An invention by two Jacksonville companies allows roll-on/roll-off cargo and other oversized equipment to be stored on container ships instead of being restricted to roll-on/roll-off and multipurpose ships.

The space-saving equipment not only better secures roll-on/roll-off cargo, but also it can help roll-on/roll-off distributors get their cargo shipped faster since container ships call on ports more frequently than roll-on/roll-off ships. Roll-on/roll-off cargo includes cars, trucks and railroad cars.

The Contrail, a roughly 18,700-pound steel holder, was designed by ITL Technologies Inc., and is being marketed to the U.S. military, heavy equipment manufacturers and major shipping lines by ITLT Solutions Inc. The companies are a spin-off of Jacksonville logistics company International Transport Logistics.

Containers can be placed under and over the Contrail, and other Contrail equipment can be stacked on it. The equipment’s extra width prevents roll-on/roll-off cargo wheels from hanging over the edge as they would if stored on a flat rack. With wheels tucked in, containers and Contrail equipment can be stacked more compactly.