Different Cargo Categories of Freight Shipping

Just as there are different methods, there are also different designations for the type of cargo being hauled. And like the method of shipment, four primary types of categories include liquid, dry bulk, container cargo, and RORO or “roll on, roll off.” In the paragraphs below, we’ll give a brief description of each category, along with some examples.

Liquid Bulk

Liquid bulk is anything that is not solid and can be stored in large quantities in closed tanks that often connected to and part of a truck or ship. This category includes things like gasoline, chemicals, and cooking oils. The storage tanks they’re kept in can be connected directly to larger storage tanks once the load arrives through a pump or hose. The cargo and storage tanks are both specifically designed to make it easy to transfer liquid load between them through the use of hoses, pumps, compressors, heating coils, and vapor systems.

Dry Bulk

Solid load falls under the category of dry bulk and is often stored in a “loose” form and includes items such as grains, gravel, peanuts, and iron ore. Dry covers a wide variety of goods and covers many of the non-liquids that can be stored and hauled without being consolidated. Just as liquid bulk requires a delivery system to move it between tank and storage, dry size often does too. This system usually involves a bucket crane or large funnel to move it and can sometimes even be moved by conveyor belts, particularly for agricultural goods.

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Container Method

This cargo refers to any type that can be consolidated to fit onto a 20- or 40-foot container. It’s an efficient and widely used method of hauling since it can easily be stacked, stored, or moved from ship to truck and vice versa. Since this versatility is such a key part of cargo, they are sometimes called “intermodal containers,” which refers to the ease with which they can be moved from one mode to another. Examples include appliances, clothes, and refrigerated or frozen food items.

RORO (Roll On, Roll Off) Services

RORO is anything that can be rolled onto a carrier, which is outfitted with ramps to make the loading and unloading process quicker and easier. Break bulk is a subcategory of RORO and refers to loads that include items that are too large to fit in a standard container or moved using other modes of hauling. RORO is generally moved by ship, but it can also apply to air freight and includes things like vehicles, rail cars, and trailers.