In order to meet the needs of loading different goods, there are various types of containers can be selected. How many types of containers are there and what are the different types of shipping containers? Ipqcco.com provides Container Loading Supervision Service to detect potential errors and ensure the safety and quality of goods.

Different Types of Shipping Containers – Classification of Containers

1. Classification by materials
According to the materials used in the main parts of the box (sidewall, end wall, top, etc.), it is called containers made of materials. According to the classification of materials used, containers can be divided into three types:
1) Aluminum alloy container has the advantages of lightweight, beautiful appearance, anti-corrosion, good elasticity, convenient processing, low processing, and repair costs, and long service life; the disadvantages are high cost and poor welding performance.
2) Steel container has the advantages of high strength, firm structure, high weldability, good water tightness, and low price; The disadvantages are heavyweight and poor corrosion resistance.
3) FRP container has the advantages of high strength, good rigidity, large content, good heat insulation, anti-corrosion and chemical resistance, easy cleaning, and simple repair; The disadvantage is that the weight is large, easy to age, and the strength of the bolt is reduced.

2. Classification by structure
According to the classification of structure, containers can be divided into three categories:
1) Interior post type container and outsider post type container mainly refer to aluminum alloy container, and inner post type container refers to that the side column (or end column) is located in the inverted wall or end wall; outsider post type container means that the side column (or end column) is located outside the inverted wall or end wall.
2) Collapside container means that the main components of the container (sidewall, end wall, and top) can be simply folded or disassembled, and can be easily combined when reused.
3) Monocoque container is a steel body composed of all parts. Its advantage is lightweight and can adapt to the torque without causing permanent deformation.

3. Classification by purposes
1) Ordinary containers, also known as dry containers, are mainly used to transport pieces of groceries. They are usually used to transport cultural goods, daily necessities, medicine, textiles, handicrafts, chemical products, hardware and electricity, electronic machinery, instruments, and machine parts. This kind of container accounts for 70 ~ 80% of the total number of containers. In addition to frozen goods, live animals, and plants, dry containers can be used for goods suitable for container transportation in terms of size and weight.
2) Reefer containers: can be divided into external and built-in types. The temperature can be adjusted between – 60 ℃ ~ + 30 ℃. The built-in container can start the refrigerator at will during transportation to keep the container at the specified temperature; The external type must rely on the refrigerators equipped on special container vehicles, ships, special storage yards and stations. This box is suitable for transporting butter, chocolate, frozen fish, condensed milk, margarine, and other items in summer.
3) Open top container, also known as open-top container and open-top container. This kind of container has no top but has a roof made of canvas, plastic cloth, or plastic-coated cloth supported by a foldable top beam. Crane can be used to load and unload goods from the top of the box. The top of the open-top box can be opened or there is no container with a fixed item surface, and the top is covered with a waterproof cloth during shipment, Its water tightness requirements are the same as those of dry containers. Suitable for loading glass plates, steel products, machinery, and other heavy goods.
4) Flat rack container has no top and two sides, which is characterized by loading and unloading from the side of the container. Taking overweight goods as the main transportation object, it is also convenient to load livestock and naked goods such as steel that can be exempted from external packaging. It can also facilitate the hoisting of large, ultra-wide, and ultra-high goods.
5) Pen container this kind of box adopts metal mesh on the side, with good ventilation and easy feeding. It is a special container specially made for transporting cattle, horses, and other moving objects.
6) Tank container is also called liquid container. It is a special container made for transporting liquid goods such as food, medicine, and chemicals. The structure is that a liquid tank is fixed in a metal frame. The international standard tank is a stainless steel pressure vessel installed in a fastened external frame. The tank liner is mostly made of 316 stainless steel. Most tanks have steam or electric heating devices, inert gas protection devices, pressure reducing devices, and other optional equipment required for fluid transportation and loading and unloading.
7) Platform container: shape is similar to that of a railway flatcar. It is a container with a high bearing capacity and no superstructure. It is suitable for overweight and super long goods, with a length of more than 6 meters, a width of more than 4 meters, a height of about 4.5 meters, and a weight of 40 metric tons. And the two platform containers can be connected to load 80 metric tons of goods. It is very convenient to use this kind of box to transport cars.
8) Ventilated container: the wall is equipped with 4-6 ventilation holes, and the inner wall is coated with a plastic layer, which is suitable for loading goods that are afraid of heat and tightness, such as fresh vegetables and fruits.
9) Insulated container: is provided with a thermal insulation layer in the box, and the top of the box is provided with an air inlet and outlet that can adjust the angle. The outside air and wind direction can be used to adjust the temperature in the box. When it is tightly closed, it can not be affected by the outside air temperature for a certain period of time. Suitable for shipment of goods sensitive to temperature and humidity.
10) Bulk container is generally equipped with 2 ~ 3 small hatches on the top for loading. There is a lifting frame at the bottom, which can be raised to an inclined angle of 40 ° for unloading. This kind of box is suitable for bulk goods such as grain and cement. If you want to carry out plant quarantine, you can also fumigate and steam in the box.
11) Freeflowing bulk material container is basically the same as the bulk container, but the nozzle and straw are used during loading and unloading.
12) Dress hanger container is suitable for the container of clothing goods.