Container types

An intermodal container or freight container (commonly shipping container) is a reusable transport and storage unit for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries; the terms container or box may be used on their own within the context of shipping. Containers manufactured to ISO specifications may be referred to as ISO containers and the term high-cube container is used for units that are taller than normal. There are approximately seventeen million intermodal containers in the world and a large proportion of the world’s long distance freight generated by international trade is transported inside shipping containers (as opposed to break bulk cargo). There are several container types:

  • Collapsible ISO;
  • High Cube (HC);
  • Refrigerated containers;
  • Insulated shipping container;
  • Ventilated containers for organic products requiring ventilation;
  • Open Top;
  • Flatrack;
  • Tank containers;
  • Flushfolding flat-rack containers for heavy and bulky semi-finished goods;

Specifications

20′ container 40′ container 40′ high-cube container
imperial metric imperial metric imperial metric
external dimensions length 20′ 0″ 6,058 m 40′ 0″ 12,192 m 45′ 0″ 13,716 m
width 8′ 0″ 2,438 m 8′ 0″ 2,438 m 8′ 0″ 2,438 m
height 8′ 6″ 2,591 m 8′ 6″ 2,591 m 9′ 6″ 2,896 m
interior dimensions length 19′ 4 13/16″ 5,898 m 39′ 5 45/64″ 12,032 m 44′ 4″ 13,556 m
width 7′ 8 19/32″ 2,352 m 7′ 8 19/32″ 2,352 m 7′ 8 19/32″ 2,352 m
height 7′ 9 57/64″ 2,385 m 7′ 9 57/64″ 2,385 m 8′ 9 15/16″ 2,698 m
door aperture width 7′ 8 1/8″ 2,343 m 7′ 8 1/8″ 2,343 m 7′ 8 1/8″ 2,343 m
height 7′ 5 3/4″ 2,280 m 7′ 5 3/4″ 2,280 m 8′ 5 49/64″ 2,585 m
volume 1,169 ft³ 33,1 m³ 2,385 ft³ 67,5 m³ 3,040 ft³ 86,1 m³
maximum gross mass 52 910 lb 24 000 kg 67 200 lb 30 480 kg 67 200 lb 30 480 kg
empty weight 5140 lb 2330 kg 8820 lb 4000 kg 10 580 lb 4800 kg
net load 47 770 lb 21 670 kg 58 380 lb 26 480 kg 56 620 lb 25 680 kg