Freight and cargo are terms used when transporting goods, especially for businesses rather than personal use. While often used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings.

Freight

The term "freight" typically refers to goods transported by land, such as by trains or trucks, as in "freight truck" or "freight train." However, it also applies to air transport, particularly in the context of Air Cargo Services in India. "Freight" can refer to the goods being transported and the cost of transportation. It encompasses various modes of transport, including trucks, trains, planes, and ships. Importantly, regular mail is not classified as freight; it only pertains to commercial goods. "Freight" can denote the items themselves, the saleable goods, the transportation cost, or the process of moving them.

Cargo

In contrast, "cargo" is primarily used for goods transported by ships or planes, such as "cargo planes" or "cargo ships." Unlike "freight," "cargo" focuses solely on the goods being moved, not the transportation cost. Cargo can include any products in transit, moved using methods like large cargo containers, pallets, or cargo handling nets. Interestingly, "cargo" can also refer to mail, focusing on the items inside rather than the cost of sending them.

Distinguishing Between Freight and Cargo

The primary difference lies in the terminology related to transport charges. Transportation fees are commonly termed "freight charges," whereas "cargo" pertains only to the goods, excluding financial aspects. "Freight" can describe the goods alone or the entire transportation process. Practically, cargo is associated with larger vehicles like ships and planes, while freight is linked to smaller vehicles such as trucks. Both terms are integral to the import and export of goods and play a crucial role in multimodal transportation solutions. Over time, the distinctions between freight and cargo have blurred, with modern usage allowing more flexibility.