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Timberbox takes a bow
A new type of dry freight container long length cargoes to be top-loaded into greatly enlarge the range of cargoes that
that promises to expand the range the container without the need for spe- can be carried in containers. By overcom-
of breakbulk cargoes that can be in- cialised handling equipment. ing the limitations of end loading units, the
tegrated into mainstream container As the name suggests, Timberbox is new design can help to ease imbalance
operations has been launched by UK- aimed primarily at the packaged timber problems by functioning as a standard dry
based Timberbox Ltd. trades, but according to inventor Giles freight container in one direction and a
Developed over a three year period Markwell, it is also suitable for the carriage breakbulk carrier on the backhaul,” he said.
with the aid of a UK Department of Trade of a variety of other traditional breakbulk The 45ft long x 2.5m wide x 9ft 6in
& Industry Small Firms Award for Re- cargoes that are not easily loaded into con- high Timberbox is fitted with Geest
search and Technology (SMART) grant, tainers via the end doors, including paper chamfered Euro castings and profiled posts
the fully patented Timberbox is essentially reels, woodpulp bales, steel bars and pipes, at the front end to meet EC vehicle length
an open top/hard top unit fitted with project cargoes and even cars. regulations and intermediate frames at
conventional end doors and a detachable “Timberbox acts as an enabling bridge 40ft centres, allowing it to be lifted at ei-
roof. Its unique feature is that the roof between the polarised worlds of contain- ther the 40ft or 45ft position. Rated at
also functions as a lifting frame to allow erised and breakbulk shipping and will 34t, it has a tare weight of 6,230kg to give
The Timberbox’s roof doubles up as a lifting
frame to top-load cargo into the container
a payload of 27,680kg. Internal cube is
88.7m
3
and the units can be stacked 4-
high fully loaded.
Houcon Cargo Systems b.v.
The detachable roof section sits be-
P.O. Box 1569
tween the headers of the 40ft intermedi-
3260 BB Oud-Beijerland
The Netherlands
ate frames and when removed, provides a
Alexander Bellstraat 7 3261 LX
Oud-Beijer
land The Netherlands
clear opening of 11.724m x 2.418m. The
roof is attached to the top rails by four
Telephone +31 (0)186 – 620930 E-Mail inf
o@houcon-group.com
locking rods similar to standard door lock-
Telefax +31 (0)186 – 615160 W ebsite
www.houcon-group.com
ing gear on either side of the container.
The locking handles, which can be fitted
YOUR PARTNER IN TRAILER CONSTRUCTION
with bolt seals for additional security, nest
in the bottom rails on the exterior of the
unit, while the locking rods themselves
run inside the sidewall corrugations to
H17076
Skeletal trailer with Rockerbeams up to 70T protect them from damage. Locking is
achieved by a door gear-type cam and
keeper arrangement, while an EPDM
rubber seal ensures that the roof is water-
tight when in the locked position.
As indicated earlier, the real innova-
tion in the Timberbox is that the detach-
able roof also functions as a lifting frame.
It is equipped with 24 webbing slings,
which are linked together to form 12 in-
dividual basket lifting configurations to
allow multiple packs of timber, pulp bales,
pipes etc to be handled in a single lift.
The slings are supplied with wear-resist-
ant polyester sleeves and are stored within
the profile of the sidewall corrugations
when not in use.
Lifting of the roof and the cargo sus-
pended below it is effected via Duraloc
H17073
diaphragm castings located at 20ft centres.
Cornerless “bumpcar” with “Rockerbeams”
The latter, are widely used in US domestic
boxes and were selected to minimise in-
trusion into the container’s cube.
Once loaded, the cargo sits on the floor
of the container and four cargo securing
frames, stored within the door frames, are
positioned at either end to ensure that the
load does not move during transit.
Markwell points out that in regular
container services, both the container it-
self and the detachable roof/lifting frame
can be handled by any standard spreader
H17073
on a gantry crane, RTG/RMG, reach
Roll trailers with safety hooks
stacker or straddle carrier, while a purpose-
designed fixed length spreader with lifting
points at both 20ft and 40ft centres has been
H17073
designed by Dutch spreader manufacturer
Other equipment:
Roll trailer with fixed gooseneck
Stinis for use with shipboard cranes on
geared conventional vessels.
The likely cost of the new design has
not been revealed, but Markwell says it
should be approximately midway between
H17076
Skeletal trailers, up to 60T
that of a standard 45ft dry freight container
and a typical 45ft curtainside unit to which
it will provide a cost-effective alternative.
“The price premium over a standard box
Multi-trailer systems, up to 60T
should be recouped rapidly as a result of
H17075
the increased loadability on return sectors
that the design offers,” he said.
A prototype Timberbox, built by
China International Marine Containers
H17076
Goosenecks, up to 45T
(CIMC) at its dry freight specials plant in
Nantong and certified by Germanischer
Lloyd, has been undergoing trials carry-
Lfting cassette trailers, up to 120T
ing packaged sawn timber from the Bal-
H17075
tic to the UK Port of Ipswich. Based on
the results of the trials, the roof/lifting
frame has been modified and strength-
ened to allow it to meet classification so-
H17076
Trailers for special requirements
ciety lifting requirements for a 28t safe
working load (SWL), which allows the
unit’s entire maximum payload to be han-
dled in a single
liftwww.houcon-group.com
At least two European shortsea op-
erators are said to have expressed interest
in the Timberbox concept and Markwell
says the company is now looking for a
Used equipment available!! Ask for details.
development partner to help bring the
design to market. a74
38 January 2009
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