The picture on the left is that of a standard 20Footer General Purpose Container. The 20 Footer container is the most common container worldwide. However, the 40-ft container is increasingly replacing it, particularly because transportation costs tend to vary more per container than per foot or ton.

As a general industry rule, ISO shipping containers are available in 20', 40', and 45’ sizes and are made of steel or aluminum. The height of a typical general purpose container is 8’6”. Containers that are 9'6" high are considered high cubes.

Types

Various container types are available for different needs:

• General purpose dry van for boxes, cartons, cases, sacks, bales, pallets, drums in standard, high or half height
• High cube palletwide containers for compatibility
• Temperature controlled from −25 °C to +25 °C reefer
• Open top bulktainers for bulk minerals, heavy machinery
• Open side for loading oversize pallet
• Flushfolding flat-rack containers for heavy and bulky semi-finished goods, out of gauge cargo
• Platform or bolster for barrels and drums, crates, cable drums, out of gauge cargo, machinery, and processed timber
• Ventilated containers for organic products requiring ventilation
• Tank containers for bulk liquids and DG
• Rolling floor for difficult to handle cargo
• Gas bottle
• Generator
• Collapsible ISO
• Swapbody