Luani Matthsÿer | 02 September 2021
Containerised shipments have been the mainstay of international shipping since its conception in the late 1950s. A vast majority of organisations utilize the time tested container as their primary method of delivering commodities in a safe and relatively timely manner. However, the rising container shortage dilemma the industry is facing calls for alternative delivery methods to be explored.
Bulk and break-bulk shipping represent a viable alternative to container shipping should the right conditions apply. Multi-national organisations that ship materials of vast quantities or sizes are more likely to utilise this method as loading containers is unfeasible. This does not imply, however, that smaller organizations or manufacturers cannot take advantage of the break-bulk/bulk shipping opportunities. Alistair Group proposes quite the opposite; It is now the ideal opportunity to make use of this alternative shipping method, where possible, to avoid the container conundrum.
There are several criteria to consider when pondering break-bulk/bulk as a shipment method. Here are but a few:
- Cargo needs to be durable.
- Third-party handling of cargo might be required. Break-bulk/bulk operators only offer port to port services, therefore should door to door services be required a third party, like Alistair Group, will need to be utilised.
- Cargo volume needs to be greater than the standard 20-28 MT’s shipped in a container. For break-bulk/bulk to be a financially viable solution upwards of 1500 MT’s per vessel is required.
Should you feel this option is worth exploring, please reach out to us as and we will gladly guide you through all break-bulk/bulk shipping options.
Bulk Sulpher from RichardsBay, South Africa to DRC.
SMBS Breakbulk from DAR, Tanzania to DRC.