The intermodal container can be referred to by other names like 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 efficient storage for moving supplies all around the globe via a global containerized intermodal freight system.
"Intermodal" is a word that refer to the container that can be moved between one type of transport to another. Intermodal could mean from a ship to truck or ship to rail, without having to reload and unload the contents of the container. Some of the container lengths which have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark on them vary from 8-feet or 2.438 m to 56 feet or 17.07m. These units are as high as 8 feet or 2.438 m to 9 feet, 6 inches or 2.9 m. It is estimated that there are about 17 million intermodal containers of different types to suit a variety of cargoes within the globe.
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 using container cranes. A reach-stacker is usually 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 each corner on the container.
To be able to manage to containers identification and tracking, each and every container is equipped with a bin identification code or BIC code painted directly on the outside of the box. These models are capable of lifting things ranging approximately 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 safely and efficiently accommodate double-stacked containers. The loading gauge of a rail system can actually limit the types of container shipment and the specific modes of the shipment. For example, the smaller loading gauges that are usually found in European railroads would just handle single-stacked containers. In certain countries like the UK, there are some sections of the rail network that cannot accommodate high-cube containers, unless they can use well cars only.
These containers are made sturdy enough to last through the numerous travels across extreme distances. These containers are reused by businesses and are able to transport huge amounts of cargo. These containers are responsible for transporting numerous of the items we rely on everyday all over the world.