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Knocked-Down Container Freight (KD Cargo Transport) | Freight-Academy™

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GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 25, 2026

Knocked-Down Container Freight (KD Cargo Transport)

Knocked-down container freight (KD cargo transport) enters the supply chain at the shipper's premises: goods are fully or partially disassembled before loading into standard sea or inland containers.

Quick Answer

Knocked-down container freight (KD cargo transport) enters the supply chain at the shipper's premises: goods are fully or partially disassembled before loading into standard sea or inland containers.

Because flat-packed or broken-down parts stack tightly, this method uses container space far more efficiently than shipping assembled products.

It is widely applied to furniture, household appliances, and industrial machinery in international trade, with final assembly carried out by the consignee or a local fulfillment center at destination.

Last updated: 25 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.trade.gov/logistics-glossary

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Knocked-Down Container Freight (KD Cargo Transport)

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Definition & Explanation

Knocked-down container freight (KD cargo transport) enters the supply chain at the shipper's premises: goods are fully or partially disassembled before loading into standard sea or inland containers. Because flat-packed or broken-down parts stack tightly, this method uses container space far more efficiently than shipping assembled products. It is widely applied to furniture, household appliances, and industrial machinery in international trade, with final assembly carried out by the consignee or a local fulfillment center at destination. KD cargo transport should be distinguished from CKD (completely knocked down) and SKD (semi knocked down), terms associated primarily with automotive assembly operations abroad.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – Knocked-Down Container Freight (KD Cargo Transport) (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/knocked-down-container-freight-kd-cargo-transport), accessed 2026-09-12
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2025). Knocked-Down Container Freight (KD Cargo Transport). Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/knocked-down-container-freight-kd-cargo-transport
BibTeX: @misc{knockeddowncontainerfreight2025, title = {Knocked-Down Container Freight (KD Cargo Transport)}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/knocked-down-container-freight-kd-cargo-transport}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-09-12} }

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