🔍 Key Concepts

• ISO freight container structure: how forces are transmitted when lifting and stowing • Role of corner castings and corner posts in stacking and securing containers • Difference between load-bearing structural members vs. panels/flooring that mainly carry contents inside the box

💭 Think About

• When containers are stacked on deck, where do the loads actually go so they don’t crush the walls or floor? • Which parts of the container are designed to line up vertically between tiers and into the deck fittings (cell guides, twist locks, foundation sockets)? • If a crane picks up a full container by the usual lifting points, which structural members are taking the main weight?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which components are designed as primary load paths from the container to the ship’s structure • Check which parts are designed mainly to support cargo inside the container rather than transmit load to the deck • Confirm how stacking loads are carried when several containers are placed one on top of another