Intermodal containers also go by many other names. A few of the most popular alternate names consist of: ISO container, box, high-cube container, sea can, freight container, conex box, and container. These units are made from standardized reusable steel. They offer secure and efficient and safe storage for transporting materials across the globe via a global containerized intermodal freight system.
"Intermodal" is a word which means the container that can be moved between one kind of transport to another. Intermodal may refer from a ship to truck or ship to rail, without having to unload and reload the container's contents. Some of the container lengths which have a distinctive 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 various kinds to suit a range of cargoes within the globe.
These containers could be transported by container ship, freight train and semi-truck trailer. 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 normally employed to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These units are secured during transportation by a range of "twistlock" points located at each corner on the container.
Every container is equipped with a specific bin identification code or BIC code which is painted on the outside in order to take care of identification and tracking. These models can lift things ranging around 20 to 25 tonnes.
For transport on rails, the container may be carried on well cars or on flatcars. Well cars have been designed specifically for use by intermodal containers. They could accommodate double-stacked containers safely and efficiently. The loading gauge of a rail system can actually restrict the types of container shipment and the specific modes of the shipment. For example, the smaller loading gauges that are typically found within European railroads will just handle single-stacked containers. In some countries like the United Kingdom, there are certain 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 many travels across extreme distances. These containers are reused by companies and are able to transport huge amounts of cargo. These containers are responsible for moving many of the stuff we depend on everyday around the world.