Transporte Marítimo

CONTAINERIZED CARGO

LOSS CONTROL—CONTAINERIZED CARGO The use of intermodal containers for the transport of a great variety of cargo has become increasingly popular in recent years. Intermodalism – a concept that embraces the movement and transfer of standardized cargo containers by sea, air and surface has greatly reduced cargo handling, particularly in Door-to-Door shipments. Development ofspecialized containers with a wide range of types, sizes and configurations permits containerization of most cargo. Prompt, undamaged arrival of the complete shipment at destination is the primary objective of the shipper. In committing goods to containerized transport, the shipper can reduce losses by: • • • • • • • Select the proper container service. Selecting the right type of container for thegoods in question. Inspecting the container to ensure proper accommodation and protection of goods. Packaging goods to withstand the hazards of the “toughest leg of the journey.” Stowing and securing goods in the container to prevent damage to the goods, container and transport vehicle. Properly describing and documenting the container contents, locking and sealing the container and recordingcontainer and seal numbers on all shipping documents. Timely unloading at destination.

INTERMODAL VARIATIONS The popular intermodal container, adapt-able to carriage by truck chassis, railcar, barge and oceangoing vessel, is the most common form of containerization. The considerations governing preparation and stowage of the cargo in these containers are no less applicable to other methods ofcargo transport. Trailer-on-Flatcar (TOFC)— "Piggy-backing" highway trailers on container chassis that can be carried on specially equipped rail flatcars. Container-on-a-Flatcar (COFC) — A carriage of intermodal containers detached from their highway chassis and "boggie" on rail flatcars. Two recent developments in the rail movement of containers/trailers on flat cars have been introduced into thedomestic (U.S.) market. Double Stack Train —This service involves a series of containers/trailers, stacked 2 high on specially designed rail cars. Linking the major trading corridors, this system is designed to provide smoother rides than their surface competition, either truck, conventional flatcar or alternative rail equipment. In addition, a number of technical features enable high-speed transitwith a minimum of shock and vibration to cargo through the dampening of slack, sway and vertical acceleration forces. To date, this method of transportation has demonstrated substantial reduction of damage and increased efficiency. Trailer-Rail—This new piggyback sys-tem will allow railroads to handle the full range of increasing diversity of trailer lengths over shorter hauls. The full system iscomposed of the following 3 components. • The Trailer-Rail terminal, a bare-bones rail yard consisting of a track, parking area, driveway and ramp for handling the trailer on and off the railcars. • The Tractor-Railer, a lightweight highway tractor, equipped with retractable steel railroad wheels that can both load and un-load trailers in the rail yard and pull a Trailer-Railer and train on therails. • The Trailer-Railer, the central part of the system, a short, four-wheeled car of skeletal design, with a drop deck platform that connects the front end of one trailer and the rear of another. The entire loading cycle involves a tractor trailer driver backing a trailer into the drop deck

of the railcar, "jackknifing" the trailer parallel with the track and positioning the trailer landinggear adjacent to a loading stanchion located at the side of the track. This stanchion is manually rotated across the track beneath the trailer landing pads. The driver then activates the hydraulic lift wheel of the tractor to lower the trailer until the landing gear rests on the stanchion. The next rail car is now able to be rolled into place. Containerization and double stacking have led to...