About Sea Freight Transport With Acex

Sea freight, which is also known as ocean freight, is the transport of goods shipped in sea containers around the world. This form of freight forwarding is suitable for large shipments that are not time-sensitive. About 90 % of all goods are transported by sea and ocean freight. That is why this type of cargo shipping is widespread by ACEX Alliance. Among Alliance members there are companies with the largest ports not only in Russia, but all around the world: Saint-Petersburg, Vladivostok, Nakhodka, Odessa, Hong Kong, Helsinki, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Klaipeda and many others.

ACEX experts decided to share their knowledge about this popular type if shipping and tell everything about sea freiht transport, especially about containers to let you know what way your cargo is delivering.

Freight transport is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. The term shipping originally referred to transport by sea but in American English, it has been extended to refer to transport by land or air (International English: "carriage") as well. "Logistics", a term borrowed from the military environment, is also used in the same sense.

Cargo transportation by sea is often the most efficient way to transport heavy, large, or non-standard cargo. Different types of sea containers are used in sea freight transport.

Standard Shipping Container Dimensions
Container Type	External Length	Internal Length	External Height	Internal Height	External Width	Internal Width
20ft Shipping Container	20ft (6.09m)	19ft 9 inches (6.01m)	8ft 6 inches (2.59m)	7ft 10 inches (2.39m)	8ft (2.44m)	7ft 10 inches (2.34m)
40ft Shipping Container	40ft (12.18m)	39ft 9 inches (12.11m)	8ft 6 inches (2.59m)	7ft 10 inches (2.39m)	8ft (2.44m)	7ft 10 inches (2.34m)
20ft High Cube Shipping Container	20ft (6.09m)	19ft 9 inches (6.01m)	9ft 6 inches (2.90m)	8ft 10 inches (2.69m)	8ft (2.44m)	7ft 10 inches (2.3m)
40ft High Cube Shipping Container	40ft (12.18m)	39ft 9 inches (12.11m)	9ft 6 inches (2.90m)	8ft 10 inches (2.69m)	8ft (2.44m)	7ft 10 inches (2.34m)

External Shipping Container Dimensions

Container Lengths

20ft (6.09m) and 40ft (12.19m) are the industry standard container lengths.

For storage and other non-shipping applications other sizes are created by cutting down larger containers to the required size. The most common cut-down sizes are 8ft (2.44m), 12ft (3.66m), 16ft (4.88m), 24ft (7.32m) and 32ft (9.75m). Other bespoke sizes can also be manufactured to order. Take a look at our Shipping Container Conversions page for more conversion ideas - on how you can modify your container.

Container Heights

A standard container is typically 8ft 6 inches (2.59m) high.

High Cube Containers are typically 9ft 6 inches (2.90m) high.

The most common height of a container is 8ft 6ins (2.59m), though 9ft 6 inches (2.90m) high-cube containers are becoming increasingly common. In the past 8ft high (2.44m) was very common and there are some containers 9ft (2.74m) available but these are rare.

Container Widths

The standard width of a container is 8ft (2.44m). To accommodate some types of pallets, particularly in Europe 2.5m (8ft 2.4 inches) wide containers are available though they are less commonly available to buy on the second-hand market.

Internal Shipping Container Dimensions

The sides of a container are in nearly all cases, corrugated. The depth of the corrugation is usually 1 inch (25mm), which means that 2 inches (50mm) is lost from the external width dimension (1 inch each side). The back (blank end) is also corrugated and the doors are around 2 inches (50mm) thick meaning that approximately 3 inches (75mm) is lost from the length.

The main reduction from external to internal dimensions is with height. The floor of a standard container has an underside clearance of approximately 6 inches (150mm) and the floor has a thickness of 27mm (1.1 inches). As the roof is corrugated another 1 inch (25mm) is lost resulting in an internal dimension of around 8 inches less than external – 7ft 10 inches (2.39m), though this can vary slightly either way depending on the floor thickness and construction method used.

Through the door height is additionally reduced because of the steel top rail above the door, this is a part of the structural integrity of the container, typically it's 4 inches (100mm) thus reducing the entrance height to 7ft 6ins (2.28m), though this can vary slightly either way.

Shipping Container Weights (Tare Weight, Gross Weight and Payload)

There are three relevant weights, the Tare Weight, the Gross Weight and the Payload. These are painted onto the outside of the container doors when it is in shipping service or before it has been repainted for another application.

• The Container Tare Weight is the weight of the container without cargo or contents.
• The Container Gross Weight is the weight of the container plus the maximum payload it can hold i.e. the maximum total weight of the container.
• The Payload (or Net Weight) is the weight of the cargo or contents that a container can hold.

Typical Weights of Standard Shipping Containers
Length	10ft	20ft	40ft
Max Gross Weight	11,300kg	30,480kg*	30,400kg
	24,910lbs	67,200lbs	67,200lbs
Tare Weight	1,300kg	2,160kg	3,750kg
	2,870lbs	4,760lbs	8,270lbs
Payload (or Net Weight)	10,000kg	28,320kg	26,730kg
	22,040lbs	62,440lbs	58,930lbs

*The most common alternative for 20fts is 24,000kg for stores manufactured to a lower specification.

Note that cut-down containers cannot hold the same weight when lifted as a standard container because the structure of the container has been altered. The container modification company should be able to supply details of capacities and advise if their design has been weight tested for lifting.

Cubic Container Capacity

Typical Cubic Capacities of Standard Shipping Containers
Length	10ft	20ft	40ft
Cubic Capacity	15.95 cubic meters	33.2 cubic meters	67.59 cubic metres
	563.3 cubic feet	1,173 cubic feet	2,387 cubic feet

Shipping Container Structure

Containers are designed to carry cargo. They are designed to be lifted vertically from above by cranes and transferred from ship to shore and between other forms of transport such as trains and lorries. Therefore they need to have strength in the top corners where they are engaged by the twistlocks of a container lifting crane. The corner castings in the top corners of the container are therefore points of strength.

The strength is transferred down through the corner posts to the corner castings at the bottom and then through the floor. The floor is constructed of steel cross members approximately 6 inches (150mm) deep, which are approximately 20 inches (508mm) apart (laterally across the container) and give transverse strength and support the floor. The cross members are welded at each end to longitudinal beams which run the length of the container between the corner castings. This all means that the strength of a container lies within the corner posts and the floor. Structural alterations or damage to these components will weaken the container.

ACEX can offer you sea freight and a complete range of “door-to-door” delivery services including insurance coverage and Customs clearance.

For any inquiry please kindly contact our sea freight experts: corporate@acex.net.