Question

Q3. The most successful unitised load for international freight transport is the ISO standard sea container (20-foot and 40-foot variants). Please examine two reasons for its widespread applications

Answer 1

International freight transport is different from domestic freight transport due to heavy load and long-distance with huge uncertainty and unpredictability during transport. In the international freight transport system, shipping containers are a very important and essential element to understand the process. The containers that are used for international shipping are known as ISO containers and shipping containers. These containers are standard in size, dimensions, weight, and quality.

These kinds of containers are used for loading and unloading, stacked, and can be transported from one mode (Sea, Train, Air, Truck, etc) to another easily. This system of handling and managing containers are known as Containerization.

Containers are made of different materials such as steel, Aluminum, and fiber polymer, etc. Containers help in reducing theft and damage of the goods, reduce congestions on ports due to standard sizes, and help in reducing shipping time due to easy handling and moving. The common containers are known for international shipping purpose is 20Foot and 40 Foot ISO containers.

For international shipping, the most successful shipping containers are ISO sea containers (20 foot and 40-foot variants).  There are many applications of using these containers that are as per below:

a. Easy loading and unloading: This is one of the main advantages of using ISO sea containers that is easy in loading and unloading as these containers have standard size as per the international parameters. All ports, ships, trucks, forklifts are designed as per the size of ISO sea containers. The doors of these containers can be opened both sides so it will be an advantage in loading and unloading bulky and heavy goods.

b.Cost-effective: Due to standard sizes approved by the international committee, attract lower shipping and handling cost. ISO sea containers would have 20times less shipping cost than conventional shipping charges.

c. Secure cargo: ISO shipping containers are secure and provide you with damage-free cargo shipment from one place to another place. The goods inside the containers are not affected by the outside weather, heat, humidity, fire, and theft.

d. Versatile and flexible: The shipping through ISO sea containers are highly flexible, as we can use for a large batch of goods to send from one place to another in the world, it can also be used for small batch for a shorter distance. All kinds of goods such as food items, chemicals, solids, liquids, etc can be stored and sent from one place to another place easily.