The intermodal container can be called by other names such as a box, ISO Container, high-cube container, sea can, freight container, conex box, and container. These models are made from standardized reusable steel. They provide safe and secure and efficient storage for transporting materials all over the world via a global containerized intermodal freight system.
"Intermodal" is a term that means the container that can be moved between one type of transport to another. Intermodal can mean from a ship to rail or ship to truck, without having to unload and reload the container's contents. Some of the container lengths which have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark on them range from 2.438 m or 8-feet to 56 feet or 17.07m. These units are as high as 2.438 m or 8feet to 9 feet, 6 inches or 2.9 m. It is estimated that there are roughly 17 million intermodal containers of different kinds to suit a range of cargoes within the globe.
Containers are capable of being transported by freight train, semi-truck trailer and container ship. They could travel the distance of a single journey without being unpacked. At container terminals, they are transferred between modes by container cranes. A reach-stacker is normally used to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These units are secured during transportation by a variety of "twistlock" points situated at each corner on the container.
To be able to manage to containers identification and tracking, each and every container is equipped with a BIC code or bin identification code painted directly on the outside of the box. These models can lift items ranging approximately 20 to 25 tonnes.
When using rail transport, the containers could be carried on flatcars or on well cars. Well cars are especially designed for transport by containers. They can efficiently and safely accommodate double-stacked containers. The loading gauge of a rail system can actually limit the kinds of container shipment and the particular modes of the shipment. Like for example, the smaller loading gauges which are normally found within European railroads would only handle single-stacked containers. In some countries such as the United Kingdom, there are certain sections of the rail network that cannot accommodate high-cube containers, unless they could utilize well cars only.
These containers are made to last and are utilized to travel extreme distances. They are re-used with companies and could lift an enormous amount of cargo. These containers are responsible for moving many of the things we depend on everyday around the globe.