---
title: "Container"
description: "A container is a steel receptacle used to transport ocean and rail shipments. The modern container was invented in the 1950s by Malcolm P. McLean."
language: en
canonical: https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/container/
lifecycle: live
dateModified: 2026-08-20T06:44:04Z
topics:
  - "Ocean Freight"
  - "Rail"
---

# Container

A container is a steel receptacle used to transport ocean and rail shipments. The modern container was invented in the 1950s by Malcolm P. McLean.

## What is a container?

A container is a steel receptacle used to transport ocean and rail shipments. The modern container was invented in the 1950s by Malcolm P. McLean, who owned a steamship company and wanted to be able to lift a container from a vehicle directly on to a ship without first having to unload its contents.

The incoterm [FCA should be used for containerized shipments](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/help/why-ship-fca-incoterm/), instead of the pre-container era incoterm [FOB](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/incoterm-free-on-board/).

Common container sizes include 20,' 40,' 40' [High Cube](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/high-cube-container/), and 45' High Cube.

![Blue standard 20-foot steel intermodal shipping container shown at an angle, with corrugated side walls and closed double cargo doors at one end.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ynj1yl20/development/e0df915af3444a9c319fed1576a271205f615de0-506x281.png)

Back to the [full glossary](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/).

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/container/](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/container/) for AI/LLM consumption.*