6.4.1 A swap body is a regional transport containment of a permanent character designed for road and rail transport within Europe and complying with European standards. Swap bodies are generally 2.5 m or 2.55 m wide and are subdivided into three length categories:
- Class A: 12.2 to 13.6 m long (maximum gross mass 34 tons);
- Class B: 30ft (9.125 m long);
- Class C: 7.15, 7.45 or 7.82 m long (maximum gross mass 16 tons).
6.4.2 Swap bodies are fixed and secured to the vehicles with the same devices as freight containers, but owing to the size difference, these fittings are not always located at the swap body corners.
6.4.3 Stackable swap bodies have top fittings enabling the handling with standard freight container handling equipment. Alternatively, the swap body may be handled using grappler arms, inserted into the four recesses in the bottom structure. Swap bodies not suitable for stacking can only be handled with grappler arms. Class C swap bodies can be transferred from the road vehicle to their supporting legs and returned to the vehicle by lowering or raising the carrier vehicle on its wheels.
6.4.4 The standard box type swap body has a roof, side walls and end walls, and a floor and has at least one of its end walls or side walls equipped with doors. Class C swap bodies complying with standard EN 283 have a defined boundary strength: the front and the rear end are capable to withstand a load equal to 40% of the permitted payload, the sides are capable to withstand 30% of the permitted payload. For a cover-stake body the drop sides are designed to withstand a force equal to 24% of the maximum permitted payload and the remaining part of the side is designed to withstand 6% of the maximum permitted payload. The sides in a curtain sided swap body may not be used for cargo securing unless purposely designed to do so.
6.4.5 Floors of swap bodies are built to withstand corresponding axle loads of 4,400 kg and wheel loads of 2,200 kg (reference: EN 283). Such axle loads are typical for forklift trucks with a lifting capacity of 2.5 tons.
6.4.6 The curtain-sided swap body is designed similarly to a standard curtain side semi-trailer. It has an enclosed structure with rigid roof and end walls and a floor. The sides consist of removable canvas or plastic material. The side boundary may be enforced by battens.
6.4.7 A thermal swap body is a swap body that has insulating walls, doors, floor and roof. Thermal swap bodies may be insulated, but not necessarily equipped with mechanical device for cooling. A variant is the mechanically refrigerated swap reefer.
6.4.8 A swap tank is a swap body that consists of two basic elements, the tank or tanks, and the framework. The tank shell of a swap tank is not always fully enclosed by the frame work.
6.4.9 A swap bulker is a swap body that consists of the containment for dry solids in bulk without packaging. It may be fitted with one or more round or rectangular loading hatches in the roof and "cat flap" or "letter box" discharge hatches in the rear and/or front ends.
Overview
Content Tools
Apps
Intermodal Transport
UNECE Transport Division