The intermodal container may be called by other names such as a box, high-cube container, ISO container, sea can, freight container, conex box, and container. These models are made from standardized reusable steel. They offer efficient and safe and secure storage for moving materials all around the world via a international containerized intermodal freight system.
The term "Intermodal" refers that the container is capable of being moved from one kind of transport to another. Like for instance, intermodal refers from ship to truck or ship to rail, without having to unload and relaod the contents of the container. Several of the container lengths that have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark on them vary from 8-feet or 2.438 m to 17.07m or 56 feet. 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 about 17 million intermodal containers within the globe of different types to suit a range of cargoes.
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 used to transfer from a flat-bed truck to a rail car. These units are secured during transportation by a variety of "twistlock" points located at every corner on the container.
Each container is equipped with a certain BIC code or bin identification code that is painted on the outside in order to take care of identification and tracking. These models are capable of carrying objects ranging approximately 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 could accommodate double-stacked containers efficiently and safely. The loading gauge of a rail system could actually limit the types of container shipment and the specific modes of the shipment. Like for example, the smaller loading gauges which are usually found in European railroads would just handle single-stacked containers. In certain countries such as the UK, 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 to last and are used to travel extreme distances. They are re-used with companies and could carry an enormous amount of cargo. These containers are responsible for moving many of the stuff we depend on everyday around the world.