Kuormat

Kuormat is a term used in Estonian logistics to denote the cargo or payload carried by a vehicle, vessel, or container in a single shipment. In everyday practice, kuormat encompasses the physical goods, their weight, volume, and any hazardous classifications that affect handling and transport. The concept distinguishes the cargo from the transporting unit itself (such as the truck, wagon, or container) and from the contractual terms of carriage.

Derived from the Estonian word kuorm meaning load or burden, kuormat forms a quantitative notion of the amount of cargo. In contemporary Estonian regulation and industry, kuormat is used to describe the load that must be accommodated within statutory limits, vehicle capacities, and route constraints.

Practically, kuormat is central to planning, packing, and documentation. It informs weight distribution, axle load calculations, fuel planning, and insurance or liability calculations. In modern logistics software, kuormat is modeled as a data field that links to orders, packing lists, and bills of lading, enabling optimization of routes and modal choices.

Related terms include kapasiteet (capacity), tare weight, gross weight, and load factor. The term is most common in Estonian-language sources, but the concept exists in other languages under equivalents like cargo, freight, or payload.