breakbulk shipment. Fix the loading and discharge terms (liner terms or FIO) in the contract and booking in advance — they decide who pays the stevedores and for securing.
Incoterms
- FOB
- seller loads on board at the port of shipment; freight and securing are on the buyer
- CFR / CIF
- seller pays freight to the port of destination; discharge follows the freight terms
- DAP
- seller delivers to the agreed place; unloading and import clearance are on the buyer
Documents
- Invoice
- commercial invoice describing each piece
- Packing List
- per piece: dimensions, gross weight, volume
- Piece drawings
- showing centre of gravity, lifting and support points
- Bill of lading
- breakbulk B/L; remarks from the mate's receipt carry over to it
- Survey report
- cargo and securing condition at loading and discharge
- Contract
- foreign trade contract stating the delivery term
FAQ
Breakbulk is cargo loaded piece by piece into the hold, onto the tweendeck or the deck of a multipurpose vessel rather than in a container. It is used for items too large or heavy for a container. Vessels follow the operator's rotation rather than a fixed container schedule, so dates are agreed per shipment.
Freight is charged per freight ton (W/M): weight in tonnes or volume in cubic metres, whichever is greater. Surcharges are added for heavy and long pieces. Liner terms or FIO determine whether stevedoring at loading and discharge is included in the rate.
We prepare the lashing plan and agree it with the vessel, while the master is responsible for safe stowage at sea. Before sailing a surveyor checks the securing and records it in a report. Who pays for lashing material and labour depends on the freight terms.
Yes. The pieces are combined into one vessel parcel, distributed across holds and deck with loads checked and shipped under a single bill of lading. This simplifies customs clearance and tallying at discharge.
It means the cargo travels on the open deck, and the carrier usually limits its liability for it. Large pieces often cannot be stowed otherwise, so they are preserved, covered and secured to calculation. Insurance should explicitly cover on-deck stowage.
The sea passage from ports in northern and eastern China usually takes about 1–2 weeks including port calls. The overall lead time depends on when a vessel is available: MPV operators sail less often than container lines. Under a charter the vessel arrives within the agreed laycan.