11.4   Container transport of products
11.4.1 Goods of water content class 0, not subject to any
      conditions 0 (WCC 0)
11.4.2 Goods of water content classes 1 - 3 (WCC 1 - 3)
Internationally, a large number of special containers has been developed; this makes it difficult, however, to build up container lines which are capable, for example, of carrying predominantly industrial products on the outward leg and agricultural products on the homeward journey. This problem is referred to as a trade imbalance. Unbroken transport chains require an optimum compromise to be achieved between the transport requirements placed on the container type by a cargo, on the one hand, and the adaptation of the cargo to a small variety of universally applicable container types, on the other. However, investigations into losses have shown that cargoes are not always fit for container transport when packed into the container. "Fit for container transport" means the demands a cargo places on the storage climate conditions in the container.
 
Moisture damage caused by condensation water has been noted principally in hygroscopic goods, on the container walls or on the goods themselves, for example in jute bales traveling from Chittagong to Bremen, whilst wetting damage has been noted on Indian craft items from Bombay, also in green coffee beans, raw cocoa, millet, dried fruit, sago, pepper, milk powder, fleeces, textiles and goods at risk of corrosion, such as preserved foods, steel and steel products.
 
The transport requirements of goods with regard to storage climate conditions in the container are largely determined by their water content and their resulting interaction with the humidity and temperature conditions of the ambient medium as well as by their biotic activity, these being the determining factors in allocation to the most suitable container type.
The following distinctions are drawn: From the water content class, together with the biotic activity of the cargo, it is possible to deduce the different storage climate conditions requirements which are of relevance to the question of container transport of the products and the selection of the container type.
 
Product
groups
-
Criteria		 Ceramic products (industrial
ceramics, ceramic
fittings 		Crystalline goods (sugar, salt,
fertilizer) 		Dried
fruit, spices 		Shell fruit,
green coffee
beans 		Meat,
fish 		Fruit,
vegetables 		Living
animals
Pack-
aging 		unpackaged, plastic film double-layered
bags (outside jute, inside plastic) 		jute bags, cartons jute
bags		 cartons jointed
boxes,
car-
tons
-
Water
content
class
(WCC)		 WCC 0 WCC 1 WCC 2 WCC 2 WCC 3 WCC 3 WCC 3
Biotic activity
(BA)		 BA 0 BA 3 BA 3 BA 2 BA 3 BA 2 BA 1
Storage climate conditions
(SC)		 not subj. to any conditions
SC 0		 temperature, humidity/moisture and possibly ventilation conditions
SC VI		 SC VI SC VII,
SC VIII		 SC VII
Container
type		 flatrack (open container) standard
container, bulk
container		 standard
container		 ventilated container low temp. refrig.
container		 refrigerated
container with
fresh air
supply, CA container		 livestock
container
Restric-
tions		 protection from rain and spray desirable goods and packaging must be container dry: compliance with lower limits set for water content of goods, packaging and pallets compliance with cold chain Comply
with cold
chain		 Protect from atmos-
pheric factors (sensitive
to drafts)
Stowage space on deck, unprotected or with tarpaulin may be disadvantageous on deck below deck where possible, protect from spray and heat sources on and below deck mostly on deck
      ventilate intensively below deck    

   Table 3: Allocation of some product groups to container types

 
Table 3 illustrates the allocation of some typical examples of products or product groups to container types, the following criteria being taken into account: packaging, water content class, biotic activity, storage climate conditions, container type, restrictions and stowage space.
 

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