The intermodal container can 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 provide safe and secure and effective storage for transporting supplies across the world via a international containerized intermodal freight system.
The word "Intermodal" refers that the container is capable of being moved from one type of transport to another. Like for example, intermodal refers from ship to rail or ship to truck, without having to reload and unload the container's contents. A few of the container lengths that have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark on them range from 8-feet or 2.438 m to 17.07m or 56 feet. These units are as high as 8 feet or 2.438 m to 2.9 m or 9 feet, 6 inches. It is estimated that there are approximately 17 million intermodal containers of various types to suit a variety of cargoes within the world.
These containers could be transported by container ship, freight train and semi-truck trailer. They could also travel many distances without having to be unpacked. At container terminals, they are transferred between modes utilizing container cranes. A reach-stacker is usually utilized to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These models are secured during transportation by a range of "twistlock" points situated at each corner on the container.
Each container is equipped with a particular bin identification code or BIC code which is painted on the outside to be able to take care of identification and tracking. These models could carry items ranging around 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 accommodate double-stacked containers efficiently and safely. The loading gauge of a rail system may actually restrict the kinds of container shipment and the specific modes of the shipment. For instance, the smaller loading gauges that are usually found in European railroads will only handle single-stacked containers. In some nations like the UK, there are some sections of the rail network which cannot accommodate high-cube containers, unless they can utilize well cars only.
These containers are made strong enough to last through the many travels across extreme distances. These containers are reused by businesses and are able to transport large amounts of cargo. These containers are responsible for moving many of the objects we depend on everyday around the globe.