- Swap body
A Swap body is a standard freight container for road and rail transport.
Basic standardization is set with Euronorm EN 283 and EN 284 for construction and design and EN 13044 for marking and identification. The respective panel for developing standdards is CEN/TC 119. The outcome of this panel yet did not provide any contributiuon to automatization, as handling the swap bodies is a traditional haulage business with truck drivers involved.
The swap body is not dedicated to sea traportation. (Not being stackable, it is economically not viable to ship "swap bodies" from China.) [" [http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/intermodality/legislation/doc/economic_study_ilu.pdf Economic Analysis of Proposed Standardisation and Harmonisation Requirements, Final Report", 13 Oct 2003, ICF Consulting Ltd.] ]
The design of swap bodies is optimized to a minimum tare weight, saving on the initial purchase cost and on trucking fuel costs. This in consequence prevents from stacking these containers and from lifting from the top, unlike the more widespread shipping containers (ISO containers). Swap bodies are built with lighter materials, however with aspect to transport securioty the number of swap bodies with hard surface instead of curtains and tarpaulins is increasing.
Manufactured in central Europe, "swap bodies" are typically more expensive as equivalent payload ISO containers. This is because ISO containers used in Europe are typically manufactured in China, whereas "swap bodies" are made in Europe.
Swap bodies are often built to the identical external width of corner fittings as shipping containers, in order to be placed on the same kinds of trucks, trailers and
railroad car s designed for shipping containers. But for economizing the transportation of pallets, wide bodies are often scaled to the maximum width allowed for standard road trucks and railcars and to a different length accommodating a quantity of Euro-pallets (0.8m x 1.2m) without leaving empty space.Many swap bodies are fitted with four up-folding legs under their frame, to make it possible to change or “swap” their body from one carriage to another, or to leave the swap body at a destination, without needing to use a crane or hoist.
Special swap bodies may have more doors or sliding panels than ordinary hard boxes for trucks, railcars or sea containers, making unloading and loading faster and easier in a wide variety of operational conditions.
Special steel frames or racks are often available in certain
container ship s and container marshalling yard to hoist swap bodies from topside.ee also
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Semi-trailer
*Containerlift
* ULDExternal links
* [http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/intermodality/legislation/doc/economic_study_ilu.pdf Economic Analysis of Proposed Standardisation and Harmonisation Requirements, Final Report", 13 Oct 2003, ICF Consulting Ltd.]
Notes
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