The intermodal container can be called by other names such as a box, high-cube container, ISO container, freight container, sea box, container and conex box. These units are manufactured from standardized reusable steel. They offer efficient and safe and secure storage for moving supplies across the world via a international containerized intermodal freight system.
"Intermodal" is a term that refer to the container which could be moved between one type of transport to another. Intermodal could mean from a ship to truck or ship to rail, without having to unload and reload the container's contents. Several of the container lengths which have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark on them range from 8-feet or 2.438 m to 17.07m or 56 feet. These models are as high as 2.438 m or 8feet to 2.9 m or 9 feet, 6 inches. It is estimated that there are roughly 17 million intermodal containers in the world of various types to suit a variety of cargoes.
These containers could be transported by container ship, freight train and semi-truck trailer. They could also travel numerous distances without having to be unpacked. At container terminals, they are transferred between modes using container cranes. Normally a reach-stacker is used to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These units are secured during transportation by a range of "twistlock" points situated at every corner on the container.
Each and every container is equipped with a certain BIC code or bin identification code which is painted on the outside in order to take care of identification and tracking. These models can carry things ranging roughly 20 to 25 tonnes.
For transport on rails, the container can be carried on well cars or on flatcars. Well cars have been designed particularly for use by intermodal containers. They can safely and efficiently accommodate double-stacked containers. The loading gauge of a rail system can actually restrict the kinds of container shipment and the specific modes of the shipment. Like for instance, the smaller loading gauges which are typically found in European railroads would just handle single-stacked containers. In some nations such as the United Kingdom, there are some sections of the rail network which cannot accommodate high-cube containers, unless they can use well cars only.
These containers are made strong enough to last through the numerous 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 numerous of the objects we depend on everyday around the globe.