Containers (also known as containers) are widely used in the transportation of import and export goods. Here are some common knowledge about container freight:

container classification

According to the type of goods loaded, there are general cargo containers, bulk containers, liquid cargo containers, reefer containers, etc.; according to the purpose, there are dry containers, refrigerated containers, clothing containers, open top containers, frame containers, and tank containers; According to the manufacturing materials, there are wooden containers, steel containers, aluminum alloy containers, glass fiber reinforced plastic containers, stainless steel containers, etc.; according to the structure, there are folding containers, fixed containers, etc., in the fixed container, it can also be divided into closed containers and open tops. Containers, plate-frame containers, etc.; according to the total weight, there are 30 tons of containers, 20 tons of containers, 10 tons of containers, 5 tons of containers, 2.5 tons of containers, etc.

container specification

Related concepts:

--External dimensions of the container: The maximum length, width, and height dimensions of the container including the permanent accessories of the container. It is the main parameter to determine whether the container can be exchanged between ships, chassis cars, trucks, and railway vehicles. It is an important technical information that each transportation department must master.

--Inner dimensions of the container: the maximum length, width, and height inside the container. The height is the distance from the bottom of the box to the bottom of the top of the box, the width is the distance between the two inner liners, and the length is the distance from the inner panel of the door to the inner liner of the end wall. It determines the internal volume of the container and the maximum size of the cargo in the container.

--Container internal volume: the loading volume calculated according to the internal dimensions of the container. Containers of the same specification have slightly different internal volumes due to differences in structure and manufacturing materials. The internal volume of the container is an important technical information that must be mastered by the material department or other packers.

--Container Calculation Unit (TEU), also known as 20-foot conversion unit, is the conversion unit for calculating the number of containers. At present, most of the container transportation in various countries uses two kinds of 20-foot and 40-foot long containers. In order to make the calculation of the number of containers uniform, the 20-foot container is used as one calculation unit and the 40-foot container is used as two calculation units to facilitate the unified calculation of the container's operating volume.

The commonly used container scales are as follows:

-20? Cabinet: the external size is 20 feet × 8 feet × 8.6 feet, the internal volume is 5.69 meters × 2.13 meters × 2.18 meters, the gross weight of the distribution is generally 17.5 tons, and the volume is 24 to 26 cubic meters.

--40? Cabinet: The outer size is 40 feet × 8 feet × 8.6 feet, the internal volume is 11.8 meters × 2.13 meters × 2.18 meters, the gross weight of the distribution is generally 22 tons, and the volume is 54 cubic meters.

--40? High cabinet: The outer size is 40 feet × 8 feet × 9 feet 6 inches, and the internal volume is 11.8 meters × 2.13 meters × 2.72 meters. The gross weight of the distribution is generally 22 tons, and the volume is 68 cubic meters.

--45? High cabinet: The internal volume is 13.58 meters × 2.34 meters × 2.71 meters, the gross weight of the distribution is generally 29 tons, and the volume is 86 cubic meters.

-20 feet open top cabinet: the internal volume is 5.89 meters × 2.32 meters × 2.31 meters, the gross weight of the distribution is 20 tons, and the volume is 31.5 cubic meters.

--40 feet open top cabinet: the internal volume is 12.01 meters × 2.33 meters × 2.15 meters, the gross weight of the distribution is 30.4 tons, and the volume is 65 cubic meters.

-20-foot flat-bottomed container: internal volume 5.85m×2.23m×2.15m, gross weight 23 tons, volume 28 cubic meters.

-40-foot flat-bottom container: internal volume 12.05m×2.12m×1.96m, gross weight 36 tons, volume 50 cubic meters.

Related parties of container transportation

NVOCC (NVOCC): They specialize in collecting cargo, loading and unpacking, inland transportation and operating transfer stations or inland stations. They may or may not have the actual means of transportation. For the real cargo owner, he is the carrier, but for the actual carrier, he is the shipper. Generally, the NVOCC should be subject to the laws of the country where it is located and be registered with the relevant government department.

--The actual carrier: the carrier who masters the means of transport and participates in container transportation. Usually have a large number of containers to facilitate the turnover, allocation, management of containers and the connection of containers with vehicles, ships and machines.

--Container Leasing Company: A new industry specializing in container leasing business.

--Container Yard (CY): A place for handling heavy or empty container loading, unloading, transshipment, storage, and handover.

--Container Freight Station (CFS): A place where LCL cargo is handled. It handles the handover of LCL cargo. After stowage and stowage, the box is sent to CY, and the imported cargo box delivered by CY is accepted for unpacking. Tally, keep, and finally allocate to each consignee. At the same time, it can also carry out lead sealing and issuance of station receipts as entrusted by the carrier.

Container Leasing

is a business in which the owner leases empty boxes to the user. The owner of the container is the one party to the lease of the container, and the user, generally the shipping company or the owner of the container, is the party to the lease, and both parties sign a lease contract. Qualified containers provided by the lessor are handed over to the lessee for use within the agreed scope. There are many different ways of container leasing in the world, which can be summed up as: voyage charter, time charter, current charter and air zone lease.

loading and unloading area

is the specific handling department for container or cargo handling, exchange and storage in container transportation. It is entrusted by the carrier or its agent to carry out the following services: exchange and storage of FCL freight; if there is a container freight station, handle the handover of LCL cargo; arrange the berthing of container ships, load and unload containers, Compile loading plans for each voyage; handle the compilation and signature of the relevant freight documents; prepare and sign the relevant documents for the entry, exit and circulation of the container using the means of transport; handle the inspection and maintenance of the container, the means of delivery, and the loading and unloading tools, and the empty container Cleaning, fumigation, etc.; receiving and dispatching, storage and custody of empty containers; arranging the stacking of empty and heavy containers in the yard, and preparing the site distribution plan; other related business work.

The container loading and unloading area generally consists of a dedicated terminal, frontier, yard freight station, command tower, repair department, gate and office. Sometimes the storage yard or freight station can extend to a transfer station within 5-15 kilometers of the urban area.

Front container yard

refers to the site where containers are temporarily stacked in front of the container terminal in order to speed up ship loading and unloading operations. Its function is: before the container ship arrives at the port, export containers are stacked neatly and centrally according to the stowage requirements in a planned and orderly manner, and imported containers are temporarily stacked in front of the terminal when unloading to speed up the ship's loading and unloading operations.

Container Yard

A place where heavy or empty containers are handed over, kept and stored. In some countries, container yards are not divided into front yards or rear yards, which are collectively referred to as yards. It is an integral part of the container loading and unloading area and the place where the entire container cargo is handled (in fact, the transfer is carried out at the "gateway" of the container unloading area).

empty container yard

is a venue dedicated to the collection, storage, storage or delivery of empty containers. It is specially set up when the container loading and unloading area or transfer station yard is insufficient. This kind of storage yard does not handle heavy containers or cargo handover. It can be operated independently, or it can be set up outside the container loading and unloading area. In some countries, operating such empty container yards must declare to the shipping association.

transfer station or inner road station

Transit station or distribution center for container transportation outside the seaport. Its role is the same as that of the container loading and unloading area except for the loading and unloading operations of special container ships. The measurement of transfer stations or inland stations includes urban transfer stations in container loading and unloading ports, inland cities, and inland stations in inland river ports.

Container Freight Station (CFS)

is the place where the ship and the cargo are handed over for the packing and unpacking of the LCL cargo. The carrier can only entrust the operator of one container freight station in a port or inland city. On behalf of the carrier, it handles the following main business: tally and handover of LCL cargo; if the appearance of the goods is inspected, if there is any abnormality, it will handle the endorsement; the stowage and packing of LCL cargo; import unpacking cargo Unpacking and custody; sealing and issuing station receipts on behalf of the carrier; handling various documents and preparations, etc.

Shipper’s liabilities (shipper’s liabilities)

The shipper’s due responsibility in container transportation is not completely the same as that of traditional shipping. The responsibility of the LCL shipper is the same as that of the traditional ocean freight. The responsibility of the FCL shipper is different from that of traditional transportation: the correctness and completeness of the reported freight information should be ensured; the carrier has the right to check the goods in the box, and the cost incurred due to the check shall be borne by the shipper; the customs or The cost of unpacking inspection by other authorities and the resulting cargo damage and difference will be borne by the shipper; if the container is not full, or the padding is poor, the stowage is improper, or the cargo is not suitable for container transportation, it causes The shipper shall be responsible for cargo damage and poor cargo; if the shipper’s own unseaworthy container is used, the shipper should be responsible for the cargo damage caused by the use of the shipper’s container and equipment; the third party’s property caused by the use of the carrier’s container and equipment Or damage to life, the shipper shall be responsible for compensation.

Limits of liability (limits of liability)

The maximum amount of compensation that the carrier should bear if the cargo is damaged or lost during container transportation. The limitation of liability for LCL is the same as that of traditional transportation. The compensation for FCL is based on some current international jurisprudence: if the number of pieces of goods in the box is not listed on the bill of lading, each box is used as a calculation unit for compensation; if the number of pieces of goods in the box is listed on the bill of lading, it is still based on the number of pieces. Calculation; if the damage and loss of the goods are not by sea, but occurred in inland transportation, the maximum compensation for land transportation shall be handled; if the container is owned or provided by the shipper, in case of loss or damage, The responsibilities are indeed those that the carrier should bear, and should also be regarded as a claim calculation unit.

uniform liability system (uniform liability system)

A type of liability system for the liability of intermodal transport operators for damage to goods. According to this system, the carrier who issues the through bill of lading shall be responsible for the entire transportation process to the owner of the cargo, that is, regardless of which stage of transportation the cargo damages and differences occur, they are all responsible for the same content of responsibility. If the stage of transportation in which the damage occurred can be found out, the intermodal carrier can recover the compensation from the actual carrier of that section of transportation after compensation.

network liability system (network liability system)

A type of liability system for the liability of intermodal transport operators for damage to goods. According to this system, although the carrier who issues the through bill of lading is still responsible for the entire transportation, the compensation for damage is not the same as the same liability system, but is responsible for the content of the responsibility during the transportation stage when the damage occurs. For example, if the damage occurs in the marine transportation stage, it shall be handled in accordance with international freight regulations; if it occurs in the railway or road transportation stage, it shall be handled in accordance with the relevant international or domestic laws.

container rules of freight conference (container rules of freight conference)

On container ship routes in some countries, shipping associations have formulated the container transportation rules used by the suppliers in order to monopolize the container transportation on their respective routes. These rules are formulated by the various associations in accordance with the conditions of the routes within the operation scope of the association. Therefore, the content of the rules of each guild is different, but the basic spirit is the same, that is, the responsibilities of both parties are the same. The content of the rules generally includes the following aspects: container loading and unloading ports, collection and bulk transportation; interpretation of special terms for container transportation; responsibilities of both parties for various transportation and delivery methods; booking procedures and freight data declaration; various clauses including bills of lading, additional approval clauses, Port clauses and contingency clauses; bill of lading issuance; equipment handover procedures, free time and demurrage calculation and collection; delivery procedures; freight calculation method and payment; various fee items calculation and collection methods, rate change regulations; currency, depreciation, Value-added regulations; inland transportation regulations and charges.

Receiving and delivery system (receiving and delivery system) In container transportation, FCL and LCL cargo can be handed over between the cargo and the ship in the following ways:

Door to door (door to door): The container loaded by the shipper is responsible for the entire transportation after the cargo warehouse or factory warehouse is handed over to the carrier for acceptance, until the consignee’s warehouse or factory warehouse delivers the container. This kind of whole-process connection transportation is called "door-to-door" transportation;

Door to cy: From the shipper’s warehouse or factory warehouse to the destination or unloading port container yard;

Door to cfs: a container freight station from the shipper’s warehouse or factory warehouse to the destination or unloading port;

cy to door (cy to door): from the container loading and unloading area yard of the place of departure or packing port to the consignee’s warehouse or factory warehouse;

on-site (cy to cy): from the container loading and unloading area yard at the place of departure or loading port to the destination or the container loading and unloading area yard at the unloading port;

field to station (cy to cfs): from the container loading and unloading yard of the place of departure or loading port to the destination or the container freight station of the unloading port;

cfs to door (cfs to door): from the container freight station at the place of departure or packing port to the consignee’s warehouse or factory warehouse;

station arrival (cfs to cy): from the container freight station at the place of departure or loading port to the destination or container unloading area stacking station at the unloading port;

station to station (cfs to cfs): from the container freight station at the place of departure or loading port to the container freight station at the destination or unloading port;

FCL (full container load abbreviation: FCL)

is a relative term for LCL. The shipper is responsible for packing, counting, stowage and lead-sealed freight. The unpacking of the FCL is generally handled by the consignee. But you can also entrust the carrier to unpack the box at the freight station. However, the carrier is not responsible for the damage or poor cargo in the box. Unless the cargo party proves that it is the damage caused by the carrier's liability accident, the carrier shall be responsible for compensation. The carrier shall use the container as the delivery unit for the entire container. As long as the appearance of the container is similar to that when it is received and the lead seal is complete, the carrier has fulfilled the responsibility of the carrier. On the FCL freight bill of lading, the clauses of "consignor packing, counting and sealing" shall be added.

Less than container load (less than container load: LCL)

is a relative term for a whole container of goods, which refers to goods that are not filled with a whole container of small invoices. This kind of cargo is usually collected by the carrier separately and collected at a container freight station or inland station, and then two or more cargoes are assembled in a container, and the same must be at the destination container freight station or inside. Unpack the boxes and deliver them separately. For this kind of cargo, the carrier has to bear the packing and unpacking operations, and the packing and unpacking costs are still charged to the cargo. The carrier’s responsibility for LCL cargo is basically the same as that of traditional grocery transportation.

number of slots

The number of containers that can be recorded on a full container ship. Each full-container dedicated ship expresses its value in 20-foot conversion units.