Types of Containers.
The advent of containers in the 20th century dramatically changed the way freight is handled and transported by rail, road, and sea.
Containerization was first introduced by Malcolm McLean (later Sea Land founder) in the 1930s and was developed as part of military logistics during World War II.
The new system initially focused on the critical need of facilitating land and sea transportation and standardized loading and unloading of cargo units.
The new transport system later proved to be economically viable as well, significantly reducing handling and packaging costs, and greatly reducing theft and damage of packages.
Initially, the container dimensions were 20'x8'x8' and 40'x8'x8', but within a few years the current dimensions were 20'x8'x8.6' and 40'x8'x8.6'. became.
Commonly deployed worldwide, it offered a greater cargo capacity of 33 CBM for 20' containers and 66 CBM for 40' containers.
Container dimensions and corresponding tolerances are defined worldwide by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as follows:
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20' extension. Width 2.352 mm, Height mm 2.393mm, Length 5.898mm
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40' extension. Width 2.438 mm, Height 2.591 mm, Length 12.192 mm.
Maximum Payload and Maximum Gross Weight and Net Weight are marked on the front of each unit.
Package dimensions such as pallets, boxes, and crates are
determined to make the most of the container's interior. It should be a factor in the dimensions of the container.
All containers are identified by a 4-character, 6-digit container prefix (container serial number). In general, 20-foot containers are countersigned with a 2 as the first digit, and 40-foot containers are countersigned with a 4.
Package dimensions such as pallets, boxes, and crates are
determined to make the most of the container's interior. It should be a factor in the dimensions of the container.
The container's tare weight is usually around 2t. For 20 feet and 4 tons. For 40ft container.
Containers can be stacked on top of each other and must be constructed to carry very high weights. They are primarily made of steel and also help limit damage from improper handling, especially during loading and unloading.
Aluminum and plywood-made containers were introduced for a certain period to reduce tare weight, However, it was scrapped because the losses far exceeded the gains.
In addition to regular dry trucks or general cargo containers, the following options are available for various purposes.
- 20' and 40' open-top units. It is top-loadable and covered with a tarpaulin secured with a sealed cord
- Platform container for oversized cargo.
- Flat rack with fixed or folding sides. Flat tracks with folding sidewalls can be stacked on top of each other and take up less space when repositioning.
- 20' open top with movable crossbars mounted above the front side doors to facilitate loading of off-gauge cargo
- Tank Containers are usually owned by a private company specializing in liquid cargo transportation.
- Reefer container for temperature-controlled freight transport.
- Heavy Duty Loader: The 20-foot unit with a payload capacity of 27 tons.
- High Cube: A 40-foot container that is 9 feet 6 inches high (76 CBM internal volume).
- 45ft Container - Currently only used in certain trades and not generally intended for shipment on standard full container vessels.