Container Sizes

Containerization is a system of transporting freight using different types and sizes of steel containers known as ‘ISO shipping containers‘, they are today manufactured according to internationally recognized standards.

This means that they can be easily loaded and unloaded, moved, stacked, transported and tracked with ease and efficiency. Standardization has meant that freight delivery over long distances, even between continents, is now easier than ever.

Freight can be moved from rail to ships to air without being opened and this system means lower transport costs and greater possibilities for international trade.

All major shipping companies such as Maersk, OOCL, MSC, CMA CGM and CSAV provide comprehensive international cargo tracking for customers.

In the early years of the shipping container industry, however, many different sizes were used.

Differences in design also meant that containers could not be easily stacked or transferred from one mode of transport to another. In the late 1960s and finally in 1970, significant strides were made to define standard terminology, dimensions, corner fittings, markings and ratings.

Standard Dimensions of ISO Shipping Container: The ISO 6346 standard mark recognizes five standard lengths of ISO shipping container dimensions.

• 20 shipping containers (6.1m)
• 40 shipping containers (12.2m)
• 45 shipping containers (13.7m)
• 48 foot shipping containers (14.6m)
• 53 foot shipping containers (16.2m)

10 foot and 30 foot containers are still manufactured in some countries due to their functional uses and market demand. 20 foot and 40 foot reefer containers are widely used in the transport of temperature-sensitive produce.

ISO Container Capacity & TEUs: The capacity of any given sea container is expressed in units of 20 feet. Known in terms of Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (or with the acronym TEU), one equivalent unit is equal to the capacity of a single 20 foot by 8 foot container. The height of the container is not considered in TEU’s. Therefore, a 9ft 6in high cube container is also referred to as a single TEU container.

Maximum Gross Mass or “Rating”: The maximum permissible weight (when loaded) for a 20 foot container is 24,000kg. For 40 foot containers, this extends to 30,480kg. These numbers must include the tare weight of the container. The payload mass for a 20 foot container is reduced to about 22,000kg and 27,000kg for 40 foot containers.

ISO Height Standards: Given that many containers are transported by rail, the International Standards’ Organization set the standard height to 8m so that containers could be easily accommodated in railways tunnels. Recent moves in the industry have seen the increased popularity of the 9ft 6in high cube container and in some countries; various modifications have had to make to transport networks to accommodate. Without ISO shipping container standards, the cost of moving freight and goods around the worldwide would be extremely expensive and time-consuming.