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 |