Container

see also: Etymology of Container

In the field of the Transport, a container ( container in English), is a metal case, in the form of parallelepiped, designed for goods transport by different means of transport. Its dimensions were standardized with the international level. It is provided, in the angles, of parts of gripping making it possible to fasten it and to tranship it from one vehicle to another. It forms part with the mobile cases and some Semi-remorque S of the category of the “units of intermodal transport”.

According to the standard ISO (International organization of standardization) established in 1967, there are three great series of containers of which the length is respectively of 20 foot S, 30 feet and 40 feet. All the containers of these three series have the same width, 8 feet, which allowed the development of the ships container ships, but this width is not enough in general to transport face two pallets standardized (1200 mm × 800 mm) in the direction their length, nor three in the direction of their width. This is why the mobile cases (of which dimensions allow it) were a great success in Europe. The statistics of intermodal Transport are generally estimated in units “EVP”, that is to say “equivalent twenty feet”. First cargo liners: 8,500 EVP entered in service to the beginning of the year 2000 and their size and capacity did not cease a croite. In 2006, the Danish company Maersk launched the Emma maersk which has a capacity of: 11,000 containers and is the longest boat of the world in activity.

The development of the container is closely related to that of the international exchanges by sea route, particularly of the manufactured goods. It is less better adapted in surface transport because its width does not allow the loading of two lines of pallet S, also is it on this segment competed with by the mobile Case.

Two Chinese companies, CIMC which holds half of the worldwide market with 1,2 million units produced in 2004, (against: 70,000 in 1994) and Singama are the principal manufacturers of containers. A simple container of 20 feet cost in 2007 approximately 1400 € for one 15 years lifespan.

History

The development of the transport of containers was closely related to the standardization. The first standards were developed by ASA (now ANSI), the agency American of standardization then by the ISO. Thus, measurements were always fixed in feet.

Two companies, Sea-Land Service and Matson Navigation established as of the Années 1950 their own sizes of containers, respectively 35 feet and 24 feet. The ASA fixed then the lengths at 10,20,30 and 40 feet for a height and a width of 2,44 Mr.

The committee ISO TC-104 took over to define dimensions, materials, constraints, etc applied to the containers, given in the standards ISO 668 (1995) and ISO 1496-1 (1990).

Current sizes and masses

The principle of the container was invented in 1956 by Malcolm Mac Lean, an American road carrier who found that the transshipment in bulk goods was too long. It initially directly charges the truck in the boat, then improves this idea while returning the case of the mobile truck. Its invention will remain confined at the east coast of the United States during 10 years, then crosses the Atlantic in 1966 and knows then a fulgurating growth.

The standards given by the ISO do not prevent other sizes from existing, employed by certain conveyers. In North America, one finds lengths of 48 and 53 feet.

However the vast majority of the containers has external dimensions standards:

length of 20 feet (6,058 m) or 40 feet (12,192 m);
width of 8 feet (2,438 m);
height of 8,5 feet (2,591 m).

Interior dimensions are the following ones:

length of 20 feet dry steel (5.905 m) or 40 feet (12,04 m)
width of 2.34 m
height 2.28 m

One more and more frequently finds containers high cubic of 9 feet (2,743 m) or 9,5 feet (2,896 m)

The container half height (4,25 feet) proposes a height twice less, to transport heavy loads (which reach the authorized maximum weight) in a reduced volume.

The mass of a container varies between 1,8 tons (for one 20 feet) with 4,2 tons (for one 40 feet high cubic ).

Types

If the “basic” container (and most widespread) remains a simple box, there exist specialized containers: cooled, ventilated, dehumidified, with a fuel tank, with ammunition, clothing, without roof, folding stools, with cattle, cars, dishes, cisterns, etc

On the other hand, they share the same attachment unit, by corner fittings present on the eight tops of the parallelepiped and revolving bolts fixed on the frames of the vehicles or the machines of handling ( twist-lock in English).

Largest companies

The world traffic reached 116 million voyages of EVP in 2005

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