Container Types

A dry storage container, also known as a “general purpose container”, are the most common type of shipping containers, coming in 10ft, 20ft and 40ft sizes standardised by ISO. These shipping containers are fully enclosed, and designed to be completely weatherproof, with a rigid floor, roof and enclosed sidewalls. Dry storage containers can be modified to include liner bags or flexi-tanks for shipping different types of liquid cargo or dry cargo.

  

As the name would suggest, open top containers don’t have solid roofs, but instead removable bows and a waterproof tarpaulin secured with ropes. The convertible top can be completely removed, making it suitable for cargo that must be top-loaded, often due to how heavy it is, or if it is too bulky to fit through a door; this type of cargo will often be lowered in by a crane or other heavy-duty machinery. These containers can be available in 20ft and 40ft sizes.

  

Also called double-door containers, these units have doors on both ends of the container, rather than just one. These containers are helpful for quickly loading and unloading goods, despite them being exactly like standard containers but with extra doors. Both sets of doors utilise the same weather tight seals to keep cargo protected from adverse weather.

  

An open side container is a unit very similar to a standard container, but can open on the long side of the unit. Having a side that is able to completely open allows for the storage of wider merchandise and easier loading of cargo. Certain products will fit inside a standard shipping container but are too wide to fit through a standard door. These shipping containers tend to come in 20ft and 40ft, and the two large doors can still be secured to protect the merchandise inside.

  

A reefer container is an abbreviated term for a refrigerated container, equipped with refrigeration units that are connected to the power supply on board the ship being used to transport them. They are used to transport perishable and temperature sensitive cargo like medicine, food and plants. The container relies on external power to keep the temperature regulated, and generally come in 20ft and 40ft, and are usually made from weathering steel known as ‘Cor-ten’ steel.