Affixed permanently to the exterior of a shipping container with bolts, the locking rod and handles help ensure the cargo door closes securely. Securely locking rods and handles perform an important function. The CSC Plate helps alert shippers to the age of the shipping container. If a shipping container breaks apart during transfer by crane, for example, the contents might spill and seriously injure or kill people in the immediate vicinity. However, this information remains very important today. Protocols for the use of the CSC Plate originated during the 1970s, as the pace of global commerce intensified. Additionally, the CSC plate specifies applicable shipping container testing procedure regulations, offering an assurance that the container itself adheres to a nationally developed testing standard. It also indicates the location of manufacture. For instance, this plate typically reports the date when a manufacturer produced the shipping container. The CSC PlateĪ Convention for Safe Containers (“CSC”) Plate supplies essential information about most shipping containers not transported by air. Specific handling rules apply to this type of freight. This important information helps alert workers to potential dangers associated with the cargo. They identify help cargo posing an explosive or fire risk. Today, shipping containers must carry stickers or plates indicating potential safety threats. Some Important Safety Handling Instructions Strong steel reinforced floors and corner posts contribute significantly to modern shipping containers. This procedure requires durable container corners. A 40-foot shipping container usually maintains a standard maximum gross weight of 67,200 pounds.ĭuring the course of shipping, large overhead cranes pick up and relocate shipping containers. Three weight measurements describe this asset’s capabilities: its weight without cargo (the “Tare Weight”), the weight of the cargo alone, and the combined weight of the cargo and the container (i.e. Consequently, they seek to build tough metal structures capable of withstanding heavy wear.Ī typical shipping container must possess the strength to transport heavy items safely across long distances. Manufacturers expect customers to continuously re-use shipping containers.
Each one carries an ISO certification attesting to its use of standardized dimensions. Shipping containers typically consist of rectangular box-like structures composed of durable corrugated thick steel (or in some cases, aluminum). Shipping Container Specifications The Structure of a Shipping Container Some Important Safety Handling Instructions.The below table provides measurements for the most commonly used shipping containers. It explores several important features of an intermodal shipping container. This brief article seeks to supply useful information about the features and specifications of these widely utilized transportation assets. Some containers undergo successive transfers within the chain of commerce until goods arrive at an intended destination. Shippers sometimes temporarily store packed shipping containers, depending upon carrier schedules.įor example, instead of spending precious time (and money) unpacking and re-packing in order to transfer a freight shipment from a boat to a railroad line or a trucking route, carriers simply transfer the entire packed and secured shipping container. They help streamline the costs involved in using a variety of different shipping modalities. Designed for seamless transfers between tractor-trailer rigs, railroad cars, cargo planes, and maritime vessels, “intermodal” standardized containers permits the rapid movement of cargo between ports by international shipping companies. They account for an estimated 90% of maritime cargo transport, for instance. Today, intermodal shipping containers perform an important role in the flow of international commerce. The humble shipping container has had a profound impact on the international removals industry.