Definition
Transferring cargo from one vessel to another at an intermediate hub en route to the final destination.
Transshipment occurs when a container is unloaded from one ship and loaded onto another at a hub port rather than sailing direct. It lets carriers feed cargo from smaller ports onto mainline services and optimize their networks.
It typically adds transit time and an extra handling point — and so some risk — compared with a direct sailing, but it opens up routings that direct services cannot offer. Forwarders weigh transshipment against direct options on cost, speed, and reliability.
Related terms
Port of Loading (POL)
The port where cargo is loaded onto the vessel for the main ocean leg of its journey.
Port of Discharge (POD)
The port where cargo is unloaded from the vessel, ending the main ocean leg.
Intermodal Transport
Moving the same loading unit across multiple modes without handling the goods themselves at transfers.
Transit Time
The elapsed time a shipment takes to travel from origin to destination, often port to port.
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