Tank Container (ISO Tank)
A Tank Container (or ISO tank) is a cylindrical tank mounted inside a standard-dimension container frame, used to carry bulk liquids, gases and powders — chemicals, food-grade liquids, fuels, and liquefied gases. The frame lets the tank move through the container system on ships, trains and trucks like any other box, while the tank safely contains the bulk cargo.
Tank containers are built and certified to strict standards for the products they carry (including hazardous and food-grade cargoes), with features such as pressure and temperature control, heating, and dedicated valves for loading and discharge. They offer a safer, more efficient alternative to drums and IBCs for bulk liquid movements, and their handling is governed by dangerous-goods rules where the cargo is hazardous.
Tank containers let bulk liquids and chemicals move through the intermodal container network instead of in drums or specialised tankers — cleaner, safer and more efficient per litre. But the cargo is often hazardous or food-grade, so certification, compatibility and dangerous-goods compliance are central. Knowing when a shipment fits an ISO tank is key to moving bulk liquids economically.
What goes in a tank container?
Bulk liquids, gases and powders — chemicals, food-grade liquids, fuels and liquefied gases — many of them hazardous.
How does a tank container move intermodally?
The tank sits in a standard container frame, so it handles on ships, trains and trucks like any other container.