| We mean the shipping container here, not beer kit | | | | with minimum wastage of space. This was in contrast |
| container. The 20 feet shipping container, 20'x8'x8.5' in | | | | to the significant storage space wastage (not to |
| size, can accommodate a mobile dwelling unit, with | | | | mention time wastage) that would be involved if the |
| beds and furniture that fold into the wall, for example. | | | | cargo as such were moved individually to, and stored |
| Shipping containers come mostly in the standard sizes | | | | in, the cargo holds of standard ships. |
| of 20 feet, 40 feet and 45 feet high-cube (the last with | | | | Standardization of containers involved not only their |
| a height of 9.5'). If desired, containers can be | | | | dimensions, but also corner fittings, reinforcements and |
| customized in various ways, by constructing containers | | | | identification markings. Standard pallets that fit neatly |
| of a different dimension, or converting them into, say, | | | | into the containers were used to pack merchandise. |
| houses. | | | | Container capacity is expressed in TEUs or |
| Containerization | | | | twenty-foot equivalent units. These standards have |
| Containerization facilitates inter-modal freight transport, | | | | now been accepted worldwide. |
| i.e., container ships, railroad cars, and trucks can all | | | | Containers used for air transport have a different set |
| accommodate standard sized containers. There are | | | | of dimensional standards that are much smaller in |
| also standard containers for use in aircraft. So you can | | | | length, width and height. |
| transport a container from the interiors by truck or | | | | Containers come in many types. There are 'dry van' |
| railroad to a sea or air port, and send them to a distant | | | | containers for boxes, bales, pallets, drums, etc, 'reefer' |
| location where the transport process is reversed, say, | | | | containers that are temperature controlled from -25 |
| from ship to truck. Specialized container handling | | | | degrees to +25 degrees centigrade, bulk containers |
| equipment can easily transfer the containers from the | | | | for bulk materials and heavy machinery, tank |
| one mode to another. | | | | containers for liquids, and other kinds of specials |
| Streamlining of freight transport operations lowers | | | | including those with rolling floors for difficult-to-handle |
| costs, and leads to lower freight charges and | | | | cargo. |
| increased trade. It was in the 20th century that | | | | Container Related Issues |
| standardization of container sizes and | | | | Containers enhance security as the contents are not |
| container-handling equipment gained momentum and | | | | visible and the doors are sealed in a manner to detect |
| appeared as an important innovation in logistics. Initially | | | | any tampering. Cargo did not "fall off" the trucks as |
| standardized with 8'x8' cross-sections and multiples of | | | | was common in earlier days. On the other hand, the |
| 10' lengths, containers became increasingly popular | | | | fact that containers are not typically opened meant |
| starting 1950s. | | | | that they could be used to transport contraband. |
| Purpose-built container ships and railcars gave | | | | The increased efficiency of container based cargo |
| momentum to container-based freight operations. The | | | | handling typically leads to job losses, and moving work |
| containers were transported unopened from origin to | | | | to inland from waterfronts. |
| destination, being transferred from one kind of | | | | Where two-way cargo movement is not balanced, |
| transport vehicle to another as needed. Containers | | | | empty containers can accumulate at certain places |
| could thus travel across sea, land and air with | | | | and transporting the bulky empty containers is often |
| practically no disruption. | | | | not cost effective. To handle this issue, containers are |
| The cargo could be tightly packed into the containers | | | | often converted to other uses. |