Glossary

Deutsch: Container / Español: Contenedor / Português: Contêiner / Français: Conteneur / Italiano: Contenitore

In the maritime context, a "container" refers to a large standard-sized metal box used for transporting goods by sea, land, or air. These containers are designed to be easily moved with minimal handling, fitting on container ships, rail cars, and trucks. They are a fundamental component of global trade, facilitating the efficient and secure transport of a vast range of products across long distances.

Description

Maritime containers are typically made of durable corrugated steel and come in various sizes, with the most common being the 20-foot and 40-foot lengths. These containers are standardized to comply with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) specifications, ensuring they can be stacked, shipped, and handled worldwide. They are designed to be weatherproof and resistant to extreme conditions to protect the contents during transport.

The two main types of shipping containers, which are standardized and commonly used worldwide, including in Europe, are the 20-foot container and the 40-foot container. These containers are typically used for a wide range of shipping purposes due to their efficiency and capability to be transported easily across different modes of transport (ship, rail, and truck).

Here are their sizes:

1. 20-foot Container:

   • Length: 6.06 meters (approximately)
   • Width: 2.44 meters
   • Height: 2.59 meters

2. 40-foot Container:

   • Length: 12.2 meters (approximately)
   • Width: 2.44 meters
   • Height: 2.59 meters

Both types of containers might also come in variations such as "High Cube" containers, which have a height of about 2.90 meters, providing more volume for cargo that does not necessarily weigh more. The dimensions provided allow these containers to be used globally, including Europe, and ensure that they meet international shipping standards for size.

Application Areas

• International Shipping: Containers are used to ship diverse cargo, including electronics, apparel, machinery, and perishable goods, across oceans.
• Intermodal Transport: Due to their standardized design, containers can be used across different modes of transport—ships, trains, and trucks—without unloading the cargo.
• Storage: Containers are also used for temporary or permanent storage of goods at ports, warehouses, or other facilities.
• Specialized Uses: Some containers are fitted with refrigeration equipment to transport perishable products (known as "reefer" containers), and others might be modified into commercial or living spaces.

Weblinks

• environment-database.eu: 'Container' in the glossary of the environment-database.eu
• quality-database.eu: 'Container' in the glossary of the quality-database.eu
• umweltdatenbank.de: 'Container' im Lexikon der umweltdatenbank.de (German)
• space-glossary.com: 'Container' in the space-glossary.com
• industrie-lexikon.de: 'Container' in the industrie-lexikon.de (German)

Articles with 'Container' in the title

• Container Shipping: Container Shipping: Container shipping in the maritime context refers to the transportation of goods in large, standardized containers using specialized container ships
• Containerized Cargo: Containerized Cargo: Containerized cargo in the maritime context refers to goods that are transported in standardized shipping containers, which can be easily transferred between ships, trucks, and trains

Summary

A "container" in the maritime context is essential for modern logistics and global trade. It allows for the efficient, secure, and cost-effective transport of goods across the world's oceans and beyond, playing a crucial role in international commerce and the global economy.

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