Legal Definitions - laden in bulk

A vessel is described as laden in bulk when it is carrying a large quantity of unpackaged cargo that is loaded directly into its holds or tanks, rather than being contained in individual boxes, bags, barrels, or other containers. This method is typically used for commodities that are uniform in nature and can be efficiently transported loose.

• Example 1: A massive oil tanker departs from a port in the Middle East, its vast internal tanks filled to capacity with millions of gallons of crude oil. The oil is pumped directly into these tanks without any individual packaging.

  Explanation: This vessel is laden in bulk because the crude oil, a liquid commodity, is transported loose within the ship's dedicated storage tanks, not in separate containers.

• Example 2: A large cargo ship arrives at a steel mill's private dock, having traveled across the ocean with its cavernous holds filled to the brim with raw iron ore. The ore was simply poured into the ship's compartments at the loading port.

  Explanation: The ship is laden in bulk because the iron ore, a solid mineral, is carried unpackaged and loose within the vessel's cargo holds, rather than being packed into bags or crates.

• Example 3: A freighter is preparing to cross the Atlantic, having just completed loading at a major agricultural port. Its holds are filled with thousands of tons of wheat grain, which was conveyed directly from silos into the ship's cargo spaces.

  Explanation: This vessel is considered laden in bulk because the wheat grain, an agricultural commodity, is transported loose and unpackaged within the ship's holds, rather than being bagged or boxed.