1. Prof.V.M.MOHAMED ALI

2.  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

3.  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

4.  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.

5.  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.

6.  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.

7.  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.