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Container chassis

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This article is about the semi-trailer used in intermodal freight transport. For other uses, see Undercarriage.
A semi-tractor hauling a bare chassis.

Container chassis, also called intermodal chassis or skeletal trailer, is a specialized semi-trailer, basically a wheeled metal frame, that a shipping container can be mounted onto for road transport. Chassis are used by truckers to deliver containers between ports, railyards, container depots, and shipper facilities.[1]: 2–3  This type of trucking is sometimes called drayage.

Bare container chassis parked at an intermodal facility.
A port crane lifts a container from a container ship to a chassis for road transport.
A truck hauling a bomb cart drives past stacks of containers at Chittagong Port.
40' gooseneck chassis. Chassis can be stacked to reduce parking space.
An APL 20-foot container and chassis at a loading dock.
Twistlocks.

Operation

A container is lifted onto a chassis by a specialized crane, ensuring that the container's corner castings line up with the chassis’ twistlocks (pins). The container is then locked to the chassis by engaging the pins.[2] The length of a chassis determines which container length it can accept. The standard ISO containers are either 20-, 40-, or 45-foot-long. For example, a 40-foot-long chassis is used for a 40-foot-long container. Some chassis can be extended or shortened depending on which container needs to be hauled.[3] The most common adjustable chassis lengths are 40/45.[citation needed] In some countries there are other lengths of containers used domestically. For example, in North America there are 53-foot-long containers and 53-foot-long chassis.

Chassis have a kingpin so they can be connected to a semi-tractor. When not hooked up to a tractor, container chassis have a pair of legs called landing gear which can be lowered to support the chassis.[4]

Portable generators, also called gensets, can be mounted (underslung) onto chassis. These gensets are used to power a refrigerated container.[5]

In the US, some chassis, especially 20-foot and 53-foot chassis, have sliding tandems. The tandems are pulled back for heavy containers to comply with federal bridge law weight restrictions.

An identification number is usually stenciled on chassis to keep track of each unit in a fleet. According to ISO 6346, a chassis should have the letter "Z" at the end of its reporting mark. For example, ABCZ-123456 7 would mean the equipment is a chassis, specifically, number 1234567 in the fleet of company ABC.

Gooseneck chassis
40-foot and longer chassis are sometimes called gooseneck chassis. There is a bend in the chassis frame which is designed to fit into the tunnel at the bottom of containers.
Marine vs domestic chassis
In North America, chassis used for 20-, 40-, and 45-foot long containers are called "marine" or "international" chassis. Domestic chassis are used for 48- and 53-foot containers.
Bomb carts
Bomb carts are used by dockworkers to shuttle containers within a port. Unlike typical container chassis, they have side panels instead of twistlocks, which allows crane operators to quickly place containers on them to hasten the container ship unloading process. Bomb carts are not intended for drayage out of a port.
Tank chassis
Tank container chassis are used for portable bulk liquid containers or ISO tank containers. They are characteristically longer and have lower deck height then standard chassis, ideal for transporting constantly shifting payloads. These chassis can also be fitted with additional accessories including: lift kits to facilitate product discharge, hose tubes, and hi/lo kits to carry two empty tanks. The tank chassis has evolved over the years to accommodate greater payload weights. They come in tandem axle, spread axle, tri-axle, and hi/lo combo configurations.

Logistics

United States

In the US, there are two main types of container terminal operations. The first is called a "grounded" or "lift" terminal. At these terminals, containers are stacked on the ground. When drivers need to pick up a container from a grounded terminal, they must bring a chassis with them or find one somewhere in the terminal. Unless the driver has a privately owned chassis, then they need to get a chassis from a chassis pool. A chassis pool is a fleet of chassis that are available to truckers for rental and return at specific locations. Once the driver has a bare chassis, they take it to where their container is stacked and the terminal personnel lift the container onto their chassis.

The other type of terminal is called "wheeled"—terminal personnel place each container on a pool chassis and park it before truckers arrive. When truckers arrive, they hook up to the chassis holding their container and drive away. If drivers wish to use a different chassis, they need to get a flip.[6]

Drivers must check-in at a kiosk whenever they enter or exit a container terminal. If the driver is in-gating/out-gating a pool chassis, the kiosk sends a record of the event via EDI to the chassis pool company. This allows the chassis pool company to determine which trucking company is using a chassis and when the chassis was picked up or returned. Based on this data, the chassis pool company can invoice the trucking company for chassis usage.

When the steamship line is buying the drayage service (called "store door moves" or carrier haulage), they typically have a requirement for the drayage provider to use a particular chassis pool.[7]: 26 [8][9] If the drayage provider doesn't use the specified pool, the steamship line usually will not reimburse the drayage provider for chassis rental.[10] Drivers can identify which pool a chassis belongs to by markings (usually a 4-letter code) stenciled on the chassis. If the required pool is unavailable at the terminal where the container is located, the driver must first bobtail to another terminal to pick up a chassis (called chassis split). However, if the shipper/forwarder are buying the drayage service (called merchant haulage), the drayage provider and shipper can make their own chassis arrangements.

Other countries

In most countries other than the US, truckers own or long-term lease container chassis—steamship lines have no influence on chassis.[1]: 1 [11]

Shortages

In the United States, container chassis shortages are a chronic problem, especially during peaks in freight volume.[12] There are several causes of chassis shortages, but a common problem is excessive off-terminal dwell time. Off-terminal dwell time is the length of time a shipper keeps a chassis/container at their premises. Long dwell times cause shortages at ports and rail ramps where incoming containers need to be loaded onto chassis.[13][14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2012). Guidebook for Assessing Evolving International Container Chassis Supply Models. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/22682. ISBN 978-0-309-25863-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Hildebrand, Michael; Noll, Gregory; Hand, William (2018). Intermodal Container Emergencies (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 69.
  3. ^ Muller, Gerhardt (1989). Intermodal Freight Transportation. Eno Foundation for Transportation. p. 113.
  4. ^ "Containerisation International Year Book". Containerisation International Year Book. London: National Magazine Company. 1971. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  5. ^ Filina-Dawidowicz, L.; Santos, T.; Guedes Soares, C. (2016). "Refrigerated cargo handling: Demand and requirements for Portuguese ports". In Guedes Soares, C.; Santos, T. (eds.). Maritime Technology and Engineering 3. Vol. 1. Leiden, The Netherlands: CRC Press. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-138-03222-4.
  6. ^ Fact Finding 28: The Memphis Supply Chain Innovation Team. A Single Gray Chassis Pool Fosters Fluid Commerce and Improves Supply Chain Velocity (PDF) (Report). p. 2. Retrieved December 29, 2020. truckers do not have a choice on chassis provisioning when rail operators have a mounted operational procedure. Containers are available as a mounted unit; shippers and truckers must take the unit as tendered or wait in line for a flip fee to move that container onto another chassis.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ U.S. Container Port Congestion & Related International Supply Chain Issues: Causes, Consequences & Challenges (PDF) (Report). Federal Maritime Commission. July 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  8. ^ Mongelluzzo, Bill (June 13, 2019). "Chassis 'utility' model proposed for ports, hubs". JOC.com. Retrieved December 30, 2020. 'Carriers bought the chassis and gave them away for free to attract business,' Rooney said. Then, carriers went almost full circle by renting back the chassis from the equipment providers and offering them at discounted rates, once again to attract business, he said.
  9. ^ Ashe, Ari (May 30, 2018). "US truckers, shippers frustrated with chassis splits, shortages". JOC.com. Retrieved December 23, 2020. 'in Memphis, we run a TRAC pool and then we contribute to the CCM pool. If we have assets devoted to the TRAC pool for the steamship line for an agreed upon rate, that's the asset the motor carrier needs to use.'
  10. ^ "Hapag-Lloyd Chassis Program – USA Chassis Provider Summary - January Update - Chassis Program Update". In cases where Hapag-Lloyd is responsible for chassis usage, we will only accept usage from the above providers and pools. If these providers are not used, the trucker will be charged directly, regardless of the terms of chassis provision.
  11. ^ "Changing U.S. Intermodal Chassis Operations". OCEMA. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  12. ^ "Long tail of US chassis shortage snaps shippers". JOC.com. January 22, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2020. The container chassis shortage ranks with the truck driver shortage as a perennial issue that returns to disrupt supply chains whenever freight demand surges.
  13. ^ Ozkan, Utku (October 9, 2020). "WHY THERE IS A CHASSIS SHORTAGE AT THE PORTS OF LOS ANGELES AND LONG BEACH". More Than Shipping. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  14. ^ Mongelluzzo, Bill (July 23, 2020). "Chassis equipment issues reemerge at LA–LB port complex". JOC.com. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
Further reading
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