Shipping container units make up an integral part of the global shipping industry, trade, and international transport. Today, however, shipping containers are also used popularly for the construction of affordable shipping container homes.
So, there are different shipping container types that vary based on their structure, materials used for construction, size and dimensions. It is these components that dictate the type of products to be shipped in the containers, as well as the special services needed from the containers.
Most Commonly Used Types of Shipping Containers Today
Dry Containers
As you may already know, dry storage containers are the most common type of shipping containers in the world. Therefore they are available in various dimensions with the most common ones being 20ft, 40 ft and 10ft dry shipping containers.
Flat Rack Containers
Flat rack containers come with sides that are collapsible. They are used regularly for purposes of storage because the sides can be easily folded. Flat rack containers can also be used for the transport of a wide array of goods from clothing to manufactured products and items.
Open Top Containers
Open top containers remain open at the top. These types of containers have a convertible top that can be removed whenever cargo needs to be loaded. So, open top containers are the best to use for transporting cargo of any height such as cranes.
Tunnel Container
A tunnel container has openings on opposite ends to make it easy to load and unload cargo. Above all, tunnel containers look a lot like dry goods containers so it can be a little difficult trying to differentiate the two.
Side Open Storage Container
Side open containers are open on the sides as opposed to the opposite ends to facilitate the loading and offloading of particular types of cargo.
Insulated or Thermal Containers
Just like refrigerated containers, insulated or thermal containers are also temperature regulated. Unlike refrigerated versions, however, insulated containers are designed to maintain a higher temperature. Therefore, they are used mostly for the transport of goods traveling over long distances.
Intermediate Bulk Shift Containers
Intermediate bulk shift containers are specialized types of shipping containers that are designed solely for the purposes of intermediate shipping. These types of cargo containers can accommodate a large number of goods for transport so they are the preferred choice for trade.
Read More:
A Brief History of Shipping Containers
How to Construct a Shipping Container Home in Kenya
Seven Clever Uses of Shipping Containers
Double Doors Container
Also, as the name suggests, these types of shipping containers come with double doors, which ensures that they have sufficient space for cargo to be loaded and unloaded. Consequently, double door containers can be made using various materials including iron and steel and they come in 20ft and 40 ft dimensions.
Refrigerated ISO Containers
Refrigerated ISO containers are typically regulated because they are used for the transport of sensitive or perishable cargo. Also, most noteworthy, refrigerated containers are temperature controlled to reduce waste over long distances.
Half height Containers
Finally, half height containers are types of shipping containers primarily made from steel. So, as the name suggests, these types of containers are half the size of regular or traditional containers. Half height containers are used mainly for the transport of cargo such as coal and stones that often need to be unloaded one by one.
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