Сontainer types

Since the 19th century, shipping companies have been tasked with the development of the optimal standardized type of equipment for transportation of cargo around the world. Modern containers appeared in 1951. They belonged to Danish shipowners.

Modern containers meet the ISO system of standards, so they are universal. They can carry almost everything: from personal belongings up to chemical cargo for industrial production. The use of containers significantly reduces the cost of transportation, because their transshipment, unloading and loading do not require additional specialized equipment, so the stationary equipment is used in the port. The container is reloaded or transferred from ship to ship or to shore. In addition, this form of transportation ensures the safety of the cargo, because the container is difficult to open without leaving noticeable traces.

This type of equipment allows you to implement door-to-door transportation as efficiently as possible, since it involves reloading to different types of transport without reloading the contents.

Containers are divided into universal, in which you can transport almost any type of cargo, and specialized.

Let’s consider the main types of universal containers:

These are standard 20- and 40-foot containers and 40-foot "high cube" containers. They are produced with a rigid frame, walls and bottom, designed for unloading by a warehouse loader. Such standard containers must have doors for loading and unloading of the goods. This equipment is dust- and waterproof. It is designed for the transportation of a wide variety of goods.

Standard 20-foot sea container (20' Dry Freight Container)

Standard 40-foot sea container (40' Dry Freight Container)

High Cube 40-foot sea container (40' Dry Freight Container High Cube)

Specialized types of containers

Refrigerated containers

For transportation of the goods that are sensitive to high or low temperatures, refrigerated containers / thermal containers (reefers) are used. A refrigerated container is a container made on the principle of a thermos with thermal insulation of the container body. Polyurethane foam is used as a temperature-regulating material. A refrigerating unit is connected to the container, which can maintain a constant temperature of the cargo from -25C to +25C.

Refrigerated containers usually carry perishable cargo: fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, frozen food, and even tires, as they are also sensitive to temperature changes.

The refrigerated container consists of two parts - the body and the refrigerating unit. Outside, the container body and doors are covered with 2.0 mm thick duralumin sheets, inside - with 0.6 mm profiled food grade stainless steel, and there are polyurethane foam panels between the layers. The bottom of the container is made of strong aluminum profile. The doors are equipped with special hermetic locks.

The air from the refrigerating unit with a set temperature goes to the floor of the container, then rises along the walls and doors to the ceiling and returns back to the unit. This ensures the circulation of air and the maintenance of the necessary temperature and humidity for transportation of a certain type of cargo.

20 - foot refrigerated container

40 - foot refrigerated container

Open-top containers  

Open Top Containers have only a bottom and walls, and are made without a fixed roof. They are used for loading long, oversized, heavy cargo which cannot be loaded into the container through the doors. To protect it, it is covered with a tarpaulin cover or a removable roof made of plastic or metal-plastic.

20 - foot OPEN TOP container (20' Open Top Container)

40 - foot OPEN TOP container (40' Open Top Container)

 20 - foot FLATRACK container

Container-platform FR (Flat Rack) and PL (Platform)

Such containers are used for transportation of oversized cargo, machinery, equipment, lumber and other large cargo. They are actually the bottom of the container with upper and lower corner fittings which serve to secure the cargo. There are no side walls or supporting structures for the platform containers.

 40 - foot FLATRACK container (40' Flat Rack Container)