



High cube containers are one of the most commonly used containers for shipping cargo after standard 20ft and 40ft containers. Providing extra space, these containers are the go-to choices for forwarders.
A distant, identical, but taller cousin of 40ft standard containers, these specialized high cube containers are much in demand due to the height advantage. But, there’s more to them than just the height!
Standard sized containers with a height of 9’6” are called High Cube Containers. They look like standard containers, but because they are a tad bit higher, they appear like a cube when viewed from the front and back – thus the name. Also called High cube, Hi-Cube, HC, or HQ, a majority of these containers are made from durable materials like steel or aluminum.
The container is made of steel with wooden flooring and the door heads can be swung open for easy loading and unloading. They’re usually in the sizes of 20-feet and 40-feet containers.
Open top containers are used when cargo is too large to be in a regular shipping container. For instance, machinery or heavy materials that cannot be stowed sideways but arranged from the top through heavy-lifting cranes. These containers have larger capacities than the normal ones as the roof is open.
Open top containers are special containers and there are not that many of them around in the system. That also means that they often are more expensive in container trading.
Reefer containers are nothing but container-sized refrigerators to move goods that need to be maintained at a certain temperature. The flooring of the container has T-shaped decking which sends chilled air into the container. This makes sure there is a consistent airflow among the goods. They can maintain any temperature between -30°C and +30°C.
Reefer containers mostly come in 20-feet equivalent units. They carry temperature-sensitive items such as fruits, vegetables, ice cream, drugs, or meat. Each item has a different temperature requirement and it needs to be maintained to protect its freshness. The reefer container can be sectioned to cool and freeze at the same time. It is powered by a generator that provides electricity. When they’re on the road being transported by trucks, the containers are powered by fuel. The reefer container is expensive considering the power and maintenance requirements.
An open side container has the same features as a standard shipping container or storage container. The container is comprised of 14-gauge corrugated steel panels throughout, lockable double doors on one end, as well as 1-1/8” thick marine plywood flooring on the interior.
The major difference is the two additional bi-fold doors on one of the side walls. The inner portion of the bi-fold doors can be opened similarly to the standard doors on the end of the container. You can also open the bi-fold portion as well, giving you access to the entire side of the container. An open side storage container is also referred to as a full-side access container, side access container or a side opening storage container.
The open side containers are available in 20ft and 40ft lengths. They are also available in both standard height (8’6”H) and high cube (9’6”H) varieties. Open side containers are particularly useful when it comes to loading and unloading oversized materials.