The document discusses container cargo shipping. It begins by defining the twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), the standard measurement for container ship and terminal cargo capacity. It then discusses the history of shipping containers, invented in the 1950s to make cargo loading and unloading more efficient. The document outlines the major container types used in shipping, such as dry storage containers, refrigerated containers, tank containers, and open top containers. It also describes the classification system used for dangerous goods, which are divided into 9 classes based on their hazardous properties.

1. Business English
Logistics & Transportation Engineering
Seminar : Container Cargo
By Youssef Serroukh
03/01/2012
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2. Contents
What is TEU
1.1 The man who invented containers
2.1 Types of Container Units
3.1 Dangerous Goods Shipments
3.2 DG Cargo
3.3 Classification Of DG
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3. What is TEU
The twenty-foot equivalent unit (often TEU) is an inexact unit of cargo
capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and
container terminals. It is based on the volume of a 20-foot-long (6.1 m)
intermodal container, a standard-sized metal box which can be easily
transferred between different modes of transportation, such as ships,
trains and trucks
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4. 1.1 The man who invented
containers
Sea Containers were invented in the mid 1950s by Malcolm McLean, a North
Carolina trucking owner who grew tired of wasting his trucking company’s time
with trucks standing idle in line as ships were unloaded bit by bit by dockworkers.
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5. McLean developed sealed truck trailers and the concept of loading and unloading the trailer interiors
only at the points of origin and destination.
The first ship modified to accept these “containers” on deck, sailed with 58 of them from New York to
Houston in April 1956. This was the start of McLean’s company, the Sea-Land Corporation.
The Matson Line (Hawaii) put the first fully containerized ship into service in 1960.
The International Standards Organization (ISO) first established container standards in 1961. The ISO
standard is not prescriptive and instead simply stipulates tests that the containers must pass.
Modern container ships have only one problem – when the ship arrives in port, the object is to unload
the containers quickly to get them on to their final destination and to get the container ships back out
to sea fully loaded heading for the next port.
To accomplish this, container ships are equipped with steel skeletons called “cell guides”.
A special lifting fixture is used with remote actuators, which engage the corner blocks on the top of
the container.
A recent survey indicates that port crane operators can execute full crane cycles to remove and
position containers at rates of between 30 and 60 boxes per hour.
Containers come in two basic sizes – 20 Footer and 40 Footer and are commonly known as TEU
(Twenty Equivalent Units) and FEU (Forty Equivalent Units).
The external body of the container is made of corrugated sheet metal and is not capable of taking any
load. The four corners have shoes and are strengthened to take in load.
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6. 2.1 Types of Container Units
.
As such, depending on the type of products to be shipped or the special services
needed from them, container units may vary in dimension, structure, materials,
construction etc. various types of shipping containers are being used today to
meet requirements of all kinds of cargo shipping. Some of the most common
types of shipping containers in use today are mentioned below.
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7. 1.2.1 Dry storage container
The most commonly used shipping
containers; they come in various dimensions
standardized by ISO. They are used for
shipping of dry materials and come in size of
20ft, 40 ft and 10ft.
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8. 1.2.2 Flat rack container
With collapsible sides, these are like simple
storage shipping containers where the sides
can be folded so as to make a flat rack for
shipping of wide variety of goods.
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9. 1.2.3 Open top container
With a convertible top that can be
completely removed to make an open
top so that materials of any height can
be shipped easily.
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10. 1.2.4 Tunnel container
Container storage units provided with doors
on both ends of the container, they are
extremely helpful in quick loading and
unloading of materials.
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11. 1.2.5 Open side storage container
These storage units are provided with
doors that can change into completely
open sides providing a much wider
room for loading of materials.
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12. 1.2.6 Double door container
They are kind of storage units that are
provided with double doors, making a
wider room for loading and unloading
of materials. Construction materials
include steel, iron etc in standardized
sizes of 20ft and 40ft.
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13. 1.2.7 Refrigerated ISO containers
These are temperature regulated shipping
containers that always have a carefully
controlled low temperature. They are
exclusively used for shipment of perishable
substances like fruits and vegetables over
long distances.
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14. 1.2.8 Insulated or thermal
containers
These are the shipping storage containers that
come with a regulated temperature control
allowing them to maintain a higher
temperature. The choice of material is so done
to allow them long life without being damaged
by constant exposure to high temperature.
They are most suitable for long distance
transportation of products.
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15. 1.2.9 Tanks
Container storage units used mostly for
transportation of liquid materials, they are
used by a huge proportion of entire shipping
industry. They are mostly made of strong steel
or other anti corrosive materials providing
them with long life and protection to the
materials.
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16. 1.2.10 Cargo storage roll container
A foldable container, this is one of the
specialized container units made for purpose
of transporting sets or stacks of materials. They
are made of thick and strong wire mesh along
with rollers that allows their easy movement.
Availability in a range of colored wire meshes
make these shipping container units a little
more cheerful.
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17. 1.2.11 Half height containers
Another kind of shipping containers includes
half height containers. Made mostly of steel,
these containers are half the height of full
sized containers. Used especially for good like
coal, stones etc which need easy loading and
unloading.
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18. 1.2.12 Car carriers
Car carriers are container storage units made
especially for shipment of cars over long
distances. They come with collapsible sides
that help a car fit snugly inside the containers
without the risk of being damaged or moving
from the spot.
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19. 1.2.13 Intermediate bulk shift
containers
These are specialized storage shipping
containers made solely for the
purpose of intermediate shipping of
goods. They are designed to handle
large amounts of materials and made
for purpose of shipping materials to a
destination where they can be further
packed and sent off to final spot.
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20. 1.2.14 Drums
As the name suggests, circular shipping
containers, made from a choice of materials
like steel, light weight metals, fiber, hard
plastic etc. they are most suitable for bulk
transport of liquid materials. They are smaller
in size but due to their shape, may need extra
space.
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21. 1.2.15 Special purpose containers
Not the ordinary containers, these are the
container units, custom made for specialized
purposes. Mostly, they are used for high profile
services like shipment of weapons and arson.
As such, their construction and material
composition depends on the special purpose
they need to cater to. But in most cases,
security remains the top priority.
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22. 1.2.16 Swap bodies
They are a special kind of containers used
mostly in Europe. Not made according to the
ISO standards, they are not standardized
shipping container units but extremely useful
all the same. They are provided with a strong
bottom and a convertible top making them
suitable for shipping of many types of products
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23. 3.1 Dangerous Goods Shipments
Dangerous Goods, also referred to as “Hazardous Articles” are materials
or substances capable of posing a significant risk to health, safety or
property when transported.
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24. 3.2 DG Cargo
Dangerous Goods or Hazardous Materials are
chemicals in Solid , Liquid or Gas form which can
harm people , other living organisms , property or
the environment .One of the sensitive issues
faced by the transportation industry today is the
safe transportation of the Dangerous Goods.
Considering the risk associated with DG, safety
precautions are to be applied during its storage,
usage, transportation and disposal. Laws and
regulations on the use and handling of hazardous
materials may differ depending on the activity
and status of the material.
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25. 3.3 Classification Of DG
DG are classified according to their specific
properties ( explosives, corrosive, flammable ,
radioactive, oxidizing, toxic etc.) and hazards it
may cause. Nine (9) classes have been
established internationally by a UN committee
to ensure that all modes of transport (road,rail
,air and sea) classify DG in the same way.
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26.  Class 1 Explosives
 Class 2 Gases
 Class 3 Flammable liquids
 Class 4 Flammable solids
 Class 5 Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
 Class 6 Toxic and infectious substances
 Class 7 Radioactive material
 Class 8 Corrosive substances
 Class 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
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27. Thank you for your attention
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