Not every job fits a standard box. These are the 17 specialty shipping containers buyers ask Lummid about most: high cubes, double doors, open sides, modular sets like BiCons and DuoCons, reefers, hazmat, open tops, offshore, offices, 53′ high cubes, military units and custom builds.
Buying for resale or in volume? Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099.
Video, 3:21. Full transcript below. Watch on YouTube
Specialty containers at a glance
| Type | What it is |
|---|---|
| 20' high cube | Same length as a standard 20', one foot taller at 9'6". Generally sold new. |
| Double door (tunnel) | Doors on both ends. 20', 20HC, 40' and 40HC. |
| Full open side | The entire long side opens for wide loads. 20', 20HC, 40' and 40HC. |
| 4-door open side | Four sets of cargo doors along the side. 20' open sides usually have two. |
| BiCon | Two 10' containers locked together as one 20' unit for shipping. |
| DuoCon | Ships as one open 20', then cut apart into two 10' units. |
| TriCon | Three units locked into one 20' footprint for shipping. Built to order. |
| QuadCon | Four units locked into one 20' footprint for shipping. Built to order. |
| Nested | Seven containers ship as one 20' high cube. |
| Refrigerated (reefer) | New and used. Clip-on and underslung gensets available. |
| Hazmat | For chemicals and petroleum. 20', 20HC, 40' and 40HC. |
| Open top | No steel roof, tarp cover, crane loading. 20', 20HC, 40', 40HC and half height. |
| Offshore | Built and certified for lifting at sea, including half heights. |
| Office | Insulated, with electrical, windows and doors. 20', 20HC, 40' and 40HC. |
| 53' high cube | For domestic road and rail moves and big equipment storage. |
| Military and TAA | Military spec and TAA compliant units, standard or camo colors. |
| Custom | Built to your specs, to order. |
Access: high cubes, double doors and open sides
20′ high cube
A 20′ high cube is the same length as a standard 20′, but a foot taller, at 9’6″. They’re generally sold new.
Double door containers
Double door containers, also called tunnel containers, have doors on both ends, so you can load from either side. They come in 20′, 20 high cube, 40′ and 40 high cube sizes. More on when a double door makes sense.
Full open side
Open side containers come in two styles. A full open side opens the entire long side, for wide loads.
4-door open side
A 4-door open side has four sets of cargo doors along the side, so you open only the section you need. They’re a great fit for storage facility build outs. 20′ open sides usually come with two door sets instead of four. See open side containers for sale.
Modular sets: BiCons, DuoCons, TriCons, QuadCons and nested
BiCons
BiCons are two 10′ containers, locked together to make one 20′ unit for shipping.
DuoCons
DuoCons ship as one 20′ container, open inside, so you can load cargo. Then it’s cut apart, the end walls tacked inside are welded on, and you have two 10′ units.
TriCons
TriCons are three smaller units locked together into one 20′ footprint, but only for shipping. Once delivered, you unlock them and have three separate containers. They’re built to order. Specs: TriCon dimensions, weight and uses.
QuadCons
QuadCons work the same way with four units. Locked together to ship, unlocked into four separate containers on arrival. Also built to order. Specs: QuadCon dimensions, weight and uses.
Nested containers
Nested containers ship seven in one. A 20′ high cube holds two 9′ units, each holding an 8′, and each 8′ holding a 7′.
Special purpose containers
Refrigerated containers
Refrigerated containers, or reefers, come new and used, with cooling units from all the major brands. We also sell clip-on and underslung gensets to power them. Compare clip-on and underslung gensets.
Hazmat containers
Hazmat containers are built to store chemicals and petroleum safely, in 20′, 20 high cube, 40′ and 40 high cube sizes. Side opening models are available. See side-opening hazmat containers.
Open top containers
Open top containers have no steel roof. A tarp covers the load, so cargo can be loaded from above by crane. They come in 20′, 20 high cube, 40′ and 40 high cube sizes, plus half height units.
Offshore containers
Offshore containers, including half heights, are built and certified for lifting at sea, for energy platforms and military use. More on half height containers.
Office containers
Office containers come insulated, with electrical, windows and doors, in 20′, 20 high cube, 40′ and 40 high cube sizes. Different specs are available, and they can be customized. See portable office containers.
53′ high cube
53′ high cubes are built for domestic moves by road and rail, and for big equipment storage. Read how to buy 53′ containers at scale.
Military and TAA containers
For government and military buyers, we offer military spec and TAA compliant units, in standard or camo colors. See military container types.
Custom containers
Need something different or unique? Lummid builds custom containers to your specs. They’re built to order. See all Lummid specialty equipment.
Questions buyers ask
What is a tunnel container?
A tunnel container is a double door container. It has cargo doors on both ends, so you can load from either side. Lummid supplies them in 20', 20 high cube, 40' and 40 high cube sizes.
What is the difference between a BiCon and a DuoCon?
A BiCon is two 10' containers locked together to make one 20' unit for shipping. A DuoCon ships as one open 20' container, then it's cut apart and the end walls are welded on to make two 10' units.
Do TriCons and QuadCons stay locked together?
No. They are locked into one 20' footprint only for shipping. Once delivered, you unlock them and have three or four separate containers. Lummid builds them to order.
What sizes do open top containers come in?
Lummid supplies open tops in 20', 20 high cube, 40' and 40 high cube sizes, plus half height units. A tarp covers the load instead of a steel roof.
Video transcript
Show the full transcript
Not every job fits a standard box. Here are the specialty containers buyers ask about most.
A 20 foot high cube is the same length as a standard 20, but a foot taller, at 9'6". They're generally sold new.
Double door containers, also called tunnel containers, have doors on both ends, so you can load from either side. They come in 20, 20 high cube, 40 and 40 high cube sizes.
Open side containers come in two styles. A full open side opens the entire long side, for wide loads.
A four door open side has four sets of cargo doors along the side, so you open only the section you need. They're a great fit for storage facility build outs. 20 foot open sides usually come with two door sets instead of four.
BiCons are two 10 foot containers, locked together to make one 20 foot unit for shipping.
DuoCons ship as one 20 foot container, open inside, so you can load cargo. Then it's cut apart, the end walls tacked inside are welded on, and you have two 10 foot units.
Tricons are three smaller units locked together into one 20 foot footprint, but only for shipping. Once delivered, you unlock them and have three separate containers. They're built to order.
Quadcons work the same way with four units. Locked together to ship, unlocked into four separate containers on arrival. Also built to order.
Nested containers ship seven in one. A 20 foot high cube holds two 9 foot units, each holding an 8, and each 8 holding a 7.
Refrigerated containers, or reefers, come new and used, with cooling units from all the major brands. We also sell clip-on and underslung gensets to power them.
Hazmat containers are built to store chemicals and petroleum safely, in 20, 20 high cube, 40 and 40 high cube sizes.
Open top containers have no steel roof. A tarp covers the load, so cargo can be loaded from above by crane. They come in 20, 20 high cube, 40 and 40 high cube sizes, plus half height units.
Offshore containers, including half heights, are built and certified for lifting at sea, for energy platforms and military use.
Office containers come insulated, with electrical, windows and doors, in 20, 20 high cube, 40 and 40 high cube sizes. Different specs are available, and they can be customized.
53 foot high cubes are built for domestic moves by road and rail, and for big equipment storage.
For government and military buyers, we offer military spec and TAA compliant units, in standard or camo colors.
Need something different or unique? Lummid builds custom containers to your specs. They're built to order.
Need a specialty box? Talk to Lummid.
Need a specialty box?
Lummid supplies specialty containers wholesale, from depots across the United States and Canada. See our specialty equipment, shipping containers and where we have equipment.
Tell us the type, size, quantity and delivery ZIP. Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099. Buying for resale? See wholesale for resellers and bulk buyers.