What is a Container?

A container (or shipping container) is a standardised, reusable steel box built to move goods between ships, trains and trucks without unloading and reloading the cargo itself. That "load once, move across modes" design is what makes it an intermodal freight container.

Standard container types and sizes

Most containers follow ISO dimensions, with the 20-foot and 40-foot dry box being the most common. Hauliers also handle:

• High-cube containers, about 30 cm taller for extra volume
• Open-top and flat-rack containers for oversized or awkward loads
• Reefer containers, refrigerated units for temperature-controlled goods
• Tank containers for bulk liquids and hazardous cargo

Container dimensions

Typical internal measurements and capacity (they vary by manufacturer):

Containers in road transport

On the road, a container travels on a container chassis or skeletal trailer pulled by an articulated truck. The combined weight of container plus cargo has to stay within the axle and gross-weight limits of the HGV, so knowing the laden weight before dispatch matters for both legality and cost.