Available in both 20- and 40-foot lengths, standard containers are fully sealed and contain cargo that cannot be exposed to the elements during transportation. These also provide a level of security as they are fully enclosed and can be locked. These containers are often stacked on top of another standard container the main cargo deck of the ship.
For cargo that can be exposed to the elements during shipping and does not need to be secured, open top containers are a good choice. Materials, such as liquids, that need structured walls are commonly shipped in open top containers. Due to open tops not having a top, these cannot be stacked onto other containers. These are most often placed in the cargo hold where they are protected from the sea and weather conditions.
Cargo that does not need protection from the elements can be shipped using flat rack containers. Automobiles and boats are often shipped using flat rack containers. Flat rack containers have no sides but do have end plates on both ends of the container. Flat racks cannot be stacked and are either shipped on the main cargo deck if the containers contents do not need protection from the elements or in the cargo hold if protection is needed or requested.
Much like flat rack containers, platform containers are used to ship items that do not need protection from the elements. Platform containers have only a bottom platform with no sides or end plates and cannot be stacked on top of other containers. These simple containers are usually held in the cargo bay as they are most commonly used to ship grain and bulk food products.
For cargo that needs to be refrigerated, like food items, refrigerated containers are the common choice. These fully enclosed containers keep their contents protected, secured and at a desired temperature. As refrigerated containers are fully enclosed, these can be shipped either in the cargo hold or on the main deck.
