Containerization

Containerization refers to the system of freight transportation basis a series of steel intermodal containers, also popularly known as ISO containers and shipping containers interchangeably. The containers are built in standard dimensions, such that they can be loaded / unloaded, stacked, transported over long distances, and transferred from one transport mode to another, such as in container ships, rail trucks, semi-trailer trucks, etc., without opening them.

Containers’ ISO Standardization

Five common standard lengths established for containers are 20feet (6.1meters), 40ft (12.2m), 45ft (13.7m), 48ft (14.6m), and 53ft (16.2m). In the US, they are usually 48ft (15m) and 53ft for rail and truck. The capacity is expressed in TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), where an equivalent unit reflects the measure of containerized cargo capacity to be equivalent to one standard 20ft × 8ft container (approx). The maximum gross weight for a 20ft dry cargo container would be 24,000 kilograms, and for a 40ft container, it would be 30,480 kgs.  

Air freight containers are custom designed for airlines for their aircrafts, the standard aluminium sizes of which may vary up to 11.52 m3 (407 cubic feet) in volume.

Container Loading

Full Container Load (FCL) – This ISO standard container is loaded / unloaded on the responsibility of one shipper and one consignee only. Therefore, it indicates that the whole container belongs to only one consignee. FCL container shipments hold lower freight rates as compared to an equivalent cargo bulk shipment. FCLs are meant to designate a container loaded to its permissible maximum volume or weight, but in case of ocean freight, FCL might not always indicate a full capacity or payload. 

Less than Container Load (LCL) – This shipment is not big enough to accommodate a standard cargo container for material quantities from various shippers or for delivery to varied destinations in a single railway vehicle for efficiency. An LCL is defined as “a consignment of cargo which is inefficient to fill a shipping container. It is grouped with other consignments for the same destination in a container at a container freight station”.