Definition of Cargo

In mercantile law. The load or lading of a vessel; goods and merchandise put on board a ship to be carried in a certain port. The lading or freight of a ship; the goods, merchandise, or whatever is conveyed in a ship or other merchant vessel. Seamans v. Loring, 21 Fed. Cas. 920; Wolcott v. Insurance Co., 4 Pick. (Mass) 429, Macy v. Insurance Co., 9 Mete. (Mass.) 366; Thwing v. Insurance Co.., 103 Mass. 401, 4 Arn. Rep. 567. A cargo is the loading of a ship or other vessel, the bulk of which is to be ascertained from the capacity of the ship or vessel. The word embraces ali that the vessel is capable of carrying. Flanagan v. Demarest, 3 Rob. (N. Y.) 173. The term may be applied in such a sense as to include passengers, as well as freight, but in a technical sense it designates goods only.