Editing Intermodal container (section)

==Transport==
{{Main|Intermodal freight transport}}
Containers can be transported by [[container ship]], truck and [[freight train]]s as part of a single journey without unpacking. Units can be secured in transit using "[[twistlock]]" points located at each corner of the container. Every container has a unique [[ISO 6346|BIC code]] painted on the outside for identification and tracking, and is capable of carrying up to 20–25 [[tonnes]].  Costs for transport are calculated in [[twenty-foot equivalent unit]]s (TEU).

===Rail===
[[File:Intermodal train 01.jpg|thumb|{{convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}} containers on the [[BNSF Railway|BNSF]] line through [[La Crosse, Wisconsin|La Crosse]]]]
When carried by rail, containers may be carried on a [[Flatcar#Spine car|spine car]], [[flatcar]], or [[well car]]s. The latter are specially designed for container transport, and can accommodate [[Double-stack rail transport|double-stacked containers]]. However, the [[loading gauge]] of a rail system may restrict the modes and types of container shipment. The smaller loading gauges often found in European railroads will only accommodate single-stacked containers. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, there are sections of the rail network through which high-cube containers cannot pass, or can pass through only on well cars. On the other hand, [[Indian Railways]] runs double-stacked containers on flatcars under [[25 kV AC railway electrification|25 kV]] [[Overhead line|overhead electrical wires]]. The wires must be at least {{convert|7.45|m|ftin|order=flip}} above the track. [[China Railway]] also runs double-stacked containers under overhead wires, but must use well cars to do so, since the wires are only {{convert|6.6|m|ftin|order=flip}} above the track.<ref>{{cite web | last = Raghvendra | first = Rao | title = Rlys reaches higher, sets world record | work = The Indian Express | date = 26 August 2008 | url = http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rlys-reaches-higher-sets-world-record/353263/0 | access-date = 4 November 2009}}</ref>

===Sea===
[[File:2021-11-19 Damaged container ship, MV ZIM KINGSTON - IMO 9389693.jpg|thumb|Damaged container ship, MV Zim Kingston, after losing 109 containers in a fire and subsequent storm.]]
About 90% of non-bulk cargo worldwide is transported by container, and the largest container ships can carry over 19,000&nbsp;TEU. Between 2011 and 2013, an average of 2,683 containers were reported lost at sea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/Containers_Lost_at_Sea_-_2014_Update_Final_for_Dist.pdf|title=World Shipping Council Containers Lost at Sea 2014 Update|date=2014|access-date=21 December 2016|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108125328/https://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/Containers_Lost_at_Sea_-_2014_Update_Final_for_Dist.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other estimates go up to 10,000; of these 10% are expected to contain chemicals toxic to marine life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://phys.org/news/2011-03-scientists-effects-shipping-lost-sea.html|title=Scientists to study effects of shipping containers lost at sea|date=9 March 2011}}</ref> Various systems are used for securing containers on ships.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.containerhandbuch.de/chb_e/stra/index.html?/chb_e/stra/stra_01_03_02.html|title = Container Handbook}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://americantrailerrentals.com/shipping-containers-stacked-cargo-ships/|title=How Shipping Containers are Stacked on Cargo Ships – American Trailer Rentals|date=12 August 2019}}</ref> Losses of containers at sea are low.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/containe/sicherung/deck-htm/|title=The securing of containers on deck on a container ship – Transport Informations Service}}</ref>

===Air===
Containers can also be transported in planes, as seen within intermodal freight transport. However, transporting containers in this way is typically avoided due to the cost of doing such and the lack of availability of planes which can accommodate such awkwardly sized cargo.

There are special aviation containers, smaller than intermodal containers, called [[unit load device]]s.