Container is the specific equipment for transport, especially for sea shipping.
The most widely used are the ISO containers (International Organization for Standardization), also known as DRY or BOX: It is a metal box whose size was established internationally in 1967.
With a common width of 8 feet (244cm) and a common height of 8 feet and 6 inches (259 cm), there are two standard lengths of 20 and 40 feet (610 and 1220 cm).
For particular uses there are also HIGH CUBE (higher ISO containers), TANK, REEFER, OPEN TOP (with removable roof) and FLAT RACK (without roof and side walls).
Each allows transportation of particular categories of goods in respect to specific size.
Each container is numbered and registered with eleven alphanumeric characters, in the following form:
4 letters (the first 3 corresponding to the initials of the owner company)
6 numbers, followed by a final control number (called “check-digit”), which derives from a special algorithm of calculus on the previous 10 letters and figures.
This allows to unequivocally identify every container subject to shipment.
