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Type of cargo container From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The CONEX box, a portmanteau of "Container, express", is a type of cargo container that was developed during the Korean War and was used to transport and store supplies during the Korean and Vietnam wars. It was reinvented by Malcom McLean to form the standard intermodal shipping container, often called an ISO box, after ISO 668/ISO 6346, that is used widely by container shipping companies today.
A CONEX box hoisted onto a US Army truck | |
| Type | Shipping container |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Transportation Corps |
| Inception | Late 1952[1] |
| Manufacturer | U.S. Army |
The use of standardized steel and aluminum shipping containers began during the late 1940s and early 1950s, when commercial shipping operators and the US military started developing such units.[2] During World War II, the US Army began experiments with containers to ship supplies to the front lines. Cargo was being delayed at ports due to the time required by break bulk loading and offloading of ships. In addition, the supplies suffered from pilferage and in-transit damage.[1]
In 1948, the U.S. Army Transportation Corps developed the "Transporter", a rigid, corrugated steel container, able to carry 9,000 pounds (4,082 kg). It was 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) long, 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) wide, and 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) high, with double doors on one end, was mounted on skids, and had lifting rings on the top four corners.[3]
After proving successful in Korea, the Transporter was developed into the Container Express (CONEX) box system in late 1952. Based on the Transporter, the size and capacity of the CONEX were about the same,[nb 1] but the system was made modular, by the addition of a smaller, half-size unit of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) long, 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) wide and 6 ft 10+1⁄2 in (2.10 m) high.[6][7][nb 2] CONEXes could be stacked three high, and protected their contents from the elements.[4]
By 1965, the US military had some 100,000 CONEX boxes. By 1967, over 100,000 more had been procured to support the escalation of the Vietnam War,[7][10] making this the world's first intercontinental application of intermodal containers.[4] More than three quarters were shipped only once, because they remained in theatre. The CONEX boxes were as useful to the soldiers as their contents, in particular as storage facilities where there were no other options.[10]
The term "CONEX" remains in common use in the US military to refer to the similar but larger ISO-standard shipping containers.
Conex boxes are also known as shipping containers used in industries for transportation and storage. they are versatile structures initially designed for secure cargo transport across long distances over land and sea. Today, they are widely repurposed and resold for a variety of innovative uses. Businesses and individuals often modify these sturdy steel containers into mobile offices, workshops, pop-up retail spaces, and on-site storage units, as they provide a quick and cost-effective solution compared to traditional construction. In residential applications, conex boxes are transformed into modern homes, studios, and temporary shelters. Their durability and adaptability make them popular for construction sites, agriculture, and even emergency response situations, where rapid, dependable infrastructure is essential. Container City is a shipping container wholesale located in the United States who sells all types of conex containers to businesses and private parties.
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