Swap bodies are intermodal containers that can be moved between truck and rail transport. They are standardized according to ISO dimensions and have foldable legs. They are cost-effective and can be used to serve remote markets. Swap bodies cannot be stacked and are used widely in Europe. They were invented by Malcolm McLean in 1956. Swap bodies can be used for portable living structures. There are concerns about the possibility of criminals hiding dangerous or illegal materials inside them.
A swap body is a type of intermodal container that can be swapped from a truck chassis to a railcar. This exchange is obtained by lifting the container by supporting its bottom. The dimensions of the swap body are made in accordance with the International Standards Organization (ISO) and are generally 8 feet (about 2.4 m) wide, with lengths varying.
These containers have foldable legs to support the containers between the two modes of transport. The transport of swap bodies is commonly used in Europe. A swap body weighs and costs less than standard containers.
Other names for swap bodies are container cargo, container cargo or container storage. Swap containers differ from ISO containers in that the tops can be opened. They cannot be stacked on top of each other, due to differences in the strength of the walls and top of the swap body.
Swap bodies are part of the intermodal transport system. Standardizing a swap body makes it possible to combine cost-effective rail transport with the affordability offered by truck transport, using a container that can be easily moved from one mode of transport to another. This configurability allows shippers to serve remote markets that are not accessible by rail, but are accessible by road.
A typical journey of a mobile container can begin by mounting it on a truck chassis at a swap body facility in a city. The semi-trailer then delivers the swap body to a train depot, where it is exchanged again. From there, the container will travel by rail and then be transferred to a chassis which will deliver the goods to their final destination.
Malcolm McLean, a US truck driver, is credited with inventing the container in 1956. This innovation revolutionized the movement of international goods, reducing the cost and time to load moored ships. The latest innovation in swap bodies are containers designed to be portable living structures, useful for off-site work projects.
One concern with containers is the possibility of criminals hiding dangerous or illegal materials, including fissile material, inside them. Because it is tremendously difficult to thoroughly search a tightly packed container that may have traveled through many countries, government authorities cannot inspect each one for the presence of hazardous materials. Knowing this has led to public fears of terrorist attacks. To prevent unauthorized placement of items in a swap body container, it is becoming more common for swap bodies to have a hard surface on top, instead of a fabric lining.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
