Architect's rendering of the design
for Warehouse No. 1, March 1916.

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Tools of the trade were relatively simple for most longshoremen. Individual longshoremen used hand-held "hooks" to manipulate unwieldy cargo such as 500-pound bales of jute. In the mid-20th century, the mechanized forklift revolutionized the industry as the machine allowed for the quick movement of large and heavy materials by a single longshoreman. Unlike the container ships of today, which can be turned around in a few days, ships carrying break-bulk cargo typically spent at least a week in port while longshoremen unloaded and loaded break-bulk cargo.

A point of pride for the longshoremen was the "tight stow" or the ability to fill every nook and cranny of a ship's hold or (in the case of the warehousemen) warehouse with cargo. Experienced longshoremen and warehousemen could quickly and effectively store various types of cargo while leaving few (if any) gaps.

Loading cargo

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The break-bulk method of shipping became largely obsolete as a result of a number of factors. Following the advent of containerization in the late 1950s, the shipping of break-bulk cargo (and need for its many handlers) appeared redundant in the eyes of shipping and stevedoring companies. Rising labor costs also played a role in the shipper's desire to streamline cargo handling through the reduction in break-bulk cargo shipping.

The ILWU, created in 1937, is arguably the most important force in the industry and represents all West Coast longshoremen and warehousemen. Through the "Mechanization and Modernization" agreements of the early-to-mid-1960s, the industry saw the elimination of restrictive work rules for employees along with the introduction of more efficient methods of work sought by employers.