In the world of port transportation, container shipping stands out as a sophisticated and widely used method. Understanding the size of containers is crucial for efficient cargo transportation. This guide aims to provide clarity on how to accurately estimate container sizes, especially when dealing with various types of cargo, from household goods to specialized items.
- General Dry Cargo Containers: Ideal for non-temperature-sensitive goods like electronics, textiles, and machinery parts.
- Insulated Containers: Used for temperature-sensitive goods requiring refrigeration or insulation.
- Tank Containers: Suitable for transporting liquids like oils, chemicals, and liquid food.
- Platform and Pedestal Containers: Designed for heavy and oversized items such as machinery, steel, and timber.
- Open-Top Containers: Best for large or heavy goods like steel and wood, allowing top-loading.
- Car Containers: Specialized for transporting vehicles, available in single and double-layered designs.
- Animal Containers: Equipped for transporting live animals, ensuring ventilation and easy cleaning.
- Garment Containers: Designed for transporting garments in a hangable format, reducing packaging needs.
Understanding Common Container Types and Their Uses.
Transportation of goods with a wide range of containers, from the transport of household goods, and small folding containers to 40HQ standard containers, as well as air containers, and so on, to name a few. Here only introduce the common international freight container size and type in the sea transport.
Know More About Container Size
| Container Size | Internal Size(M) | General Gross Weight(TONS) | Volume(Cubic Meters) |
| 20GP | 5.69M X2.13M X2.18M | 17.5 | 24-26 |
| 40FT | 11.8mX2.13mX2.18m | 22 | 54 |
| 40HQ | 11.8mX2.13mX2.72m | 22 | 68 |
| 45FT | 13.58mX2.34mX2.71m | 29 | 86 |
| 20GP Freezer | 5.42mX2.26mX2.24m | 17 | 26 |
| 40FT freezer | 11.20mX2.24mX2.18m | 22 | 54 |
| 40HQ freezer | 11.62mX2.29mX2.50m | 22 | 67 |
| 45FT freezer | 13.10mX2.29mX2.50m | 29 | 75 |
| 40FT open-top container | 5.89mX2.32mX2.31m | 20 | 31.5 |
| 40FT open top container | 12.01mX2.33mX2.15m | 30.4 | 65 |
| 20FT flat bottom container | 5.85mX2.23mX2.15m | 23 | 28 |
| 40FT flat bottom container | 12.05mX2.12mX1.96m | 36 | 50 |
Before diving into size estimation, let’s briefly overview common container types:
- General Dry Cargo Container: Widely used for general cargo that doesn’t require temperature control. This type of container is versatile, often used for shipping a variety of goods including electronics, textiles, and more.
- Insulated Container: Ideal for goods needing refrigeration or insulation, these containers are built with materials of low thermal conductivity.
- Tank Container: Designed for liquid goods like oils, these containers have a strong framework to support the liquid cargo.
- Platform-Based Container: These are without tops and sidewalls, suitable for long, heavy items like steel or timber.
- Open-Top Container: Suitable for large or heavy goods, these have a foldable top supported by beams.
- Car Container: Specifically for transporting small cars, these containers come in single and double-layer variants.
- Animal Container: Used for transporting live animals, these have features like ventilation and feeding ports.
- Garment Container: Equipped with crossbars and hooks for hanging garments directly, facilitating no-packaging transportation.
Estimating Container Size: A Step-by-Step Approach.
Let’s consider estimating the container size for A5-size notebooks as an example:
- Determine Individual Product Weight:
- A5 size: approximately 21cm x 14.8cm.
- Calculate the weight using the gsm (grams per square meter) value.
- Example: Single weight=0.21×0.148×70×60+0.21×0.148×250×2+15≈160 gramsSingle weight=0.21×0.148×70×60+0.21×0.148×250×2+15≈160 grams.
- Determine Quantity per Box:
- Assume a gross weight limit of 15kgs for the outer box.
- Net weight could be around 12kgs, which gives 12000160=7516012000=75 units per box.
- Adjust the count based on packaging preferences.
- Calculate Carton Size:
- Estimate the thickness of each notebook (e.g., 7mm for a 60-sheet notebook).
- For 12 books per inner box, the size would be approximately 22cm x 16cm x 9.5cm (adding 1cm to each dimension for packaging).
- The outer box size, assuming 6 inner boxes, would be around 24cm x 34cm x 31.5cm (adding 2cm to length and width, and 3cm to height for packaging).
- Consider Gross Weight:
- Calculate total weight: 160×72 grams+2 kgs for the box≈13.5 kgs160×72 grams+2 kgs for the box≈13.5 kgs.
By following this structured approach, businesses can efficiently plan their container usage, ensuring optimal space utilization and cost-effectiveness in shipping. This method not only aids in logistical planning but also in maintaining the integrity of the goods during transportation.
