By Maria Kalamatas | May 9, 2025
Porto, PORTUGAL —
Steel beams. Wind blades. Machines too wide for any standard box. In 2025, this kind of cargo is no longer the exception — it’s making a steady return to the global logistics stage.
“Containers can’t carry everything,” says Miguel Fonseca, who coordinates port operations for a regional carrier. “Breakbulk never disappeared — it just waited for its moment.”
Projects are back — and they’re big
From wind farms in southern Spain to power grid construction in Senegal, oversized cargo is moving again. The infrastructure push across the Global South — combined with energy diversification in Europe — has brought fresh demand for non-containerized transport.
In Q1 alone, volume of industrial cargo rose by 21% at Porto de Suape, while ports like Antwerp and Houston have seen similar rebounds.
“It’s not a spike,” Fonseca explains. “It’s linked to real investments on the ground.”
Container space isn’t the solution
With box freight rates fluctuating and schedules still recovering from early-year bottlenecks, many shippers are turning back to breakbulk — not just by necessity, but by strategy.
For turbines, transformers, or prefab structures, containers aren’t even an option. These shipments require flat racks, heavy-lift cranes, route planning, and — more than anything — experience.
Knowledge matters more than size
Unlike standard freight, breakbulk moves demand specific know-how: how to lash, lift, and secure pieces that weigh several tons and don’t stack neatly.
More forwarders are reviving or expanding their project cargo divisions. Others are outsourcing to specialists, combining digital tracking tools with on-the-ground site surveys.
“This is not a copy-paste operation,” says Fonseca. “Every shipment is different, and the margin for error is zero.”
The bottom line
In 2025, breakbulk cargo isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about adaptation. As industries build again, and the world gets heavier, logistics firms that know how to move big things the hard way are finally back in demand.
