Container Types
Container Types are the standard ISO shipping-container variants used to carry different kinds of cargo. The most common is the dry (general-purpose) container — a closed steel box — in 20ft and 40ft lengths. Beyond that, specialised types handle cargo the standard box cannot: high-cube (extra height), reefer (refrigerated), open-top (removable roof), flat-rack (for out-of-gauge and heavy cargo) and tank (for bulk liquids).
Sizes are commonly 20ft, 40ft and 45ft, with capacity measured in TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). Choosing the right container type is a basic but consequential decision: it determines what cargo can be carried, how it is loaded and secured, and the freight cost — since specialised equipment is scarcer and dearer than standard boxes.
The container type dictates what you can ship and how much it costs. Standard dry boxes are cheap and plentiful; reefers, flat-racks and tanks are specialised, scarcer and priced accordingly — and each has its own loading, securing and handling rules. Matching cargo to the right container type is a first-principles decision in every shipment.
What is the most common container type?
The dry (general-purpose) container — a standard closed box — in 20ft and 40ft sizes.
How is container capacity measured?
In TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units): a 20ft container is 1 TEU and a 40ft is 2 TEU.