The intermodal container could be referred to by other names such as a box, ISO Container, high-cube container, sea can, freight container, conex box, and container. These units are manufactured from standardized reusable steel. They offer safe and secure and effective storage for moving materials all around the world via a global containerized intermodal freight system.
The word "Intermodal" means that the container could be moved from one type of transport to another. Like for instance, intermodal means from ship to truck or ship to rail, without having to reload and unload the contents of the container. Some of the container lengths that have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark on them vary from 2.438 m or 8-feet to 56 feet or 17.07m. These models are as high as 8 feet or 2.438 m to 2.9 m or 9 feet, 6 inches. It is estimated that there are approximately 17 million intermodal containers of different types to suit a variety of cargoes within the world.
These containers could be transported by freight train, semi-truck trailer and container ship. They can also travel numerous distances without having to be unpacked. At container terminals, they are transferred between modes by container cranes. Normally a reach-stacker is utilized to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These models are secured during transportation by a variety of "twistlock" points located at every corner on the container.
Each and every container is equipped with a specific BIC code or bin identification code that is painted on the outside to be able to take care of tracking and identification. These models could lift items ranging about 20 to 25 tonnes.
For transport on rails, the container could be carried on flatcars or on well cars. Well cars have been designed especially for use by intermodal containers. They could accommodate double-stacked containers safely and efficiently. The loading gauge of a rail system can actually limit the specific modes of the shipment and the types of container shipment. Like for example, the smaller loading gauges which are normally found in European railroads will just handle single-stacked containers. In some nations such as the United Kingdom, there are some sections of the rail network which cannot accommodate high-cube containers, unless they can use well cars only.
These containers are built to last and are utilized to travel extreme distances. They are re-used with businesses and can carry an enormous amount of cargo. These containers are responsible for moving numerous of the stuff we rely on everyday all over the globe.