Thermal container (reefer)
It has insulated walls, doors, roof, and floor, which limit the range of temperature loss or gain. It is used for perishable goods like meat, fruits and vegetables.

• Insulated container
  It does not use any device for cooling and/or heating.
• Refrigerated container (with expendable refrigerant)
  It uses dry ice or liquefied gases. It does not require external power supply or fuel supply.
• Mechanically refrigerated container
  It uses a refrigerating appliance, that is, the mechanical compressor or absorption unit.
• Heated container
  It uses the heater, that is, a heat-producing appliance.
  Refrigerated and heated container
  It uses the refrigerating appliance (mechanical or expendable refrigerant) and heater.

Tank container
It is used for the carriage of bulk gases and liquids like chemicals.

• Dry bulk container
  It is used for the carriage of dry solids in bulk without packaging, such as grains and dry chemicals. It consists of a cargo-carrying structure firmly secured within the intercontinental container framework.
• Named cargo types
  It consists of various types of containers, such as automobile (car) containers and livestock (cattle and poultry) containers.

FCL, LCL, CY, and CFS
The respective meaning of the terms FCL, LCL, CY, and CFS is as follows:-

FCL    -            Full container load;
LCL      -          Less than container load;
CY       -          Container yard
CFS     -          Container freight station
The container capacity is the total cube a container can accommodate. The term cube often refers to the cubic measurement of cargo. The capacity (i.e., the internal volume) is determined by multiplying the internal dimensions, that is, the product of internal length, width and height. The capacity may vary among containers of the same length and height.
Rating, Tare Mass and Payload of Containers

RATING
Rating is the maximum gross mass (or weight), that is, the maximum permissible weight of a container plus its contents. The rating of a 20' dry cargo container is 24,000 kgs. (52,900 lbs.), and a 40', including the high cube container, is 30,480 kgs. (67,200 lbs.).TARE MASS
Tare Mass---tare weight or tare---is the mass (or weight) of empty container, including all fittings and appliances used in a particular type of container in its normal operating condition.
The tare mass of containers may vary due to the different construction techniques and materials used in the container. A 20' x 8.5' dry cargo container may weigh 1,800 kgs. to 2,400 kgs., a 40' x 8.5' may weigh 2,800 kgs. to 4,000 kgs, and a 40' x 9.5' may weigh 3,900 kgs. to 4,200 kgs. Some dry cargo containers may fall outside the indicated weight range. The reefer weighs more than a dry cargo container of the same size.

PAYLOAD
Payload is the maximum permitted mass (or weight) of payload, including the dunnage and cargo securement arrangements that are not associated with the container in its normal operating condition. Therefore, Payload = Rating - Tare Mass.
If the tare mass of a 20' dry cargo container is 2,400 kgs. and a 40' is 3,900 kgs., the payload of 20' is 21,600 kgs. (i.e., 24,000 kgs. minus 2,400 kgs.) and 40' is 26,580 kgs. (i.e., 30,480 kgs. minus 3,900 kgs.). However, the exporter may be prohibited to have that much payload in areas where there are legal limitations to the overall load of a vehicle.
In exporting, it is common to encounter a payload of 17,500 kgs. or less in the 20' container, and 24,000 kgs. or less in the 40' container.

The Marking and Identification of Containers
The rating, tare mass and payload of a container is marked on its wall, usually on the end (rear) door in the case of an end-loading dry cargo container.

• Each container has an identification code or container number---a combination of the 4-letter characters that identify the owner (the operator of container) and the 7-numeric characters that identify the container. The container number can be found on the outer and inner side walls.
• The container number is entered on the bill of lading to facilitate the identification and tracking of the container and the cargo.

Some of the shipping companies having high cube containers include:-

• APL (U.S.A.)
• Evergreen (Taiwan)
• Hanjin (South Korea)
• Hapag-Lloyd (Germany)
• "K" Line (Japan)
• Maersk (Denmark)
• NYK (Japan)
• OOCL (Hong Kong-Taiwan)
• Sea-Land (U.S.A.)

PALLETIZATION:-

• IN 40 Container:    20 to 21 standard pallets.
                                 23 to 24 Europallets.

• IN 20 Container:    9 to 10 standard pallets.
                                 11 Europallets.

Palletization is widely applied in some countries to increase cargo handling efficiency. When pallets are used, it is important to observe that:-

• There are two major types of pallets, "Europallet" and standard pallets. The size of the "Europallets" is 800mm x 1,200mm per piece while the size of standard pallets is 1,000mm x 1,200mm per piece.
• A 20' container can hold eleven "Europallets" in one tier or nine to ten standard pallets in one tier.
• A 40' container can hold 23-24 "Europallets" in one tier or 20-21 standard pallets in one tier.
• Wooden pallets must be strong enough to allow storage of three tiers when loaded.
• Carton boxes must not overhang the edges of the pallets.