Reference

Container Glossary

The technical vocabulary of container shipping and logistics, defined from Çelikor's operational perspective. 30 terms, concise definitions.

Container Types and Sizes

20' Standard Container

Internal 5.898 m × 2.352 m × 2.393 m, capacity ~33 m³. The most common size for general cargo, storage and office conversions. Equals 1 TEU.

40' Standard Container

Internal 12.032 m × 2.352 m × 2.393 m, capacity ~67 m³. Sea freight workhorse for general and bulk cargo. 2 TEU.

40' High Cube (HC)

Same footprint as 40' standard but 2.698 m internal height, capacity ~76 m³. Ideal for voluminous or lightweight cargo. Popular for mobile office and living-space conversions.

45' HCPW (High Cube Pallet Wide)

Internal 13.556 m × 2.440 m × 2.698 m. Extra width optimised for Euro-pallet patterns, standard in intermodal (road + rail) logistics across Europe. Çelikor's primary rental fleet type.

49' Box (Overlength)

49 ft / 14.9 m long at standard width and height. Used for long cargo and special projects; typically requires an oversized-load permit.

Tank Container

ISO-frame container with an inner metal tank, for transporting liquid (chemicals, food), gas and bulk. Çelikor handles tank container storage and transfer operations.

Swap-body

Demountable transport unit for road-rail intermodal traffic. Wider base than marine containers, common across Europe. Not suitable for ocean freight or stacking like ISO containers.

Reefer (Refrigerated) Container

Temperature-controlled container with an onboard compressor, maintaining −25 °C to +25 °C. Used for food, pharmaceuticals and perishable cargo.

Open Top

Container with a removable tarpaulin roof. Used for cargo that must be loaded from above (machinery, glass, etc.).

Flat Rack

Container with collapsible side posts and no sidewalls, designed for oversized or awkward cargo.

Condition and Certification

Cargo Worthy (CW)

Container condition certified for international shipping: watertight, structurally sound, IICL-compliant. All 45 HCPW units Çelikor rents are delivered Cargo Worthy.

IICL (Institute of International Container Lessors)

The body that sets international container leasing standards. An "IICL Survey" is the detailed damage inspection that documents a unit's lease-readiness.

Wind & Water Tight (WWT)

"Wind and water tight" condition. Sufficient for static storage but not considered Cargo Worthy for international transit.

As-Is

Sold in current condition without warranties. The lowest-priced category.

Operational Terms

Storage Fee ("Ardiye")

The daily charge after a container's free-time window at the storage yard. Çelikor contracts set free time and daily rates transparently.

Demurrage

Carrier-charged penalty when a container is not collected from the port within the agreed free time. A critical cost for importers and freight forwarders to monitor.

Detention

Penalty for returning an empty container to the carrier after the free-time window has expired. Applies after port release, unlike demurrage.

Handling

Moving, lifting and placing containers in the yard or port, performed with reach stackers, forklifts or cranes.

Stuffing / De-stuffing

Stuffing = loading cargo into a container. De-stuffing = unloading. Both done in controlled conditions at Çelikor's yards.

Intermodal

Transport of a single container via multiple modes (road, rail, sea, air) without transferring the cargo between units. The logistics backbone for Euro-Asian freight.

TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit)

Industry-standard capacity unit. 1 TEU = 1 × 20'. A 40' container equals 2 TEU, a 45' HC about 2.25 TEU.

FEU (Forty-foot Equivalent Unit)

1 FEU = 2 TEU. Alternative unit used in larger shipments.

FCL / LCL

FCL (Full Container Load): the container is used by a single shipper. LCL (Less than Container Load): partial load combined with other shippers' cargo.

Transport Equipment

Reach Stacker

The primary yard-handling vehicle. Lifts containers from the top and stacks them 3-4 high. Used at all Çelikor yards.

Spreader

The metal frame on a reach stacker or crane that grips a container at its four ISO corner castings.

Lowbed (Semi-Lowbed)

Low-deck heavy-haulage trailer for high-tonnage or overlength cargo. Çelikor's lowbed fleet carries construction machinery and 49' containers.

Oversized Cargo

Cargo that exceeds standard vehicle dimensions (height/width/length). Requires authority permits and special route planning.

Lashing

Securing a container or its contents so they don't shift in transit. Mandatory in sea freight; uses straps, ropes and chains.

Lift-on / Lift-off (LoLo)

Container-to-vessel loading via shore cranes. The counterpart to Roll-on / Roll-off (RoRo) transport.

Damage Survey

A professional inspection that documents a container's physical condition. Performed at entry, exit, before sale and for insurance claims.

Port and Customs Terms

Port

Sea-freight gateway where containers are loaded and discharged. Çelikor's established network covers Ambarlı (Istanbul), Yılport and Evyap (Kocaeli), and Gemlik (Bursa).

Terminal

Dedicated within- or near-port area where containers are held, handled and staged. May be inside customs-controlled zone.

Customs Bonded Warehouse

Storage for imported/exported goods held without tax, under customs supervision. Çelikor Çatalca yard sits 1 km from the customs zone.

Bill of Lading (B/L)

The official document in sea freight: it confirms the goods received by the carrier and their transit destination. A negotiable commercial instrument.

B/L Reference

The Bill of Lading reference number. Çelikor's customer portal uses this for reference-based container tracking and exit requests.

FAQ

What is a Cargo Worthy (CW) container?
Cargo Worthy is a condition class certifying that a container is watertight, structurally sound and compliant with IICL standards for international shipping. All 45 HCPW containers in Çelikor's stock are delivered in Cargo Worthy condition.
What is a 45 HCPW container?
45 HCPW (High Cube Pallet Wide) is a specialised container 13.7 m long, 2.9 m high and wider than 2.5 m internally. The extra width delivers about 15% more pallet efficiency versus a standard 40' container, and it is the intermodal workhorse across Europe.
What is a swap-body container?
A swap-body is a demountable transport unit designed for road-rail intermodal traffic. Unlike a sea container, it has a wider base and removable top, is widely used in Europe and cannot be stacked like marine containers.
What does TEU mean?
TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) is the capacity measurement unit in container shipping. A 20' container equals 1 TEU, a 40' container equals 2 TEU, and a 45' HC counts as approximately 2.25 TEU.
What is demurrage in container shipping?
Demurrage is the charge levied by the shipping line when a container stays in the port beyond the agreed free time. It is distinct from detention, which applies once the container has left the port but is returned late.

Technical advisory

Not sure which container fits your operation? Our specialists offer a free pre-assessment.