The intermodal container may be referred to by other names such as a box, ISO Container, high-cube container, freight container, sea box, container and conex box. These units are manufactured from standardized reusable steel. They offer secure and efficient and safe storage for moving supplies across the globe via a global containerized intermodal freight system.
"Intermodal" is a term that refer to the container which can be moved between one type of transport to another. Intermodal could mean from a ship to rail or ship to truck, 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 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 around 17 million intermodal containers of different types to suit a range of cargoes in the globe.
Containers could be transported by container ship, freight train and semi-truck trailer. They can travel the distance of a single journey without being unpacked. At container terminals, they are transferred between modes by container cranes. Usually a reach-stacker is used to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These models are secured during transportation by a range of "twistlock" points located at every corner on the container.
To be able to manage to containers identification and tracking, each container is equipped with a bin identification code or BIC code painted directly on the outside of the box. These units can lift 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 can accommodate double-stacked containers safely and efficiently. The loading gauge of a rail system could actually restrict the particular modes of the shipment and the types of container shipment. For example, the smaller loading gauges that are typically found within European railroads would only handle single-stacked containers. In certain countries such as the United Kingdom, there are certain sections of the rail network which cannot accommodate high-cube containers, unless they could utilize well cars only.
These containers are built to last and are utilized to travel extreme distances. They are re-used with companies and can lift an enormous amount of cargo. These containers are responsible for moving numerous of the objects we depend on everyday all around the world.