Editing Intermodal container (section)

=== European pallet wide containers ===
[[File:Moving Cobelfret Containers at Humber Sea Terminal.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Two {{convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}} 'High-cube' containers on a [[roll-on/roll-off]] (RoRo) tractor. The text in the yellow arrow on the top unit indicates its extra {{cvt|2.50|m|ft|order=flip}} width.]]
European pallet wide (or PW) containers are minimally wider, and have shallow side corrugation, to offer just enough internal width, to allow common European [[Euro-pallet]]s of {{convert|1.20|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}} long by {{convert|0.80|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}} wide,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.containercontainer.com/about_containers.aspx|title=Standard Shipping Containers|publisher=Container container|access-date=18 May 2009}}</ref> to be loaded with significantly greater efficiency and capacity. Having a typical internal width of {{convert|2.44|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}},<ref name="SaFR_PW">[https://www.shippingandfreightresource.com/pallet-wide-containers/ Pallet wide containers – ShippingAndFreightResource.com]</ref> (a gain of about {{convert|10|cm|frac=16|order=flip}} over the ISO-usual {{convert|2.34|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}},<ref name="BoxSize">[https://www.containercontainer.com/shipping-container-dimensions/ Shipping Container Dimensions – Container Container.com]</ref> gives ''pallet-wide'' containers a usable internal floor width of {{convert|2.40|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}}, compared to {{convert|2.00|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}} in standard containers, because the extra width enables their users to either load two Euro-pallets end on end across their width, or three of them side by side (providing the pallets were neatly stacked, without overspill), whereas in standard ISO containers, a strip of internal floor-width of about {{convert|33|cm|in|frac=8|order=flip}} cannot be used by Euro-pallets.

As a result, while being virtually interchangeable:<ref name="SaFR_PW" />

*A 20-foot PW can load 15 Euro-pallets – four more, or 36% better than the normal 11 pallets in an ISO-standard 20-foot unit
*A 40-foot PW can load 30 Euro-pallets – five more, or 20% better than the 25 pallets in a standard 40-foot unit, and
*A 45-foot PW can load 34 Euro-pallets – seven more, or 26% better than 27 in a standard 45-foot container.
[[File:ZIM New York (ship, 2002) 002.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|{{convert|45|ft|m|adj=on}} containers can be seen sticking out {{convert|2.5|ft|m|2}}, as part of the forty foot container stacks at the back of this ship.]]

Some ''pallet-wides'' are simply manufactured with the same, ISO-standard floor structure, but with the side-panels welded in, such that the ribs/corrugations are embossed outwards, instead of indenting to the inside.<ref name=MattsPW>{{cite web|url=http://www.matts-place.com/intermodal/part4/gesu4710896.jpg |title=gesu4710896.jpg |access-date=2012-04-22 |url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024201005/http://www.matts-place.com/intermodal/part4/gesu4710896.jpg |archive-date=24 October 2016 }}</ref> This makes it possible for some ''pallet-wides'' to be just {{convert|2.462|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}} wide,<ref name=SaFR_PW/> but others can be {{convert|2.50|m|in|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}} wide.<ref>[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moving_Cobelfret_Containers_at_Humber_Sea_Terminal.jpg Photo of 45-foot Cobelfret containers, with markings warning of their 2.5 metres width, as well as their 9'6<nowiki>''</nowiki> height]</ref>

The {{convert|45|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} pallet-wide high-cube container has gained particularly wide acceptance, as these containers can replace the {{convert|13.6|m|ftin|frac=8|abbr=on|order=flip}} swap bodies that are common for truck transport in Europe. The EU has started a standardization for pallet wide containerization in the European Intermodal Loading Unit (EILU) initiative.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.silvertipdesign.com/BR(Imperial)/%5B26%5D%20slutrapport%20(Possible%20consequences%20of%20a%20new%20European%20container%20standard%20(EILU)).pdf|title=Possible consequences of a new European container standard (EILU)|author1=Frederik Hallbjörner |author2=Claes Tyrén|at=master thesis|year=2004}}</ref>

Many sea shipping providers in Europe allow these on board, as their external width overhangs over standard containers are sufficiently minor that they fit in the usual interlock spaces in ship's holds,<ref name=MattsPW/> as long as their corner-castings patterns (both in the floor and the top) still match with regular 40-foot units, for stacking and securing.