Intermodal containers versus swap body containers
Intermodal containers versus swap body containers
If your business needs to regularly transport cargo, you need to know what type of container is best for you. You need to ask yourself plenty of questions when you’re deciding which is the best option for you. How often do you transport cargo, how many times a week? Only now, you don’t necessarily need to answer those questions. We are writing this blog post to help you decide what the best option is for your business. We’re going to explain the differences in containers, the benefits of both and what type of business they would suit the best.
Intermodal container: What is it, benefits, negatives
An intermodal container is a large container that’s used for transporting goods across a range of transportation. They are large standardised containers, used globally. Due to their popularity, they’re also known as a range of other names such as freight container, ISO container or container van. These containers allow you to transfer products efficiently as well as securely not only locally but worldwide. It basically acts as a metal cardboard box in that cargo is bundled inside in easy packages that are easy to transport when the container is opened.
Benefits-
- Easily available: With this being the primarily used shipping container worldwide, they’re readily available. No matter what you’re transporting or where to, you should be able to use an intermodal container.
- A cheaper option: As opposed to the swap body containers, these are cheaper. There’s multiple reasons but it is mainly because the intermodal containers are more often created in China which results in a cheaper product.
Negatives-
- Security: When left unattended, it’s known that these intermodal containers will be targeted by burglars. Despite this, alarms and motion detectors can be placed inside the container but if something inside comes loose it can set off the alarm by mistake.
- Smaller than swap body containers: Intermodal containers are smaller than swap body containers which means you cannot transport as much as you could in the swap body.
Swap body container: What is it, benefits, negatives
A swap body container is another large container that can be used for transporting goods. A swap body is also known as either an exchangeable container or an interchangeable container. This container will allow you to transport good worldwide but there’s flaws to transporting worldwide so they’re more regularly used nationwide instead.
Benefits-
- Plenty of space: Swap body containers have more space than the traditional intermodal container. Despite this, they both have the same external dimensions.
- Lighter weight: This container has a lighter weight which results in money saved in fuel costs. This is because the design of the swap body is optimised to minimise empty weight and space.
Negatives-
- More expensive: Swap bodies are often more expensive than the traditional intermodals. The reason for this is because the swap body containers are normally created in Europe or the UK as opposed to the intermodal containers created in China.
- Cannot be stacked: Whereas the other container can be stacked so you can transport a few at once, you cannot stack these containers because of how they are designed. This means that you can ultimately transport less at once.
- Isn’t suitable for transport via sea: Since these containers cannot be stacked, it isn’t suitable to transport these via sea as it isn’t worthwhile.