As a rule, when concluding a foreign trade transaction, one or another party knows what type of container is needed for the transported cargo. However you should always make sure that the contract does not contain a typo and the type of container you need corresponds to what is indicated in the documents.
Abbreviations for container types
| BC BU |
Bulk Container | Dry container of standard dimensions equipped with special openings for loading / unloading. Designed for the transportation of bulk cargo. | |
| DC | Dry Container | Dry container. See also GP. | |
| FR | Flat Rack | Platform container without roof and side walls. It is used for the transportation of heavy oversized cargo (machine parts, equipment, machinery). | |
| GP | General Purpose | Standard, universal 20- or 40-foot container. It is used for transportation of a wide range of goods suitable in size and not requiring special conditions of transportation. | |
| HC HQ | High Cube | A container with an increased overall height designed for the transportation of goods up to 2.7 m high. | |
| HTC | Heavy Tested Container | Reinforced steel 20 'container. | |
| OT UT |
Open Top | A container with a removable roof made of flexible material or tarpaulin which is designed for the transportation of oversized cargo or cargo that can be loaded into the container only vertically from above. | |
| PW | Pallet wide | Container with increased overall width allowing 2 standard pallets to be placed side by side. | |
| RE RT RS |
Refrigerated Container | Refrigerated container is used for the carriage of goods that are sensitive to temperature conditions (food products, some chemicals). | |
| TC | Tank Container | Tank Container is fixed on a rigid frame of standard dimensions. It is designed for transportation of various liquid cargo. | |
| VC VT |
Ventilated Container | A container equipped with a natural or forced ventilation system. It is designed for transportation of goods that need to remove condensate from the container, non-hazardous vapors or need air exchange with the environment. |
