Editing Intermodal container (section)

== Specifications ==
[[File:Textainer container.jpeg|thumb|300px|{{convert|40|ft|m}} high-cube container. The {{convert|1|ft|m|adj=on}} extra height is indicated by the black and yellow markers near the top corners.]]

Basic terminology of globally standardized intermodal shipping containers is set out in standard:
* ISO 830:(1999) ''Freight containers – Vocabulary'', 2nd edition; last reviewed and confirmed in 2016.
From its inception, ISO standards on international shipping containers, consistently speak of them sofar as 'Series 1' containers – deliberately so conceived, to leave room for another such series of interrelated container standards in the future.{{#tag:ref| The term "Series 1" in the standards' names expresses the interrelated nature of the standards, leaving room for another such series in the future. In 2012, Michel Hennemand, president of the [[Bureau International des Containers|International Container Bureau (BIC)]], and chair of ISO Technical committee 104, subcommittee SC 1: ''General purpose containers'', asked whether the time has come to develop a new series of standards on containers (Series 2), to accommodate new sizes like American 53-foot and European Pallet-wide containers. A new series which, given the significant investments required by the industry, would replace the current series of standards (series 1) in the next 20 or 25 years.<ref name=Hennemand>{{cite journal |last=Hennemand |first=Michel |date=April 2012 |title=Containers – Talk about a revolution ! |url=http://www.iso.org/iso/livelinkgetfile-isocs?nodeId=16113860 |journal=ISO Focus+ |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=21–22 |access-date=13 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150718213325/http://www.iso.org/iso/livelinkgetfile-isocs?nodeId=16113860 |archive-date=18 July 2015}}</ref> |group="nb"}}

Basic dimensions and permissible gross weights of intermodal containers are largely determined by two ISO standards:
* [[ISO 668]]:2013–2020 Series 1 freight containers—Classification, dimensions and ratings
* ISO 1496-1:2013 Series 1 freight containers—Specification and testing—Part 1: General cargo containers for general purposes

Weights and dimensions of the most common (standardized) types of containers are given below.{{#tag:ref|Forty-five-foot containers were not standardized by the ISO until the 2005 Amendment No. 2 to the ISO 668:1995 standard.<ref name=ISO668>{{cite tech report|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/221785902/ISO-668-Freight-Containers#scribd|title=ISO 668:1995 Series 1 freight containers – Classification, dimensions and ratings – AMENDMENT 2: 45' containers|institution=[[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]]|year=2005|access-date=9 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306145701/https://www.scribd.com/doc/221785902/ISO-668-Freight-Containers#scribd|archive-date=6 March 2016|url-status = dead}}</ref> |group="nb"}} Forty-eight foot and fifty-three foot containers have not yet been incorporated in the latest, 2020 edition of the ISO 668.<ref>[standard.https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai/samples/81611/5d7c564c8da2423e80fb95fbbdfeb70f/ISO-668-2020-DAmd-1.pdf ISO 668:2020 Preview (pdf)]</ref> ISO standard maximum gross mass for all standard sizes except 10-ft boxes was raised to {{cvt|36,000|kg|lb|order=flip}} per Amendment&nbsp;1 on ISO&nbsp;668:2013, in 2016.<ref name=CCC6_13_2>{{cite book |author1=Sub-committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers |title=Discrepancy in container stacking strength requirements between the pertinent ISO Standard and the Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) |date=5 July 2019 |publisher=[[International Maritime Organization]] |pages=1–2 |edition=6th session; Agenda item 13 |url=https://www.ics-shipping.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CCC-6-13-2-Discrepancy-in-container-stacking-strength-requirementsbetween-the-pertinent-ISO-Standard...-France-Italy-ICS-BIMCO....pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916221307/https://www.ics-shipping.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CCC-6-13-2-Discrepancy-in-container-stacking-strength-requirementsbetween-the-pertinent-ISO-Standard...-France-Italy-ICS-BIMCO....pdf |archive-date=2021-09-16 |url-status=live |access-date=16 September 2021 }}</ref> Draft Amendment&nbsp;1 of ISO&nbsp;668:&nbsp;2020 – for the eighth edition – maintains this.<ref name=668DAM2020_1>[https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai/samples/81611/5d7c564c8da2423e80fb95fbbdfeb70f/ISO-668-2020-DAmd-1.pdf Draft Amendment ISO 668:2020/DAM 1]</ref> Given the average container lifespan, the majority of the global container fleet have not caught up with this change yet.

Values vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer, but must stay within the tolerances dictated by the standards. Empty weight (''[[tare weight]]'') is not determined by the standards, but by the container's construction, and is therefore indicative, but necessary to calculate a net load figure, by subtracting it from the maximum permitted gross weight.

The bottom row in the table gives the legal maximum cargo weights for U.S. highway transport, and those based on use of an industry common tri-axle chassis. Cargo must also be loaded evenly inside the container, to avoid axle weight violations.<ref name=ukpandi /> The maximum gross weights that U.S. railroads accept or deliver are {{cvt|52,900|lb|kg}} for 20-foot containers, and {{cvt|67,200|lb|kg}} for 40-foot containers,<ref name=TechgrpUSA /> in contrast to the global ISO-standard gross weight for 20-footers having been raised to the same as 40-footers in the year 2005.<ref name=ISO668-Amd1>{{cite tech report |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/221785902/ISO-668-Freight-Containers |title=ISO 668:1995 Series 1 freight containers – Classification, dimensions and ratings – AMENDMENT 1 |institution=[[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]] |date=2005-09-15 |access-date=9 September 2017 |archive-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306145701/https://www.scribd.com/doc/221785902/ISO-668-Freight-Containers |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the U.S., containers loaded up to the rail cargo weight limit cannot move over the road, as they will exceed the U.S. {{cvt|80000|lb}} highway limit.<ref name=TechgrpUSA />

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Container by <br />common name <br />(imperial)
! colspan="4" style="background: #DAF2CE" | ISO (global) standard containers<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iso.org/standard/76912.html|title=ISO 668:2020 Series 1 freight containers – Classification, dimensions and ratings|date=19 November 2024 |publisher=ISO}}</ref><ref name=ISO668_2013E>{{cite web |ref=ISO668_2013E |title=ISO 668:2013(E) |url=https://www.sis.se/api/document/preview/916460/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331092550/https://www.sis.se/api/document/preview/916460/ |archive-date=2019-03-31 }}</ref>
! colspan="2" style="background: #D3DEF3" | Common North American containers<ref name=GAstor>{{Cite web |url=https://georgiastoragecontainers.com/container-specifications |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210234913/https://georgiastoragecontainers.com/container-specifications |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 December 2020 |title=Georgia Storage Containers: Specifications }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://containertech.com/container-sales/53ft-high-cube-container-domestic/|title=53ft High Cube Container {{pipe}} 53' High Cube Container|access-date=3 September 2019|archive-date=10 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410171803/http://containertech.com/container-sales/53ft-high-cube-container-domestic/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
! style="background: #DAF2CE" | 20-foot <br />standard height
! style="background: #DAF2CE" | 40-foot <br />standard height
! style="background: #DAF2CE" | 40-foot <br />high-cube
! style="background: #DAF2CE" | 45-foot <br />high-cube
! style="background: #D3DEF3" | 48-foot <br />high-cube
! style="background: #D3DEF3" | 53-foot <br />high-cube
|-
! rowspan="3" | External <br />dimensions
! Length
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|19|ft|10+1/2|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="2" |{{cvt|40|ft|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|45|ft|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|48|ft|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|53|ft|disp=br|3}}
|-
! Width
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="4" |{{cvt|8|ft|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" colspan="2" |{{cvt|8|ft|6|in|disp=br|3}}
|-
! Height
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="2" |{{cvt|8|ft|6|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="2" |{{cvt|9|ft|6|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" colspan="2" |{{cvt|9|ft|6|in|disp=br|3}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | Minimal <br />interior <br />dimensions
! Length
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|19|ft|3|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="2" |{{cvt|39|ft|4+3/8|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|44|ft|5+1/8|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|47|ft|5|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|52|ft|5|in|disp=br|3}}
|-
! Width
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="4" |{{cvt|7|ft|7+3/4|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" colspan="2" |{{cvt|8|ft|2|in|disp=br|3}}
|-
! Height
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="2" |{{cvt|7|ft|8+1/2|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="2" |{{cvt|8|ft|8+1/2|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" colspan="2" |{{cvt|8|ft|11|in|disp=br|3}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Minimum <br />door <br />aperture
! Width
| style="background: #EDFFDD" colspan="4" |{{cvt|7|ft|6|in|disp=br|3}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" colspan="2" |{{cvt|8|ft|2|in|disp=br|3}}
|-
! Height
| colspan="2" style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|7|ft|5|in|disp=br|3}}
| colspan="2" style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|8|ft|5|in|disp=br|3}}
| colspan="2" style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|8|ft|10|in|disp=br|3}}
|-
! colspan="2" | Internal volume
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|1169|cuft|disp=br|1}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|2385|cuft|disp=br|1}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|2660|cuft|disp=br|1}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|3040|cuft|disp=br|1}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|3454|cuft|disp=br|1}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|3830|cuft|disp=br|1}}
|-
! colspan="2" | Common maximum <br />gross weight
| colspan="3" style="background: #EDFFDD" | {{cvt|30,480|kg|lbs|disp=br}}
| style="background: #DAF2CE" | {{cvt|33,000|kg|lbs|disp=br}}
| colspan="2" style="background: #E6EAFF" | {{cvt|30,480|kg|lbs|disp=br}}
|-
! colspan="2" | Empty (tare) weight <br />(approximate)
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|4850|lb|order=flip|disp=br}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|8380|lb|order=flip|disp=br}}<ref name=CanSizes>[https://www.containercontainer.com/shipping-container-dimensions/ Shipping Container Dimensions – Container Container]</ref>
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|8675|lb|order=flip|disp=br}}<ref name=GAstor /><ref name=CanSizes />
| style="background: #DAF2CE" |{{cvt|10000|lb|order=flip|disp=br}}<ref name=GAstor />
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|10850|lb|order=flip|disp=br}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|11110|lb|order=flip|disp=br}}
|-
! colspan="2" | Common net load <br />(approximate)
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|28,280|kg|lb|disp=br}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|26,680|kg|lb|disp=br}}
| style="background: #EDFFDD" |{{cvt|26,545|kg|lb|disp=br}}
| style="background: #DAF2CE" |{{cvt|28,500|kg|lb|disp=br}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|25,560|kg|lb|disp=br}}
| style="background: #E6EAFF" |{{cvt|25,440|kg|lb|disp=br}}
|-
! colspan="2" | ISO maximum <br />gross mass
| colspan="4" style="background: #F2DACE" | {{cvt|36,000|kg|lbs|disp=br}} <br />per ISO&nbsp;668:2013,&nbsp;amendment 1&nbsp;(2016)<ref name=CCC6_13_2 /><ref name=668DAM2020_1 />
| colspan="2" style="background: #F2DACE" | ''Not standardized''
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | U.S. maximum <br />legal truck weights
| colspan="6" style="background: #D3DEF3" | {{cvt|80,000|lbs|kg}} overall maximum on Interstate highways / <br /> {{cvt|84,000|lbs|kg}} (6&nbsp;or more axles) on non-Interstate highways<ref>[https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/policy/rpt_congress/truck_sw_laws/app_a.htm Compilation of Existing State Truck Size and Weight Limit Laws – Appendix A State Truck Size and Weight Laws] – [[Federal Highway Administration]]</ref>
|-
| style="background: #D3DEF3" | Triaxle chassis: <br />{{cvt|44000|lb|kg}}<ref name=ukpandi>[https://www.ukpandi.com/news-and-resources/bulletins/2021/overweight-container-guide/ Container Weight: Overweight container guide – UK P&I Club.htm]</ref><ref name=TechgrpUSA>[https://www.technogroupusa.com/size-and-weight-limit-laws/ Size and weight limit laws – TechnoGroup USA]</ref>
| colspan="5" style="background: #D3DEF3" | Triaxle chassis: <br />{{cvt|44500|lb|kg}}<ref name=ukpandi /><ref name=TechgrpUSA />
|}