Intermodal Shipping Container Research

The Intermodal Shipping Container is a large steel box that was created to transport goods by train, truck, or ship for around the last 50 years. The pioneer of this revolutionizing box goes is a man by the name of Malcom McLean who began his transportation interest with his trucking company (McLean Trucking) that he built into one of the nation’s largest. From there, he developed the steel container in 1956, which replaced the previous loading and unloading method known as the “Break Bulk Method.” The Break Bulk Method was a much less efficient method where all goods are loaded individually using bags, boxes, drums, crates, or barrels instead of unified large containers. This method definitely being much more time consuming and risky with respect to increased theft or damage.
These containers only come in a few standard sizes (10’, 20’, and 40’) although there are many different types of these containers. Dry storage containers are very common and are used for dry goods without the need of temperature control. Flat rack containers are containers that may be collapsible and are with or without walls, which, are suitable to heavy cargo or cargo that may need unloading from different sides. Open top containers are just that as they have removable roofs for products that may need unloading from the top of the container, used often with transporting machinery. Tunnel containers have doors on each end for easy access to unload material from both sides. Open side storage containers have doors on the sides of the container in order to carry much wider products. Insulated or thermal containers keep temperatures warm for certain products. Tank containers are used for liquids and are made with a steel frame to protect the tank in...

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...nd and 10 to 14.5 thousand TEUs, and are only able to navigate the Panama Canal after the set of expansions it received. Finally, the Ultra Large Container Vessel class holds upwards of 14,500 TEUs. The largest in the world right now is owned by Danish shipping company Maersk, and can hold 18,270 twenty-foot equivalent containers. (Maersk)
Some ships come outfitted with their own gantry cranes, but most rely on the ports to have them available, as they are at less risk of damage in port than at sea. They also save money on fuel without the added weight, and have less maintenance required overall. The cranes can support over 10 tons of weight, and are capable of moving a container on or off the ship in approximately three minutes. The shoreside gantry cranes have increased efficiency over boatside cranes, and were another huge step in increasing efficiency overall.