High & Heavy and Breakbulk Shipping
Our vessels and specialized equipment ensure your out-of-gauge cargo's safe and efficient transportation.
Breakbulk Transportation
At Höegh Autoliners, we are committed to providing exceptional services for the transportation of various types of cargo, including Breakbulk, and other out-of-gauge shipments. To cater to the unique requirements of such cargo, we rely on our modern and specialized rolltrailers. These innovative rolltrailers have been specifically designed to facilitate the smooth and secure transportation of heavy and/or lengthy goods.
Our extensive rolltrailer fleet incorporates a wide range of cargo-carrying equipment, ensuring that we can accommodate diverse cargo sizes. With options ranging from 20 to 80 feet in length and a remarkable capacity of up to 160 metric tons, we have the flexibility to handle your cargo with precision and efficiency. Whether you have bulky machinery, oversized equipment, or long industrial components, our rolltrailers are equipped to handle the challenge.
To transport higher breakbulk and project cargo, we designed a new Superlow rolltrailer.
- 32 feet long (9.8m)
- 2.8m wide
- 0.47m high
- 75MT payload
Experienced personnel
Our cargo handling personnel are experienced professionals who ensure the safest and most cost-efficient transportation for your high, heavy, and out-of-gauge breakbulk cargo, regardless of its shape or form. To ensure that your cargo is transported safely without damage, we have developed procedures and best practices that include a comprehensive cargo quality programme. In addition, we have systems in place that enable us to continually improve our operations so that we can provide the best possible service to our customers at all times.
Vessels optimal for Breakbulk
Our fleet is flexible and modern. In 2015, we began taking delivery of the first vessel in a series of six New Horizon designs. These new vessels are optimal for loading high, heavy, and breakbulk cargo, with a ramp capacity of 375 tons, a 6.5-meter door height, and five out of fourteen decks that are liftable. You can learn more about the New Horizon vessel on our website.
What is an example of break bulk cargo?
Examples of breakbulk goods/cargo include including:
- construction machinery and equipment,
- agricultural and farming machinery
- vehicles,
- steel,
- lumber,
- power equipment
- trucks, buses and trailers
- trains and trams,
- boats and yachts,
- mining equipment,
- and other oversized or irregularly shaped items.
What is breakbulk shipping and how does it work?
Breakbulk (also known as break bulk or break bulk cargo) is an ocean shipping method used to transport or goods that don’t fit in standard-size shipping containers or cargo bins.
Instead of using containers, breakbulk cargo is loaded onto a vessel individually, piece by piece, or sometimes in smaller units such as crates, barrels, pallets, or bags. This type of cargo is typically too large, heavy, irregularly shaped, or fragile to be loaded and transported in standard containers.
What are the advantages of break bulk cargo?
- The ability to transport bulky and heavy items that exceed container or cargo capacity. They can be sent without being taken apart. Our breakbulk ships are equipped with rolltrailers and other equipment like the Höegh bridge necessary to load and unload these oversized or heavy goods.
- Time saved on disassembly and reassembly, ensuring quicker loading and offloading.
- Access to smaller ports that would otherwise be incompatible with larger container ships or tankers.
- Items don’t have to be combined into a single container, allowing for individual item shipments.
- More affordable than container shipping (mainly because items don’t have to be broken down to fit containers).
Why ocean breakbulk is favored?
RO/RO (Roll On-Roll Off) is typically used when transporting breakbulk shipments.
This method is particularly chosen for the transportation of large and heavy breakbulk shipments as it helps to avoid various fees, including container rental, storage charges, additional labor costs, and equipment rental fees. RO/RO liner services also operate on a well-established and frequently scheduled timetable, reducing the likelihood of last-minute cancellations or delays. Heavy breakbulk cargo is securely fastened to specialized rolltrailers to prevent the need for lifting or dismantling. As a result, the cargo is smoothly rolled onto the deck of the vessel, considering its weight and width.
What is the difference between bulk and break bulk shipment?
There seems to be a lot of confusion between these two terms. In bulk shipment, goods are transported in large quantities in a loose form (without being packaged or containerized). These goods typically include liquids (e.g., oil, chemicals), dry commodities (e.g., grain, coal), or raw materials (e.g., ore, sand). They are loaded directly into the vessel's hold or specialized bulk containers.
What are the drawbacks to breakbulk shipping?
Breakbulk shipping tends to be more expensive. Breakbulk is more labor intensive for the stevedores and takes up more space.
