How Breakbulk Freight Is Priced: Revenue Tons, W/M and Surcharges

Breakbulk freight is usually charged per revenue ton. A revenue ton is either one metric tonne of weight or one cubic metre of volume, whichever gives the higher number for your cargo. On top of that base rate, carriers add surcharges for heavy or long pieces, fuel and port costs, and the price also depends on who pays for loading and discharge. If you understand those four parts, you can compare breakbulk quotes properly and spot the ones that leave costs out.

Revenue tons and the W/M rule

Containers are priced per box. Breakbulk has no box, so carriers price the space and lifting effort each piece needs. They do this with the weight-or-measurement rule, written as W/M:

• Work out the gross weight of each piece in metric tonnes.
• Work out its volume in cubic metres (length x width x height, using the outer dimensions, including skids or crates).
• The higher of the two is the freight tonnage, also called revenue tons or freight tons.

Hypothetical example: a transformer weighs 18 tonnes and measures 4.0 x 2.5 x 3.0 m, so 30 cbm. It is charged as 30 revenue tons, because volume is higher than weight. A steel billet bundle weighing 25 tonnes but measuring only 6 cbm is charged as 25 revenue tons. Dense cargo pays on weight, bulky cargo pays on volume.

This is why accurate dimensions matter so much. If the packing list understates a crate by 20 cm in each direction, the terminal will re-measure it, and the freight goes up after the booking is confirmed.

Surcharges you will see on breakbulk quotes

The base rate per revenue ton is only part of the price. Common additions are:

• Heavy-lift surcharge. Charged when a single piece is above the carrier's heavy-lift threshold. The threshold and the steps above it differ by carrier and vessel, so ask for them in writing.
• Long-length surcharge. For pieces longer than a set length, because they are harder to stow.
• Bunker adjustment (BAF). Covers fuel price changes. It can be fixed for the booking or float until sailing.
• Port and terminal charges at loading and discharge, unless the quote says they are included.
• Lashing, securing and dunnage, sometimes included, sometimes charged separately per piece or per revenue ton.
• Deck stowage or special stowage charges where the cargo cannot go under deck.

Liner terms: who pays to load and discharge

Two quotes with the same rate per revenue ton can cost very different amounts because of the terms. The common ones are:

• Liner terms (Berth terms): the carrier's rate includes loading and discharge from the ship's hook.
• FIO (Free In and Out): the carrier does not pay for loading or discharge. You or your receiver pay the stevedores.
• FILO and LIFO: free in, liner out, or the other way round. Only one end is included.

Always check which term applies at each port. If you are comparing a liner-terms quote with an FIO quote, add the stevedoring cost to the FIO one before deciding.

A simple way to compare two quotes

1. Recalculate the revenue tons yourself from the packing list, piece by piece.
2. Multiply by each carrier's base rate.
3. Add every surcharge that applies to your pieces, using the carrier's own thresholds.
4. Add stevedoring and port charges that are not included under the quoted terms.
5. Check the quote validity date and whether BAF can change before loading.

Common mistakes

• Sending dimensions without packing. Skids and crates add volume.
• Assuming the heavy-lift surcharge is the same across carriers.
• Comparing a liner-terms quote with an FIO quote at face value.
• Forgetting that a piece shipped on deck may need different insurance cover.

If you are getting ready to ask for prices, our breakbulk quote checklist lists the data a carrier needs. If your cargo might fit a flat rack instead, see flat rack, open top or breakbulk.

Get a breakbulk quote

Anil Darya quotes breakbulk and project cargo through Jebel Ali and other Gulf ports. Send us the packing list with weights and dimensions per piece, drawings for heavy items, the origin and destination ports, and the cargo-ready date through our rate inquiry form or to info@anildarya.co.

Sources

• BIMCO, standard charter party and liner forms: bimco.org/contracts-and-clauses (reviewed 9 November 2026)