A: A steamship container is a steel shipping unit that is owned by the steamship line and provided for the use of the cargo shipper as part of the ocean freight service. Steamship containers are constructed to standardized sizes and specifications that are uniform throughout the shipping industry. There are 3 sizes that are available to most overseas destinations:
20 feet long x 8’ 6” high x 8 feet wide
Volume capacity is 1,170 cubic feet / 33 cubic meters
40 feet long standard height container 8’ 6” high x 8 feet wide
Volume capacity is 2,385 cubic feet / 67 cubic meters
40 feet long high cube container 9’ 6 high x 8 feet wide.
Volume capacity is 2,690 cubic feet / 76 cubic meters
Shipments loaded into steamship containers are called “ FCL” method,
for “Full Container Load.”