Definition

Noun: A large, standardized, reusable steel box designed for the efficient and secure transport of freight (cargo) by multiple modes of transportation, such as ships, trains, and trucks. Its standardized dimensions allow it to be easily stacked, lifted, and transferred between different carriers.

Usage

The term "cargo container" specifically refers to the physical intermodal shipping container itself. It is a count noun. * The port was filled with stacks of cargo containers. * Each cargo container is sealed to protect the goods inside during transit. * The ship can carry over 10,000 cargo containers.

Examples

• Workers used a crane to load the cargo container onto the freight train.
• The company ordered fifty new cargo containers for its expanding logistics operations.
• Inspectors checked the cargo container for any signs of damage before it was shipped.

Advanced Usage

• "Containerization": This is the related process and system of using standardized cargo containers for shipping. It revolutionized global trade.
  • The efficiency of modern shipping is largely due to containerization.
• In logistics and shipping contexts, the word "container" is often used alone, with "cargo" being implied.
  • The container shipment arrived at the depot. (Here, "container" is understood to mean "cargo container").

Variants and Related Words

• Shipping container: A fully synonymous term.
• Intermodal container: A more technical term emphasizing its use across different transport modes.
• Freight container: A synonymous term.
• Box (informal/logistics slang): Often used informally within the industry to refer to a cargo container.
  • How many boxes are we loading today?
• TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit): A standard unit of measure for cargo container capacity, based on the volume of a standard 20-foot-long container.

Synonyms

• Shipping container
• Freight container
• Intermodal container
• Sea container (when specifically used for ocean transport)

Related Phrases

• Container ship: A vessel specifically designed to carry cargo containers.
• Container port: A port facility equipped to handle containerized cargo.
• Container yard: A storage area for cargo containers.

Noun

1. a large container for freight