Let’s start with the different types of containers available for shipping cargo across countries and continents, so you can pick the one that best suits your needs:
These are the most common general-purpose containers that can be used for shipping by rail, road, or water. Standard containers are made for all kinds of dry solid products. They are usually about 8 feet (2.43m) wide, 8.5 feet (2.59m) high, and designed to keep moisture out. Made of aluminium or steel, these usually come in two lengths: 20-ft and 40-ft. Steel containers have a slightly larger internal cube, while aluminium containers have a slightly larger payload (net cargo weight transported) and are generally used for domestic shipping.
A high cube container is approximately a foot taller than standard dry containers making it perfect for products that need extra height or space. These are well-suited for short-sea shipping and have the same loading capacity as trailers. High cube variations come in both 20-ft and 40-ft containers.
If your products are very large but not big enough for a high cube unit and need a forklift, open-top shipping containers are for you. They have a removable top to make the loading and unloading process simpler. Open-top doesn’t imply they will be open while being shipped. They will either have a hard, removable steel roof or a soft removable tarpaulin roof.
These containers are specifically designed for non-hazardous liquid goods like water or cooking oil. The flexitank is essentially a hermetically (airtight) sealed, collapsible bag loaded with product and secured inside the shipping container to avoid movement. A flexitank container is commonly designed to hold 10,000 - 24,000 litres of liquid cargo, but it can be customised to fit up to 100,000 litres of liquid product.
Insulated or thermal containers have regulated temperature control which makes them ideal for long-distance transportation of pharmaceutical products, frozen goods, fresh produce, or chemicals. These products need to be shipped at specific temperatures and protected from contamination. This is why insulated containers are equipped with a mechanical compressor to keep the air inside cool or hot, akin to a thermos flask.
Manufacturers also customise special containers for customers who want to ship special cargo like weapons. A special container is manufactured with specific material composition to make it safe, secure and suitable for the goods it is designed to carry.
Reefer or refrigerated containers are used for shipments that need temperature control. These are equipped with a refrigeration unit connected to the power supply on a ship. Reefer containers maintain a certain temperature, ventilation, and humidity to efficiently ship temperature-sensitive goods like fruits, meat, vegetables, seafood, or dairy.
Here are the standard shipping container dimensions for the 8, 10, 20, and 40 feet units, including external and internal length, width, and height. It is important to consider the internal height and the internal width and length to utilise the space most efficiently.
These are usually the smallest containers available for shipping; they are roughly the size of an average garden shed.
m = metre; cf = cubic foot; lbs = pound; kg = kilogram; m3= cubic metre
These containers are largely used for shipping overland. A 10 feet container is suitable if you are looking for secure cargo storage in a limited space or want to move your goods on trucks.
A 20-ft container is roughly the size of a car garage. These are easy to stack on vessels, making them relatively cheaper to ship.
