World Shipping Council
The World Shipping Council (WSC) is becoming a key player in the field of international shipping. As the unified voice of liner shipping, the WSC is focused on shaping the future growth of a sustainable, safe and secure shipping industry. This article provides a glimpse into what values and goals the organisation is pursuing and the impact its work is having on global shipping.
Vision and mission
The World Shipping Council is guided by three basic principles: insight, integrity and partnership. Insight means that the WSC seeks new solutions and opportunities based on expertise and experience. Integrity reflects a commitment to building trust through transparency and honesty. Partnership is about making connections, starting conversations and building relationships for global impact.
Team and management
The World Shipping Council team is made up of experienced professionals with in-depth knowledge of container and ro-ro shipping. The organisation has offices in Washington, Brussels, London and Singapore, allowing it to have a global reach. WSC’s management provides strategic direction and coordination of work through dedicated councils and working groups composed of members of the organisation. Board members can appoint a representative at Director General level to the WSC Board.
Striving for sustainability
The WSC is committed to achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which is in line with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2023 strategy. This effort requires intensive work and cooperation with IMO Member States to develop and implement appropriate measures to reduce emissions. The WSC is actively putting forward proposals such as the Green Balance Mechanism to help achieve these ambitious targets.
Cargo security and integrity
The safety of transporting dangerous goods by sea is a priority for WSC. Cargo Integrity Group, a WSC partner organization, emphasizes the need for accurate and reliable emergency contact information for hazardous materials shipments. Recent incidents such as the explosion on the “YM Mobility” highlight the need for increased security and vigilance when transporting these goods.
Cooperation and influence
The World Shipping Council seeks to work closely with policy makers and industry groups around the world. This collaboration is key to achieving sustainable maritime transport development and ensuring that the industry remains safe and secure. The WSC also ensures that its members, which include leading shipping companies such as Maersk, COSCO and Hapag-Lloyd, have the opportunity to contribute to shaping shipping strategy and policy.
Other container news...
High Cube container specifications
A high cube container — also referred to as an HC container, HQ container, or high-cube — is an intermodal shipping container that stands one foot taller than the standard ISO container. While a standard general-purpose container measures 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 m) in external height, a high cube container extends to 9 feet 6 inches (2.89 m). This extra 12 inches of vertical clearance translates into approximately 10–15% more cubic capacity without altering the container’s footprint — the same length and width are maintained, meaning the container occupies the same floor space on a vessel, chassis, or storage yard.
Shipping container parts
A shipping container looks like a simple steel box from the outside, but it is an assembly of dozens of precisely engineered shipping container parts — each governed by international standards, each designed to survive decades of ocean transit, crane lifts, and stacking loads that would crush an ordinary structure. Whether you are buying a used container, planning a container home, troubleshooting a repair, or simply building your logistics vocabulary, understanding every individual component is the difference between making an informed decision and an expensive mistake.
40 Foot Container Dimensions
If you have ever booked ocean freight, planned a warehouse layout, or designed a modular building project, you have asked the same question: what are the exact 40 foot container dimensions — and what do they mean for what you can actually load? The numbers are standardized worldwide, but the practical implications of those numbers are surprisingly nuanced. A 40-foot container is not simply 40 feet of usable space, and its weight limits are not what most people assume. This guide covers every measurement, every weight rating, and every loading consideration you need to make informed decisions about the world’s most common shipping container.
Quick Answer: A standard ISO 40-foot shipping container measures 12.19 m (40 ft) long × 2.44 m (8 ft) wide × 2.59 m (8 ft 6 in) high externally and provides approximately 67.7 m³ (2,390 ft³) of usable internal volume. The maximum gross weight is 30,480 kg (67,200 lbs), with a typical payload capacity of approximately 26,700–26,800 kg (58,900–59,000 lbs).
Cargo worthy container
If you have ever shopped for a used shipping container, you have almost certainly encountered the term cargo worthy — often abbreviated as CW or CWO (Cargo Worthy Only). It is one of the most important classifications in the container industry, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood. A cargo worthy container is not a container that looks new. It is not necessarily a container that has a valid CSC plate. And it is definitely not the same as a wind and watertight container. This guide explains what cargo worthy really means — from its technical definition and historical origins to the precise structural criteria, inspection process, cost implications, and common misconceptions that trip up even experienced buyers.