The Use Of Nitrogen Purged Shipping Containers Keeps Global Logistics Safer

By Helene Norris


The majority of Americans are aware that the US interstate highway system was constructed primarily facilitate the movement of military material. That is why the highways all run very close to the major military installations. The second major reason it was successfully undertaken was to move nitrogen purged shipping containers through all areas of the country.

The notion that what is actually just a big box could play such an important role in daily life is hard to imagine. Without it, however, the luxury of having a distribution system that keeps stores from main to San Diego stocked with all the things people want would not be possible. The key to success was simplicity in design and standardization above all.

The idea was to make it just as simple to move cargo across the international distribution lanes as the interstate highway system. The process had to be convenient to use and flexible enough to work on trucks, railways and ocean going vessels. The resulting device is both simple and elegant, allowing for relatively easy handling and storage.

They were large, but manageable, and capable of handling automobiles as well as any other material the retail or industrial sectors might need. If larger items needed to be shipped, devices that were double or triple the length or height could do the trick. Another requirement is that the be capable of stable stacking up to seven high, to accommodate movement in large ocean going vessels.

Protection of the assets was a primary driver for the development of these transportation storage units. The time it takes to get from origin to the trans-load facility and then on to the destination is measured in weeks, sometimes months. For the duration, the cargo needed to have physical protection from the elements as well as from people and equipment.

There are often cases wherein dangerous liquids have to moved, for construction and other industrial purposes, requiring specialized care. The most common types of needs are the petroleum we use in the millions of gallons daily across the globe. Since the majority of it is produced far from where it is used, developing a safe means to get it from production facility to user was essential.

Another area necessary for atmosphere control is when moving hydrocarbons, including and fossil fuels and derivatives. Using an inert gas to manage the atmosphere allows for safe movement of even the most hazardous of liquids. The process significantly reduces the likelihood of an explosion being set off from any source, though monitoring the gases before and during transportation is key.

The development of nitrogen purged shipping containers took an already efficient system to a level which allows for the life we live today. Products and materials move smoothly from the factories where they are built or developed to the end user distribution point smoothly. Whether it is across the state, nation or an ocean, the global logistics system can handle it.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment