De container, als verpakking voor goederen, was een uitvinding van Malcolm
P. McLean die het gebruik hiervan had afgekeken van het Amerikaanse leger.

Zijn latere bedrijf Sea-Land Services was het begin van de containerisatie.
Het eerste  containerschip met bestemming Nederland arriveerde in 1966 in
de Rotterdamse haven.

Hieronder een opgave van de afmetingen van de diverse containerypen:

Container details
Equipment	Interior Dimensions	Door Opening	Top Opening	Tare Weight	Cubic Capacitiy	Payload*
20'Dry Freight	L 5,919mm W 2,340mm H 2,380mm	W 2,286mm H 2,278mm		1,900 kg 4,189 lbs	33.0 cbm 1,165 cu.ft	22,100 kg 48,721 lbs
40'Dry Freight	L 12,045mm W 2,309mm H 2,379mm	W 2,280mm H 2,278mm		3.084 kg 6,799 lbs	67.3 cbm 2,377 cu.ft	27,396 kg 60,397 lbs
40'High Cube Dry	L 12,056mm W 2,347mm H 2,684mm	W 2,340mm H 2,585mm		2,900 kg 6,393 lbs	76.0 cbm 2,684 cu.ft	29,600 kg 65,256 lbs
45'High Cube Dry	L 13,582mm W 2,347mm H 2,690mm	W 2,340mm H 2,585mm		3,900 kg 8,598 lbs	85.7 cbm 3,026 cu.ft	28,600 kg 63,052 lbs
20'Reefer	L 5,428mm W 2,266mm H 2,240mm	W 2,286mm H 2,188mm		2,940 kg 6,482 lbs	27.5 cbm 971 cu.ft	24,060 kg 53,043 lbs
40'Reefer	L 11,207mm W 2,246mm H 2,183mm	W 2,216mm H 2,118mm		4,840 kg 10,670 lbs	54.9 cbm 1,939 cu.ft	25,640 kg 56,526 lbs
40'High Cube Reefer	L 11,628mm W 2,294mm H 2,509mm	W 2,290mm H 2,535mm		4,430 kg 9,766 lbs	66.9 cbm 2,363 cu.ft	28,070 kg 61,883 lbs
45'High Cube Reefer	L 13,102mm W 2,294mm H 2,509mm	W 2,290mm H 2,535mm		5,200 kg 11,464 lbs	75.4 cbm 2,663 cu.ft	27,300 kg 60,186 lbs
20'Open Top	L 5,919mm W 2,340mm H 2,286mm	W 2,286mm H 2,251mm	L 5,425mm W 2,222mm	2,174 kg 4,793 lbs	31.6 cbm 1.116 cu.ft	21,826 kg 48,117 lbs
40'Open Top	L 12,043mm W 2,340mm H 2,272mm	W 2,279mm H 2,278mm	L 11,585mm W 2,162mm	4,300 kg 9,480 lbs	64.0 cbm 2,260 cu.ft	26,181 kg 57,720 lbs
20'Flat Rack	L 5,662mm W 2,438mm H 2,327mm			2,530 kg 5,578 lbs		21,470 kg 47,333 lbs
20'Collapsible Flat Rack	L 5,946mm W 2,126mm H 2,233mm			2,900 kg 6,393 lbs		27,100 kg 59,745 lbs
40'Flat Rack	L 12,080mm W 2,438mm H 2,103mm			5,480 kg 12,081 lbs		25,000 kg 55,115 lbs
40'Artificial Tweendeck	L 12,065mm W 2,216mm			5,400 kg 11,905