A BiCon container is a pair of 10ft containers built to lock together into the footprint of one 20ft container. The pair ships as a single 20ft unit, and at the destination you unlock it and have two separate 10ft containers. This guide covers BiCon dimensions, weight ratings, how the coupling works, how BiCons compare with DuoCons, TriCons and QuadCons, and what to confirm when you order.
Buying BiCons for resale, a contract or several sites? Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099.
What is a BiCon container?
Lummid’s specialty equipment page describes BiCons as 10ft containers shipped ISO locked together. Two of them join to form one 20 foot equivalent unit (TEU), so the set can travel by any standard means, like any 20ft container, and then be separated at its destination.
The U.S. military uses the same idea. The Defense Transportation Regulation lists the BICON as an 8 ft wide, 8 ft high, 10 ft long ISO steel frame container, next to the TRICON (three to a 20ft footprint) and the QUADCON (four). On Lummid’s military containers page, BiCons, TriCons and QuadCons are grouped as units that lock together into a 20ft footprint and separate for use in the field, in standard or custom colors.
BiCon dimensions and ratings
Two references set the figures below: ISO 668, the standard that defines container sizes and ratings, and the Defense Transportation Regulation (DTR) for military units. Inside dimensions, tare weight and payload depend on the builder and the door layout, so ask for the spec sheet and plate figures of the units you are quoted.
| Item | Figure | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Length, one unit | 9′ 9.75″ (2,991 mm) | ISO 668, size 1D (10ft) |
| Width | 8′ (2,438 mm) | ISO 668 and DTR |
| Height, military BICON | 8′ (2,438 mm) | DTR Part VI, Appendix B |
| Height code on the door | 0 means 8′ (2,438 mm), 2 means 8′ 6″ (2,591 mm) | ISO 6346 size type code |
| Max gross rating, one unit | 10,160 kg (22,400 lb) | ISO 668, size 1D |
| Coupled length, two units | 19′ 10.5″ (6,058 mm), the length of a 20ft container | ISO 668, size 1C (20ft) |
| Gap at the coupling | About 3″ (76 mm) | 6,058 mm minus 2 x 2,991 mm |
Why 2,991 mm and not a round 10 feet? ISO 668 sizes the shorter containers so that combinations line up with the longer ones. Two 10ft units end to end measure 5,982 mm, and the gap of about 76 mm (3 inches) at the coupling brings the pair to 6,058 mm, exactly the outside length of a 20ft container. That is what lets a coupled pair travel as one 20ft unit.
The first character of the size type code on a 10ft unit is 1, the ISO 6346 code for a 2,991 mm length. The second character tells you the height, which is the quickest way to tell an 8ft unit from an 8ft 6in unit when you check a set.
Weight is worth a second look. Each 10ft unit is rated on its own, and ISO kept the 10ft rating at 10,160 kg when it raised the rating for larger sizes. Two units at the full rating add up to 20,320 kg (44,800 lb). The DTR lists 67,200 lb (30 long tons) as the maximum gross weight of a 20ft ISO container, so a fully loaded pair stays well below that, but the plate limit of each unit is what counts for the cargo inside it.
How the coupling works
Each unit is a complete container with ISO corner fittings. To make a pair, the two units are set end to end and joined with couplers at the corner fittings where the two ends meet, which holds them together as one rigid 20ft unit for handling and transport. At the destination the couplers come off, and each 10ft container can be moved, placed and used on its own.
The same rule applies to the smaller modular units. U.S. Army guidance notes that an array of three TRICONs or four QUADCONs has the same outside length and width as a 20ft ISO container. A BiCon does it with two units, which makes each one the largest of the three. For the three unit version, see our tricon container specs.
BiCon vs DuoCon, TriCon, QuadCon and 10ft modded
These names get mixed up, so here is how Lummid’s product pages define each one.
| Type | How it ships | What you have on site |
|---|---|---|
| BiCon | Two 10ft containers locked together as one 20ft unit | Two separate 10ft containers |
| DuoCon | Two 10fts welded together as one 20ft container, open inside | Cut in half, end panels welded on: two 10ft containers |
| TriCon | Three units locked into one 20ft footprint | Three separate units, built to order |
| QuadCon | Four units locked into one 20ft footprint | Four separate units, built to order |
| 10ft modded | A 20ft container cut down into two 10ft units | One unit with cargo doors, one with a roll up door; not CSC plated |
The difference matters when you plan cargo and paperwork. Each BiCon unit is a complete container from the start, while a DuoCon only becomes two units after it is cut apart and welded. A 10ft modded unit is a cut down 20ft and is not CSC plated, so it suits storage rather than shipping cargo. Our specialty containers video shows the BiCon and DuoCon side by side with the other modular sets.
What BiCons are used for
- Storage where a 20ft is too big. A 10ft unit needs about half the ground space of a 20ft, which helps on tight lots, yards and job sites.
- One shipment, two sites. The pair moves as one 20ft unit, then each 10ft container goes to a different location.
- Field and project storage. Tools, parts and supplies on construction, utility and remote sites, and on military and government projects.
- Resale stock. Retailers who sell 10ft containers to end users get two complete containers from each BiCon set.
What to confirm when you order
- Height: 8ft or 8ft 6in, shown by the height code on the doors.
- Door layout: which end of each unit has the cargo doors when the pair is coupled.
- Plate figures: max gross, tare and payload for each unit, from its CSC Safety Approval Plate.
- Color: standard or a custom color.
- TAA compliance: if your contract needs it, say so up front. Lummid supplies TAA compliant containers built in the U.S. or a TAA designated country.
- Couplers: whether they come with the set, if you plan to couple and ship the pair again later.
- Pickup or delivery: wholesale units sell from container depots. Lummid can put you in touch with local drivers or schedule delivery for you.
- Availability: ask for current availability and timing for your quantity.
Lummid sells wholesale from 350+ container depots across the U.S. and Canada. Units are sold from depot stacks, so buyers do not pick a specific box. Check each unit at pickup and raise any problem before you leave the depot. Resellers send a copy of their resale certificate, and payment is by wire, ACH or check rather than credit card. Need just one or two 10ft units for your own use? Send us your city and state and we will point you to a trusted retailer near you.
FAQ
How big is a BiCon container?
Each unit is about 10 feet long (9′ 9.75″, or 2,991 mm, under ISO 668) and 8 feet wide. The military BICON in the DTR is 8 feet high. Coupled, the pair is 19′ 10.5″ long, the same as a 20ft container.
What is the difference between a BiCon and a DuoCon?
A BiCon is two complete 10ft containers locked together for shipping. A DuoCon ships as one 20ft container, open inside, and is cut in half after delivery, with an end panel welded onto each half to make two 10ft containers.
How much weight can a BiCon unit hold?
ISO 668 rates a 10ft container at a maximum gross mass of 10,160 kg (22,400 lb), and that figure includes the container’s own weight. Payload is the max gross minus the tare shown on the unit’s plate, so check the plate of each unit in your set.
Get a quote
Send us the quantity, height, color and delivery location, and tell us if you need TAA compliant units. We will quote current availability. Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099. Buying for resale? See how Lummid works with resellers and bulk buyers.
Sources
- U.S. Transportation Command: Defense Transportation Regulation Part VI, Appendix B (BICON, TRICON and QUADCON sizes)
- ISO 668:2020, Series 1 freight containers: Classification, dimensions and ratings
- BIC: Size type code (ISO 6346 length and height codes)
- U.S. Army FM 55-80, Appendix E (TRICON and QUADCON arrays)
- IMO: International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC)