Intermodal containers also go by many other names. Some of the most popular alternate names consist of: ISO container, box, high-cube container, sea can, freight container, conex box, and container. These models are manufactured from standardized reusable steel. They offer efficient and safe and secure storage for moving materials all over the globe via a international containerized intermodal freight system.
"Intermodal" is a term that refer to 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. Several of the container lengths that have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark on them vary from 8-feet or 2.438 m to 56 feet or 17.07m. These models 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 roughly 17 million intermodal containers of different types to suit a variety of cargoes within the globe.
These containers could be transported by freight train, semi-truck trailer and container ship. They could also travel many distances without having to be unpacked. At container terminals, they are transferred between modes by container cranes. Normally 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 located at every corner on the container.
In order to manage to containers identification and tracking, every container is equipped with a bin identification code or BIC code painted directly on the outside of the box. These units could lift items ranging roughly 20 to 25 tonnes.
For transport on rails, the container could be carried on well cars or on flatcars. Well cars have been designed especially for use by intermodal containers. They could safely and efficiently accommodate double-stacked containers. 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 normally found in European railroads would only handle single-stacked containers. In some nations such as the UK, 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 used to travel extreme distances. They are re-used with companies and could lift an enormous amount of cargo. These containers are responsible for transporting many of the objects we rely on everyday all over the world.