The intermodal container can be called by other names such as a box, high-cube container, ISO container, sea can, freight container, conex box, and container. These units are manufactured from standardized reusable steel. They offer secure and efficient and safe storage for moving materials across the globe via a global containerized intermodal freight system.
"Intermodal" is a word that refer to the container that could 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 container's contents. Several of the container lengths which have a distinctive ISO 6346 reporting mark on them vary from 8-feet or 2.438 m to 17.07m or 56 feet. These units 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 around 17 million intermodal containers of different kinds to suit a range of cargoes within the world.
These containers can be transported by container ship, freight train and semi-truck trailer. They can also travel many distances without having to be unpacked. At container terminals, they are transferred between modes by container cranes. Often times a reach-stacker is utilized to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These models are secured during transportation by a range of "twistlock" points situated at every corner on the container.
In order to manage to containers identification and tracking, each and every container is outfitted with a bin identification code or BIC code painted directly on the outside of the box. These units could carry things ranging approximately 20 to 25 tonnes.
When utilizing rail transport, the containers can be carried on well cars or on flatcars. Well cars are especially designed for transport by containers. They can accommodate double-stacked containers safely and efficiently. The loading gauge of a rail system can actually restrict the kinds of container shipment and the particular modes of the shipment. For example, the smaller loading gauges that are normally found within European railroads would only handle single-stacked containers. In some nations like for instance 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 to last and are used to travel extreme distances. They are re-used with businesses and could carry an enormous amount of cargo. These containers are responsible for moving many of the stuff we depend on everyday around the world.