Shipping Container Facts 6 Apr 2020, 11:21 am

Interesting facts about cargo boxes

The global economy is dependent on shipping containers for the transportation of all types of inventory. These shipping containers often travel by sea to get physical goods from one location to another for the most affordable amount of dollar for dollar. We rarely think about how a product gets from a warehouse to our home, but most of the time, the inventory is transported in a cargo box (especially when a product is built in China and sent to the United States).

Cargo boxes, are also known as shipping containers, conex boxes, and portable storage units. They are mostly used in the transportation of inventory across land and sea. Shipping containers vary in size, however the most standard sizes of storage containers are 8ft by 20ft by and 8ft by 40ft. with a height of 8’6″. Another standard size cargo box is referred to high cube containers, which are also available in the 8′ X 20′ and 8′ X 40′ size, however these high cube containers have a height of 9’6″. High cube containers are a better solution for those looking for a more spacious storage unit.

Most shipping containers that have been in production over the last 20 years are built of high quality 14 gauge steel. They generally have plywood flooring with the ability to lock the containers with a key and master lock or other type of heavy duty industrial lock. They can also be stacked vertically with a secure 4 point rod system.

Some interesting and fun facts about shipping containers

Based on current statistics, nearly half of all shipping containers currently in use are owned by commercial shipping companies. The other half are not owned by any one particular person, and are rented out on a per-trip basis.

When well maintained with regular maintenance, shipping containers can last well over 20 years. The majority of cargo boxes are only used for transportation for 10 – 15 years before they are resold as a long-term stationary storage solution.

Every year, thousands of cargo boxes find a new home at the bottom of the ocean floor after they are lost at sea, falling off of the ships that carry them (We are pretty sure Ariel is happy with her new inventory). Current figures state anywhere from 2 thousand to 10 thousand shipping containers are lost every year.

Currently, the Global Container Fleet have close to 170 million of these shipping containers in their commercial inventory.

Every year, over $230 billion is spent on new vessels every year for the global shipping industry in an effort to increase overall container transportation.

Nearly 95% of the world’s physical cargo is transported by ship every year.

Only 3% of all cargo boxes are produced outside of China.

A standard 8ft X 20ft shipping container can weigh 2,180 kg, or 5,030 lbs., and can carry a payload of 28,300 kg, or 62,390 lbs.

Standard 8ft X 40ft cargo boxes can weight up to 3,640 kg, or 8,024 lbs. These 40′ standard shipping containers can transport a payload capacity of 28,800 kg., or 63,625 lbs.

A 40′ high cube shipping container can weigh 3,810 kgs., or 8,400 lbs., and can carry a payload capacity of 28,690 kgs., or 63,250 lbs.

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