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bulk cargo

American  
[buhlk kahr-goh] / ˈbʌlk ˈkɑr goʊ /

noun

Transportation.
  1. cargo that is shipped loose and unpackaged, as grains, coal, ores, and oil.

    The hatchways are inspected to insure safe loading and discharging of the bulk cargo.


Etymology

Origin of bulk cargo

First recorded in 1900–05


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Trucks alone dominate the movement of goods in the U.S., but the railways play a major role in moving coal, lumber, ore and other bulk cargo over very long-haul routes.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 20, 2026

"It can quickly double for container freight" and "be even more drastic for bulk cargo", said Pierre Cossart, director of Sogestran Logistics.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

“Log volumes, which make up 80% of bulk cargo, are likely to decline through the second half due to the impact of higher diesel prices,” analyst Andy Bowley says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

It said the incident occurred in a solid bulk cargo conveyor belt and spread to other nearby facilities.

From Reuters ● Dec. 23, 2022

For a moment we were puzzled, and then we saw that the train was made up entirely of gondola cars such as are used to carry coal and other bulk cargo.

From The Image and the Likeness by John Scott Campbell

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