Absorption

Absorption is used in shipping and logistics to describe how something takes in or accommodates an impact, load, or obligation. In a commercial context, it often refers to costs being absorbed by an owner, charterer, carrier, or service provider rather than being passed on to another party. In cargo and vessel operations, absorption can describe how available space, weight capacity, or volume is taken up by cargo. The term is also used in a physical sense for materials or packaging that absorb moisture, vibration, or shock during transport. Its meaning depends on context and may appear in charter parties, freight calculations, cargo specifications, or commercial agreements. Absorption helps explain how capacity, risk, or cost is managed within an operation rather than transferred elsewhere.