ISO Shipping Container

Specifications/Materials

Accurate digest of specifications, requirements, and certifications for all ISBU modules and ISO
steel dry cargo Shipping Containers sizes 10’, 20’, 40’, 45’ and 53’, both GP and HC types.

Prepared in accordance with:

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
ISO- 1CC type steel dry containers
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) 1972-2007
and in accordance with CSC Article IV(2)

BASIC VERSION (excerpts)

These specifications and commentary cover design, construction, materials, testing,

inspections of ISO standard shipping containers and ISBU modules. All information is in
accordance with the requirements of ISO- 1CC type steel dry freight containers by all
certified global manufacturers.

These Specifications are for information purposes and for use only by ISBU Association
members and their associates for the development and construction of their projects.

Any structural modifications of these containers should be certified by a structural

engineer to meet appropriate safety standards and building codes.

All information is certified to be accurate according to ISO/IMO/CSC requirements,

articles and revisions current to March 2009.
6. Construction
6.1 General
The container will be constructed with steel frames, fully vertically corrugated steel side
and end walls, die-stamped corrugated steel roof, wooden flooring, corrugated double
hinged doors and ISO corner fittings at eight corners. All steelworks will be built up by
means of automatic and semi-automatic CO2 gas arc welding. All exterior welding
including that on base structure will be continuous to give perfect watertight properties,
Interior welds will be intermittent with a minimum bead length of 25 mm for every 200
mm. All the welds, even spots, will have penetration without undercutting or porosity.

6.2 Corner Fittings

Corner fittings will be designed in accordance with ISO/1161 standard, and
manufactured at the workshops approved by the classification society.

6.3 Base Frame

The base frame will be composed of two (2) bottom side rails, a number of cross
members and a pair of fork pockets, which are welded together as a sub-assembly.

6.3.1 Bottom Side Rail

Each bottom side rail is built of a steel pressing made in one piece. The bottom flange
face outwards so as to be easily repaired and hard to corrode.

Note: See specific ISO shipping container specifications & dimensions.

6.3.2 Crossmember
The crossmembers are composed of a number of small pressed channel section and
some large one with three 4.0 mm thick webs located beneath each board joint of the
plywood, which are placed at certain center distance.

Shape: " C " section

Small: 122 x 45 x 45 x 4.0 mm,

Quantity: - -
Large: 122 x 75 x 45 x 4.0 mm,

Quantity: - -

6.3.3 Fork Pocket

One pair of fork pockets will be provided in accordance with ISO requirements for
loaded handling. Each fork pocket is constructed with two adjacent crossmembers, a
top plate and two bottom end plates. A angle stiffener plate will be welded to each
opening of fork pocket.

Top plate: 3.0 mm Thick

Bottom plate: 6.0 mm Thick

6.3.4 Reinforcement
Reinforcement plates will be welded at two ends of bottom side rail.

Dimension: 200 x 153 x 4.0 mm

6.4 Front End
The front end will be composed of corrugated end wall and front end frame, which are
welded together as a sub-assembly.

6.4.1 Front End Wall

The front end wall is composed of steel sheet fully vertically corrugated into trapezium
section, butt joint together to form one panel by means of automatic welding.

Thickness: 2.0 mm
Corrugation dimension- Outer face: 110 mm Depth: 45.6 mm
Interface : 104 mm Slope: 18 mm

6.4.2 Front End Frame

The front end frame will be composed of one front sill, two corner posts, one front
header and four corner castings.

6.4.2.1 Front Sill

The front sill is made of a special “C” section steel pressed with vertical webs as the
stiffener.
Front sill: 4.0 mm thick
Web: 4.0 mm thick Quantity: - -

6.4.2.2 Corner Post

Each corner post is made of a 6 mm thick section steel pressing to ensure the suitable
strength, light-weight and easy maintenance.

6.4.2.3 Front Header

The front header is constructed with steel square tube lower part and steel plate upper
part. The upper part is extended inwards of the container certain distance with full width
from front part of top corner fittings.

Lower rail: 60 x 60 x 3.0 mm RHS

Upper part: 3.0 mm thick

6.5 Rear End

Rear end is composed of Rear End Frame which consists of one door sill, two corner
posts, one rear header with header plate and four corner fittings, which are welded
together as a sub-assembly, and Door Systems with locking devices.

6.5.1 Door Sill

The door sill is built of special channel section steel pressing with internal ribs as
stiffeners at the back of each cam keeper. The upper face has a slope for better
drainage and the highest part is on the same level to the upper face of the wooden floor.

Door sill: 4.5 mm thick Slope

Stiffener ribs: 4.0 mm thick 1:10 approx. Quantity: - -
6.5.2 Corner Post
Each corner post is constructed from an inner part of channel shaped hot-rolled section
steel and an outer part of steel pressing, welded together to form a hollow section to
ensure the door opening and suitable strength against the stacking and racking force.
Four (4) sets of hinge pin lugs are welded to each outer part of the corner post.

Inner part: 113 x 40 x 12 mm

Outer part: 4.5 mm thick

6.5.3 Door Header

The door header is constructed from a lower part of a " U " shaped steel pressing with
internal stiffener ribs at the location of the back of cam keeper and an upper part of steel
pressing rear header plate, they are welded together to form a box section to provide a
high rigidity.

Rear header: 4.0 mm thick

Header plate: 3.0 mm thick
Rib: 4.0 mm thick Quantity: - -

6.5.4 Door Systems

Doors will consist of two door leaves, each leaf with two locking devices, four hinges
and pins, seal gaskets and the door holders. The doors will be installed by hinge pins to
the rear end frame and capable of swinging about 270 degrees.

6.5.4.1 Door Leaves

Each leaf consists of door panel, steel door frame which consists of horizontal ( upper &
lower ) and vertical ( inner & outer ) members. They are welded together to form the
rectangular door leaves. The door are so arranged that the left leaf can not be opened
without displacement of the right leaf.

Door panel: With 3 corrugations

Depth: 40.0 mm
Interface: 106.0 mm
Slope: 22.0 mm
Panel thickness: 2.0 mm

Note: See specific ISO shipping container specifications & dimensions.

6.5.4.2 Hinges and Pins

Four forged hinges, providing with bushed hole, are welded to each door leaf. Each
door is installed by hinge pins, washers and bushing.

Washer- Material: Stainless steel, Location: Under the bottom of hinge

Bushing- Self-lubricating synthetic
Pin- Material: Stainless steel
6.5.4.3 Locking Devices
Two locking bars are of steel tube with handles, anti-racking rings and cam ends, and
fixed to each door leaf with bolts / nuts and six huck bolts at TIR locations, by top and
bottom bearing brackets and bar guide brackets. The bars are suspended in bearing
brackets with bush of self-lubricating synthetic material.

Cam-keepers are welded to the door header and sill.

a) Locking device type: 2566MN Type, made in China.
b) Locking bars treatment : Hot-Dipped galvanized (75 Microns)
c) Cam keeper treatment : Electro zinc plated (13 Microns)

6.5.4.4 Door Holder and Receptacle

A door holder per door, made of mixed nylon rope, is tied to the center side locking rod
& the receptacle ( door hook ) is welded to each bottom side rail to remain the door at
the open position.

6.5.4.5 Seal Gaskets

The black door seal gaskets are of "J-C" type EPDM rubber. They are attached to the
door frame with stainless steel rivets and retainer strips. The gasket is set with adhesive
sealant on the back.

6.5.4.6 Shim
The E.P.D.M shim will be placed over the holes on the door for fastener ( except under
large bearing brackets ).

6.6 Side Wall Assembly

6.6.1 Top Side Rails

Each top side rail is used a square steel pipe.

Rail: 60 x 60 x 3.0 mm RHS

6.6.2 Side Walls

Each side wall will be composed of a number of sheets for the intermediate (inner) parts
and outer panels at each end of side wall, fully vertically corrugated into trapezium
section, butt welded together to form one panel by automatic welding.
Inner panel: 1.6 mm thick, Quantity: - -
Outer panel: 2.0 mm thick, Quantity: - -

Trapezium:
Outer face: 72 mm, Slope: 68 mm
Inner face: 72 mm, Depth: 36 mm
Pitch: 278 mm,
6.7 Roof
The roof will be constructed by several die-stamp corrugated steel sheets with a certain
upwards camber at the center of each trough and corrugation, these sheets are butt
jointed together to form one panel by automatic welding.

Corrugation Shape: Depth: 20 mm, Pitch: 209.0 mm

Inner face: 91 mm, Slope: 13.5 mm
Camber upwards: 5 mm
Panel thickness: 20 mm
Sheet Quantity: (depends on container length)

6.7.1 Roof reinforcement plate

Four 3.0 mm thick. reinforcement plates shall be mounted around the four corner
fittings.

6.8 Floor

6.8.1 The Floor Boards

The floor consists of plywood. The plywood is treated with wood preservative containing
"Phoxim" or equivalent according to the Commonwealth Department of Health, Australia
(International standard).

Plywood thickness: 28 mm
Plywood moisture content: Less than 14%
Plywood ply number: 19 plies
Plywood material: Apitong/Hardwood

6.8.2 Arrangement and Fixing

The plywood boards are longitudinally laid on the Crossmember with a pre-blasted
painted and free floating flat steel at the center, and two angle steel along both side
rails. The plywood boards are tightly secured to each crossmember with countersunk
self-tapping electro-zinc plated steel screws. These heads of the floor screws are
countersunk below the level of the upper surface of the floor by 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm.

Screws: M8 x 45 x Φ16 (head), Electro zinc plated

Screws, quantity: 6 Pcs/end row, 4 Pcs/other
Flat bar: 50 x 4.0 mm, primed and painted
"L" section: 3.0 mm Thick.
6.9 Special Features

6.9.1 Customs Seal Provision

Customs seal provisions are made on each locking handle and retainer in accordance
with TIR requirements.

6.9.2 Lashing rings

1) Lashing rings are welded to each bottom and top side rail at corresponding recessed
area of side wall.
Lashing ring Qty./ Each bottom or top side rail: (depending on container length)

2) Lashing rods are welded on each rear & front corner post slot.
Lashing rods Qty. / Each front corner post : (depending on container length)
Lashing rods Qty. / Each rear corner post : (depending on container length)

3) Capabilities of pull load of every lashing point are as following:

Lashing rings on the side rails:

1,500 kg/each
Lashing rods on the corner posts:

1,500 kg/each

4) Treatment of lashing ring / bar: Electro zinc plated

6.9.3 Sill Cut-Outs

200 x 75 x 9 mm channel section steel recesses are provided in each ends of rear and
front sills adjacent to the bottom fitting to prevent damage due to any twistlock
misalignment.

6.9.4 Ventilators
One ventilator with E.P.D.M seal gasket is supplied on each side wall at the right-hand
end when facing the outside of container, fixed by aluminum huck bolts, the seal is to be
applied on the edges except the bottom side of the ventilator, after the completion of the
painting process.

Quantity: 1 / each side panel

Material: ABS Labyrinth Type.
 7. Preservation
7.1 Surface Preparation of the Steelwork

1) All the steel surface prior to forming or after will be de-greased and shot blasted to
Swedish Standard SA 2.5 to obtain the surface roughness at 25 to 35 microns which
can result in the removal of all the rust, dirt, mill scale and all other foreign materials.
2) Locking rod assemblies, which are welded with gear cams, bars holder and handle
hinges, are hot dipping galvanized (Thickness: 75 microns).
3) All fasteners such as bolts/nuts, washers, self-tapping screws, which are not mentioned
in this Spec. will be electro zinc plated to 13 Microns, unless specified otherwise.
4) Hinges and cam keepers will be electro zinc plated to 13 Microns.
5) Sealant
Apply to each perimeter of the floor, all the overlapped joints of inside, all the holes for
bolts and nuts and all the places where water may leak and be sealed to prevent
against water entry.

Sealant Materials:
Chloroprene (Cargo contact areas)
Butyl (Hidden parts and other areas)

7.2 Coating

7.2.1 Prior to Assembly

All the steel surfaces will be coated with primer paint immediately after shot-blasting .

7.2.2 After Assembly

All the weld joints will be shot-blasted to remove all the welding fluxes, spatters, burnt
primer coatings caused by welding heat, and other foreign materials, and followed with
the secondary paint operation immediately.

7.2.3 All the surface of the assembled container will have coating system as follows:

Process Paint Name DFT ( µ )

Exterior Surface Epoxy zinc rich primer 30
Epoxy primer Chlorinated rubber or Acrylic topcoat 40
Color: BS 445 40
Total: 110

Interior Surface Epoxy zinc rich primer 40

Pure epoxy 30
Total: 70

Underside Epoxy zinc rich primer 30

Bitumen 200
Total: 230

NOTE: Flooring is not generally coated with epoxy zinc primer or any epoxy topcoat.
 9.2.2 Each assembled corner post structure will have a tension test with 15,240 kgs.
after the welding in the construction line.

9.3 General Testing Criteria:

Test NumberTest LoadMethod

a. StackingInternal Load: 1.8R-T Hydraulic cylinder load to corner post through
Testing load: 86,400kg/post top corner fittings.
Time duration: 5 mins .
b. Lifting from Top Corner FittingsInternal Load: 2R-T Lifting vertically from top corner fittings.
Time duration: 5 mins .
c. Lifting from Bottom Corner FittingsInternal Load: 2R-T Lifting from bottom corner fitting 45° Deg. To
horizontal.
Time duration: 5 mins .
d. Lifting from Fork Pocket Internal Load: 6R-T Lifted by horizontal bars.
Bar length : 1828 mm,
Bar width : 200 mm,
Time duration: 5 mins .
e. Restraint (Longitudinal)Testing Load: 2R(R/side) Hydraulic cylinder load applied to bottom side
Internal Load: R-T rails in compression & then tension .
Time duration: 5 mins .

f. Floor Strength Truck Load: 7,260 kg Special truck is used.

Total contact area: 284 sq cm,
Wheel width: 180 mm,
Wheel center distance: 760 mm
g. Wall Strength (Front & Door)Test Load: 0.4 P Compressed air bag is used.
Time duration: 5 mins.
h. Side Wall StrengthTest Load: 0.6 P Compressed air bag is used.
Time duration: 5 mins.
i. Roof StrengthTest Load: 300 kg Applied area will be the weakest place of 600 x
300 mm longitudinal & transverse.
Time duration: 5 mins .
j. Rigidity (Transverse)Test Force: 15,240 kg Hydraulic cylinder will be applied to front top
(150 kn) end rail & door header through top corner
fittings, each time pulling & pushing.
Time duration: 5 mins .
k. Rigidity (Longitudinal)Test Force: 7,620 kg Hydraulic cylinder load will applied to side top
(75 kn) rail through top corner fittings.
Time duration: 5 mins .
l. Weather Nozzle: 12.5 mm (inside dia.) Distance 1.5 m
:
Proofing Pressure: 100 kpa (1 kg/sq.cm) Speed: 100 mm/Sec.

Note:
R - Maximum gross weight
T - Tare weight
P - Maximum payload
12. Materials
The main materials used in construction are as follows or approved equivalent:

Location Materials

Front End Assembly:

Front corner post Corten A
Front sill Corten A
Front panel Corten A
Front header cap Corten A
Front rail Corten A

Base Assembly:
Bottom side rail Corten A
Crossmember Corten A
Fork pocket assembly Corten A
Floor center rail Corten A
Floor support angle Corten A
Cover plate Corten A

Rear End Assembly:

Rear corner post (outer) Corten A
Rear corner post (inner) SM50YA (or SS50)
Rear header cap Corten A
Door header lower Corten A
Door sill Corten A
Door panel frame Corten A
Door panel Corten A
Door hinge S25C, Electro zinc plated
Door hinge pin Stainless steel
Locking device BE 2566MN Type, made in China
Locking cam keeper S20C, Electro zinc plated
Locking cam S20C, HDG
Locking rod STKR41, HDG
Door gasket E.P.D.M
Gasket retainer Stainless steel
Washer Stainless steel
Rivet Stainless steel
Shim EPDM
Corner fitting SCW49

Side Wall Assembly:

Side panel Corten A
Top side rail Corten A
Lashing bar, lashing ring SS41, Electro zinc plated
Ventilator A.B.S

Roof:
Roof corner gusset Corten A
Roof panel Corten A

Floor:
Floor board Apitong / Hardwood plywood
Floor screws Electro zinc plated
Material Strengths:
Material Yield point (Kg/sq.mm) Tensile strength (Kg/sq.mm)

SS41 25 41
JIS SCW49 28 49
SS50 29 50
S20C 25 42
S25C 28 46
SM50YA 37 50
Corten A 35 49
SM50A 33 50

References and documentations include:

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) 1972-2007 and in accordance with CSC Article IV(2)
U.S. Steel technical data sheet, 2002
Universal Building Code
Cronos Leasing Company
China International Maritime Containers (Group) CIMC