FAQ

Accept: A reservation to accept a unit into the depot. This can be either specific or a blanket (nonspecific).

As is where is: As is where is containers are sold in their current condition, which can include dents, rust, holes in the floor, and other interior irregularities or missing components. These shipping containers are suitable for fencing, walls, barriers, and other non-transportation applications.

Box: An informal term for a shipping container.

Cargo-worthy: Cargo-worthy used shipping containers are not repaired or maintained in accordance with IICL guidelines. These shipping containers may have minor surface rust and dents and are a great option for storage and container modifications. These used containers may also be suitable for international marine use, but first need to be physically inspected and certified by a third-party container surveyor.

Chassis: A chassis is a special trailer or undercarriage used to transport ocean containers over the road. A chassis will be necessary for the transport of a shipping container traveling by truck and overweight or larger containers may require a tri-axle chassis or incur fees.

Conex Box: Another name for a shipping container, which is a blend of ‘container’ and ‘express.’

Container Classifications: International Institute of Container Lessors (IICL) repair standards, by which all repairs are carried out, for its members when containers are off hired. Criteria is also used for equipment interchanges between operators.

CSC Plate: The CSC plate is fastened to every shipping container by the factory at the time that it is manufactured and typically is riveted to the outside of the left door of the container.

Drayage Cost: transportation costs to deliver container(s).

Drop Deck: Refers to a flatbed like chassis that is lower to the ground and is mostly used for high cube containers, which are 9’ 6” in height instead of 8’ 6”.

Equipment ID: The 10-digit identifier that is on every shipping container. The first four positions are alpha and the next six positions are numeric; Example: ITXU123456 (all Interport containers begin with ITXU).

Flatbed: Refers to a chassis that cannot tilt and would require a forklift or crane to remove it upon delivery.

Freight Container: One of the many names for a shipping container. A freight container is used for the transport of materials in commerce.

Freight Forwarding: The moving of imports and exports through the supply chain. Freight forwarding businesses work with shipping companies, airlines, haulers, shipping container companies, and customs authorities to move items from their point of origin to their final destination.

Ground Level Office (GLO): A term used by some customers for modified shipping container office.

High Cube: Refers to a higher height container, measuring 9’ 6”. High cubes come in 20ft and 40ft lengths and are all 8’ wide.

International Institute of Container Lessors (IICL): The leading trade association of the marine container leasing and chassis provider industry. IICL container leasing member companies engage in leasing marine cargo containers to ship operators and others on a broad international basis. The IICL, on behalf of its members is active in governmental, regulatory, customs, tax, educational, technological, and environmental matters.

ISO Containers: ISO or Intermodal Containers are large, standardized shipping containers, designed and built for intermodal freight transport, meaning these containers can be used across different modes of transport – from ship to rail to truck – without unloading and reloading their cargo. Containers must conform to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) specifications. These standards relate directly to how the containers are built and to guarantee they will withstand extreme environments. It also ensures the containers meet the size and durability requirements, which allow them to be stacked safely and uniformly on steamships and railcars.

Layout (verb): the process of staging a shipping container for pick up after hours of operation. Only tilt bed trucks can retrieve a staged container.

Layout (noun): The unit that has been staged for pickup after hours.

Low-Boy: A lowboy is a semi-trailer, also referred to as a low-bed trailer, with two drops in deck height: one right after the gooseneck and one right before the wheels.

Open Side Container: A container which has extra sets of cargo doors along the length of the container, making loading and unloading more convenient.

Reefer: A “reefer” or refrigerated container is used to keep perishable commodities and other goods cold and moisture-free. Since reefers are temperature controlled, they can be used as coolers or freezers.

Release: Notification that a container will be picked up from the yard. This can be either specific or a blanket (nonspecific).

Sea box: Also commonly known as sea containers, this is another term for shipping containers. Given their strength to withstand shipment, storage, and handling, sea box is synonymous with “shipping containers” or “intermodal freight container” in the context of the international shipping trade.

Standard: Refers to a standard height container, measuring 8’ 6”. Standard (dry) containers come in 10ft, 20ft, and 40ft sizes and are all 8’ wide.

Survey: Inspection of a shipping container by a certified third party for the purposes of transporting products overseas.

Survey Report: Report established by a surveyor after inspection of the unit, with a view to documenting the condition of the container and generally serving to establish whether the cargo container is suitable for transportation or not.

TEU: Acronym for Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit is a measure of space that units take in a location. For example, a 20’ Unit is 1 TEU and 40’ unit is 2 TEU.

Tilt Bed: Refers to a truck that can tilt its bed and place containers on the ground.

TIR: Acronym for Trailer Interchange Receipt, which is given to a driver accepting or releasing a shipping container.

Unit: A container that is stored or transported in or out of the depot.

Unit Number: An alpha-numeric number that identifies the conex box. The number consists of three parts. Four position alpha, six position numeric, and a one position check digit.

Wind and Watertight: These used shipping have a slightly lower standard than cargo-worthy containers. They may not meet international marine use standards but are wind and water-tight and a good choice for ground level storage. These used shipping containers may have minor surface rust and dents.