Common Shipping Container Terms
Most industries have terms or abbreviations that are hard to decipher if you are not familiar with that specific industry. For this post, we thought we would review the most common terms used in the shipping container industry. While the list can go on, below, we have created a condensed list of the most common terms asked.
Shipping Container Terms:
- Container Dimensions – You may find interior and exterior dimensions on our website at this link.
- Conex Box – Slang term for Shipping Container
- CW—Cargo Worthy. Not all containers are cargo-worthy. Containers that are given a cargo-worthy status can be transported overseas, and a Cargo-Worthy Certificate is needed for this.
- CSC Plate—All shipping containers have a plate on the doors that specifies the serial number, tare, and other technical data.
- DD – Double Door. These containers have standard container doors on both ends.
- Freight Forwarder – A company that takes care of transportation, customs clearing, and all the paperwork, and securing cargo space for overseas transportation
- HC or High Cube – This means the container is 9’6″ tall (1ft taller than the standard 8’6″ container).
- IICL -Institute of International Container Lessors. This organization groups the largest leasing companies worldwide and sets repair standards for shipping containers.
- Insulated Container – Insulated containers are insulated as they sound. They allow your cargo to maintain a constant temperature.
- O/T –Open-Top Containers. The top of the container completely opens. Some containers have removable hard tops, and some have soft tops. For these containers, cargo is usually loaded with a crane.
- One-Trip Units—One-trip containers are “Like New” containers manufactured in China. They make one trip overseas to the United States with cargo loaded inside. During the shipping process, they may exhibit minor dents and dings.
- O/S – Open Side Containers. You can load extra wide cargo because one side of the container completely opens.
- Used Units—Our used units are watertight, do not leak, and the doors are in operating condition. However, they are rougher in appearance and have more dents, dings, and surface rust. The dents are usually minor in nature and typically have little effect on the interior storage space. The floors may show signs of minor damage or delamination but will be structurally sound.
- WWT – We inspect our containers personally to ensure they are wind and water-tight.
In conclusion
We tried to cover the most common terms used in the shipping container world. When dealing with them daily, we sometimes forget that not everyone knows what they mean. Please reach out if a term or acronym is not on this list; we would be happy to add it or explain it to you!
