Here are five common types of containers!
There are several types of sea containers. Here you will find our 5 types of sea containers with an explanation of their use. Let’s have a look!
Common container
The most common container type is the sea container, also known as a dry box or dry van container. It is the container we are all familiar with, and this type of container comes in basically any color one can think of.
This container type is used by a freight forwarder company for the transport of all types of goods. The beauty of this type is that it fits like a Lego brick on a container ship, where it will be stacked multiple stories high. Or what about a freight train pulling around 200 containers at once!
In addition, the common container is ideal for storage of goods. The 20FT and 40FT containers are the most common sizes.
Reefer Container
Reefer container stands for refrigerated container. The reefer container is a well-insulated sea container that is equipped with a generator to cool its contents. The cargo of a reefer container consists, for example, of vegetables and fruit, meat and fish, flowers and plants and medication. These containers are equipped with thermometers and sensors so crew aboard a ship can ensure that the contents will remain at the correct shipping temperature.
Tank Containers
Tank containers are used for transporting liquids and chemicals. Tank containers always have an IMO certification. The IMO indicates which type of liquid may be transported in the container.
These containers are made of a strong material, usually steel. Most important is that these containers can withstand the corrosive nature of the liquids that they are carrying. On top of that, they need to last years and years, and be able to carry a new type of (dangerous) liquid every time.
Tankers must always be filled up to the right amount. The minimum amount for a tanker is 80%, which should prevent sloshing of the liquid during transport. If a lorry or a truck, transporting a half full tanker, is forced to make an emergency stop the tank container would cause a safety hazard due to the liquid sloshing back and forth within the tank.
On the other hand, a tank container should never be filled up above 95%. If it were filled up to a hundred percent, there would be no space for thermal expansion. It goes without saying that a few thousand liters of a dangerous liquid that wants to expand will easily rip through a steel container as if it were a soda can.
Containers With Open Top
Open top containers are loaded from the top. This is a solution when bulk cargo such as pebbles or coal have to be loaded into the container with a crane or forklift. An open top container has no fixed roof, and is therefore closed with a tarp.
Flat Rack Container
Flat rack containers are used to transport goods with odd dimensions. This is possible because the flat rack container has no sides so the load can stick out. There are two types of flat racks: fixed end flat racks with fixed headers and collapsible flat racks that can be stacked.
