ISO or intermodal containers are standardized, reusable steel boxes used in the intermodal transport of freight in the global market. They are manufactured according to specifications from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and are suitable for multiple transportation methods such as truck, rail, or ship, without having to be loaded and unloaded.
These containers can be used across different modes of transport – from ship to rail to truck, without unloading and reloading cargo. This means that freight can moved from rail, to trucks, to ships, to air without ever being opened, making shipping much more cost effective and providing greater flexibility for international trade.
Containerizing is a way to bundle cargo and goods into larger, unitized loads, that can be easily handled, moved, and stacked, and that will pack tightly on a ship or in a yard. Intermodal containers share a number of key construction features to withstand the stresses of intermodal shipping to facilitate their handling and to allow stacking, as well as being identifiable through their individual, unique prefix and number. (Source: WikiPedia)
Intermodal containers exist in many types and a number of standardized sizes, but most of the global container fleet are “dry freight” or “general purpose” containers, consisting of durable closed steel boxes, mostly of either twenty or forty foot (6 or 12m) standard length, with common heights of 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m) and 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m) – also known as High Cube or Hi-Cube containers.
