Prof.V.M.MOHAMED ALI
Shipping containers are defined as containers that facilitate the transport and carriage of goods without the need to unload and/or reload the cargo at intermediate points. containers are of special corrosion resistant grade of steel
Shipping containers are classified into three main categories : Dry containers - used in the transportation of bulk cargo Reefer containers-are used for transporting perishables such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, among others Tank containers - liquid chemicals and other liquids
Liner Service – is a service that operates within a schedule and has a fixed port rotation with published dates of calls at the advertised ports. A Tramp Service or tramper on the other hand is a ship that has no fixed routing or itinerary or schedule and is available at short notice (or fixture) to load any cargo from any port to any port.
Liner shipping is the service of transporting goods by means of high-capacity, ocean-going ships that transit regular routes on fixed schedules. There are approximately 400 liner services in operation today, most providing weekly departures from all the ports that each service calls. Liner vessels, primarily in the form of containerships and roll-on/roll-off ships, carry about 60 percent of the goods by value moved internationally by sea each year.
Container ships carry their containers both on and below deck. Deck-stowed containers on an 11,000 TEU vessel are stacked up to seven to eight high and nineteen across, inter-locked with fittings and secured by special lashings. Ships generally carry a mix of 20-foot and 40-foot boxes. Most can also carry 45-foot and 48-foot containers on deck and some can carry 53-foot containers as well.
A large container ship engine has about 1,000 times more power than a family car. The gantry cranes that load and unload container ships can be 430 feet tall and weigh up to 2,000 tons Container shipping is estimated to be two and a half times more energy efficient than rail and 7 times more so than road.