A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes.
Contents |
Types of shipping containers
Intermodal freight containers
A railroad car with a 20 ft tank container and a conventional 20 ft container Main articles: Intermodal container An intermodal container or freight container is a reusable transport and storage unit for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries; the terms container or box may be used on their own within the context of shipping. Containers manufactured to ISO specifications may be referred to as ISO containers and the term high-cube and Intermodal freight transport Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and losses, and allows freight to be transported fasterFreight containers are a reusable In computer science and software engineering, reusability is the likelihood a segment of source code that can be used again to add new functionalities with slight or no modification. Reusable modules and classes reduce implementation time, increase the likelihood that prior testing and use has eliminated bugs and localizes code modifications when transport and storage unit for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries. There are approximately seventeen million intermodal containers in the world and a large proportion of the world's long distance freight generated by international trade International trade is exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories.. In most countries, it represents a significant share of gross domestic product . While international trade has been present throughout much of history (see Silk Road, Amber Road), its economic, social, and political importance has been on is transported inside shipping containers.
Corrugated box
Main article: corrugated fiberboard Corrugated fiberboard is a paper-based material consisting of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards. It is widely used in the manufacture of corrugated boxes and shipping containersCorrugated boxes Corrugated box design is the process of matching design factors for corrugated fiberboard boxes with the functional physical, processing and end-use requirements. Packaging engineers work to control and minimize total costs throughout the system are commonly used as shipping containers. They are made of corrugated fiberboard Corrugated fiberboard is a paper-based material consisting of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards. It is widely used in the manufacture of corrugated boxes and shipping containers which is light weight, recyclable, and strong enough to ship a variety of products.
Wooden box
Main article: box (wood) A wooden box is a container made of wood for storage or as a shipping containerWooden boxes are often used for shipping heavy and dense products. They are sometimes specified for shipments of government or military shipments.
Crate
Main article: crate A crate is a large shipping container, often made of wood, often used to transport large, heavy or awkward items. A crate has a self-supporting structure, with or without sheathing. For a container to be a crate, all six of its sides must be put in place to result in the rated strength of the container. Steel and aluminum crates are also usedA crate is a large container, often made of wood, used to transport large, heavy or awkward items. A crate has a self-supporting structure, with or without sheathing.
Intermediate bulk shipping container
A typical IBC Main article: Intermediate bulk container An Intermediate bulk container is a container used for transport and storage of fluids and bulk materials. The construction of the IBC container and the materials used are chosen depending on the application, i.e. there are various types available in the marketAn Intermediate bulk container (IBC) is a container used for transport and storage of fluids and bulk materials. The construction may be plastic, composite, steel, stainless steel, etc. Some are foldable (collapsable).
- Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container
A Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container, FIBC , big bag, bulk bag, or super sack is a standardized container in large dimensions for storing and transporting and storing granular products. It is often made of a woven synthetic material.
Bulk box
Main article: Bulk box A bulk box , also known as a bulk bin, skid box, tote box or gaylord, is a pallet size box used for storage and shipping of bulk quantitiesA bulk box, bulk bin, skid box, or tote box is a pallet A pallet (sometimes called a skid) is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, pallet jack, front loader or other jacking device. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies. Goods or shipping containers are often placed on a pallet size box used for storage and shipping of bulk quantities.
Drum
Main article: Drum (container) A drum is a cylindrical container used for shipping bulk goods. Drums can be made of steel, dense paperboard or plastics, and are generally used for the transportation of certain dangerous materials or modest quantities of bulk goods. For caustic and acid materials, plastics, usually thermoplastics like Polyethylene, Nylon, Polystyrene, Polyvinyl Example of steel drumDrums are cylindrical shipping containers made of steel, plastic or fiber. They are often used for liquids and granular materials.
Insulated shipping containers
Main article: Insulated shipping container Insulated shipping containers are a type of packaging used to ship temperature sensitive products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. They are used as part of a cold chain to help maintain product freshness and efficacyInsulated shipping containers are a type of packaging used to ship temperature sensitive products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. They are used as part of a cold chain A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain. An unbroken cold chain is an uninterrupted series of storage and distribution activities which maintain a given temperature range. It is used help extend and ensure the shelf life of products such as fresh agricultural produce, processed foods, photographic film, chemicals and pharmaceutical to help maintain product freshness and efficacy.
Unit load device
A "LD3-45" unit load device on a trailer.A Unit Load Device A unit load device, or ULD, is a pallet or container used to load luggage, freight, and mail on wide-body aircraft and specific narrow-body aircraft. It allows a large quantity of cargo to be bundled into a single unit. Since this leads to fewer units to load, it saves ground crews time and effort and helps prevent delayed flights. Each ULD has, or ULD, is a container used to cargo on commercial aircraft.
A ULD can be a pallet or container used to load luggage, freight, and mail on wide-body aircraft and specific narrow-body aircraft. It allows a large quantity of cargo to be bundled into a single unit. Since this leads to fewer units to load, it saves ground crews time and effort and helps prevent delayed flights. Each ULD has its own packing list, manifest, or tracking identification to improve control and tracking of contents.
Specialized shipping containers
A container for shipping weapons, with carrying handlesCustom containers are used for shipments of products such as weapons and aviation components. Customized cushioning Package cushioning is used to help protect fragile items during shipment. It is common for a transport package to be dropped, kicked, and impacted: These events may produce potentially damaging shocks. Transportation vibration from conveyors, trucks, railroads, or aircraft can also damage some items. Shock and vibration are controlled by, blocking and bracing, carrying handles, lift rings, locks, etc. are common to facilitate handling and to protect the contents. Often, these shipping containers are reusable.
- Transit and Flight Case
Flight cases and transit cases are usually custom designed for shipping and carrying fragile equipment: audio visual, camera, instruments, etc. Although generally light in construction, they tend to have reinforced edges and corners.
- Road Case
Road cases are often used for shipping musical instruments and theater props.
See also
- Packaging Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end use. Packaging
- Logistics Logistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources in a repair cycle between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of customers. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and occasionally
- Spent nuclear fuel shipping cask Spent nuclear fuel shipping casks are used to transport spent nuclear fuel used in nuclear power plants and research reactors to disposal sites such as the nuclear reprocessing center at COGEMA La Hague site. Each shipping container is designed to maintain its integrity under normal transportation conditions and during hypothetical accident
- Nuclear flask A nuclear flask is a shipping container that is used to transport active nuclear materials between many nuclear power stations in the UK. Each flask weighs more than 50 tonnes, and transports usually not more than 2.5 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel. Introduced in the early 1960's, Magnox flasks consists of 4 layers; an internal skip containing the
References
- Design Criteria for Specialized Shipping Containers, US DoD, Mil-Std 648C, 1999
- ASTM Shipping Container Standards and Related Technical Material, 5th edition, 2007, ASTM
- McKinlay, A. H., "Transport Packaging", Institute of Packaging Professionals, 2004
- Brody, A. L., and Marsh, K, S., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 1997, ISBN 0-471-06397-5
Categories: Commercial item transport and distribution This category comprises the transport and distribution of cargo, goods, and other items of commerce. Although many of the articles within this category also deal with transporting people, passenger transportation is outside the scope of this category | Logistics | Shipping containers Categories: Containers | Commercial item transport and distribution | Intermodal containers
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