Types of Containers

Shipping containers come in all different sizes and types and can accommodate most any type of cargo outside of bulk cargo. Container ships have slots to fill and prices are based on the amount of teu’s the container will take up and the type of commodity that will be shipped as well as where it is going. Many people do not look into the different types of containers until they are shipping cargo that is out of gauge or has particular requirements.

Most companies ship in the standard 20ft or 40ft containers since they ship their cargo on pallets and shrink wrap to stack the cargo for the best fit. Some companies who are not shipping regularly might not realize that they can use a 40ft open top container to load their product more easily or a 40ft HC which mean it is higher than the standard shipping container so it has more headroom. This can be great for a cargo that may have be taller and will need to be standing upright once loaded. There are also 45ft containers for extra room and 53ft containers but they are most often used domestically.

For oversized equipment, many items can fit on a flat rack, but it may not be cost effective if they are extremely oversized and will hang over the sides too much. There are also artificial tween decks that can be used to accommodate extremely over sized or overweight cargo.

No matter what you are shipping, there is a container that will be able to accommodate your cargo. Knowing what is available can be a good start. Be sure to look through the container sizing charts to see the dimensions of each type of container. This will help you determine what will meet your shipping needs.