A container conveying
system for conveying containers 8 containing substrates such as wafers within a clean room comprises a conveyance apparatus 7 disposed substantially in parallel with plural treatment apparatuses 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, . . . to convey the containers 8 and a transfer apparatus 9 capable of moving freely in an upper ceiling space within the clean room, characterized in that the plural treatment apparatuses 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, . . . are arranged on at least one side of a passage and respectively provided with interface devices 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, . . . on the side facing the passage; the interface devices 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, . . . are capable of temporarily receiving the containers 8 and moving the substrates from the interiors of the containers to the interiors of the treatment apparatuses 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, . . . and vice versa in a hermetically sealed
atmosphere; and the transfer apparatus 9 delivers and receives the containers 8 between the conveyance apparatus 7 and the treatment apparatuses 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, . . . or between the treatment apparatuses 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, . . . According to this container conveying
system, the container conveying capacity, the treatment capacity, the
footprint, the container stock function and the sorting function are further improved.