Several different categories of marine freight are in common use today. Generally, ocean freight shipping falls into the following categories:
FCL (Full Container Load)
Cargo shippers purchase an entire container or multiple entire containers to ship their cargo via ocean freight
LCL (Less Than Container Load)
Cargo shippers purchase space inside a container and their cargo is shipped together with other shippers’ goods
RORO (Roll On Roll Off)
Wheeled vehicles such as passenger vehicles, semi-trucks, or even rail cars are simply rolled on and off a ship rather than being placed in a container
Dry Bulk
Cargo shippers use a ship’s hold to carry certain goods, such as grain, coal, and ore that are usually not shipped in intermodal containers
Break Bulk
Cargo shippers use a ship’s hold to carry certain goods, such as steel girders and other large custom-fabricated goods that are impractical to ship in intermodal containers
The type of ship that carries the cargo will often vary by the type of freight it’s moving. Some ships, for instance, are designed specifically for RORO cargo and frequently transport hundreds of vehicles around the world. Before a business enters the ocean freight shipping market, its management should always carefully consider the types of cargo they will need to ship if they are a shipper or that they will carry if they are a carrier.
