In the previous part, we discussed the saying, "A thousand-mile embankment is destroyed by an ant hole," emphasizing the importance of high-quality accessories for maintaining a good container. We introduced the upper end beam, lower end beam, and bottom beam. In this part, we will cover corner fittings, upper side beams, lower side beams, openings, bottom plates, and other essential accessories.

1. Standard Corner Fittings
Corner fittings, also known as container corners or lifting corners, are located at the eight corners of a container. They play a crucial role in lifting, handling, fixing, stacking, and fastening operations. The forces exerted on the container are primarily transmitted through these fittings, making them vital for container integrity.
2. Upper Side Beam
The upper side beam is a longitudinal member located above the container's side wall, connecting the top parts of the side. For open-side and open-top platform containers, these beams can be designed to be detachable. In open-top containers, they support detachable or movable top beams, aiding in the placement of a canvas or plastic cover.
3. Lower Side Beams
Lower side beams are longitudinal members located on the side walls of the container, connected to the bottom corner pieces. They provide structural support to the container's base.
4. Corner Posts
Corner posts are vertical members located on both sides of the container end frame, connecting the top and bottom corner pieces. They contribute to the vertical structural integrity of the container.
5. Openings

Openings, which can be closed by movable panels, are designed to be wind and rain-tight. They can be located at the ends, sides, or top of the container, including in soft-top containers.

6. Bottom Plate
The bottom plate supports the load of the container and is typically made of slats or plates. In insulated containers, the bottom structure is specially designed to facilitate air circulation around the cargo.
7. Gooseneck Slot
Located next to the container, usually at the front end, the gooseneck slot accommodates the gooseneck on the chassis. Some containers have gooseneck slots at both ends.
8. End Door
The end door is a load-bearing plate that can be opened and closed, located at the container's side. It must meet specific width and height regulations to ensure proper functionality.
9. Rear Door
Located at the rear end of the container, the rear door opens on both sides and is equipped with locks and hinges for security and accessibility.
10. Tarpaulin
Made of flexible materials like canvas, plastic cloth, or varnished cloth, the tarpaulin is used to cover the top of the container. It can be easily assembled and disassembled as needed.

Understanding the vital role of these accessories helps ensure the structural integrity and functionality of containers. Each component, no matter how small, contributes significantly to the overall performance and reliability of the container. Stay tuned for more insights in future parts of this series.

CIMC Equilink has been developing rapidly since its establishment. Empowered by abundant resources from CIMC Group, it is enabled to serve global clients with one-stop offer including rich products along with maintenance and repair technical support, to satisfy clients’ needs of services for small order quantity, high order frequency, full-range-category products and global reach delivery, which therefore makes clients' purchases more convenient and more costs saving. The products categories that we could supply include and not limited to containers and container modified products, logistics equipment, container and trailer spare parts, in addition to maintenance and repair tools.