---
title: "conex box: Definition and Meaning | NPSA"
description: "A Conex box is a cargo container type first built for the U.S. Army in the early 1950s. The name is short for Container Express."
url: https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/conex-box
publisher: National Portable Storage Association (NPSA)
phone: "(816) 960-6552"
email: info@npsa.org
---

Container basics

# conex box

A Conex box is a cargo container type first built for the U.S. Army in the early 1950s. The name is short for Container Express. People now also use it casually for any steel shipping or storage container, which can confuse buyers.

## Why it matters

The original Conex was smaller than a modern 20-foot shipping container. It grew out of the Army Transporter, a steel box built in 1948, and the Conex system followed in late 1952. Today, many sellers and customers say conex box when they mean a steel storage container. Some sellers also list a modern ISO container as a Conex. A common mistake is to assume the name guarantees a size. Ask for exact length, width and height, and check the door and weight rating. Operators should use clear product names on quotes, such as 20-foot ISO container, so customers are not surprised on delivery day.

[Read: Shipping container sizes and dimensions for rental fleets](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/guides/container-sizes-and-dimensions)

Definition source: [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conex_box)

## Related terms

[### shipping container A shipping container is a standardized steel box used to move freight by ship, rail and truck without unloading the goods. Most are rectangular, closed boxes with doors at one end. Many are reused for storage after their sea service ends.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/shipping-container)[### storage container A storage container is a container used to store goods, often a retired shipping container, that sits on a site and keeps items dry and secure. Companies rent or sell them in several sizes and conditions. Many have double doors on one end and can be lifted or moved on a truck.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/storage-container)[### sea can Sea can is an informal name for a shipping container, mainly used in Canada. It is a short form of sea container. In the trade, it means the same kind of box as a shipping container, used to carry or store goods.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/sea-can)[### ISO container An ISO container is a freight container built to the ISO series 1 standards, such as ISO 668 for classification and dimensions and ISO 1496 for specification and testing. The standards let boxes fit the same ships, trucks and handling gear worldwide.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/iso-container)[### intermodal container An intermodal container is a standardized, reusable container that can move between ships, trains and trucks without unloading the cargo. It has fittings for handling, securing and stacking. Most dry freight containers use a closed steel box with doors at one end.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/intermodal-container)[### 8 ft container An 8 ft container is a small steel storage container about 8 feet long. One dealer lists an 8-foot steel container at about 7 feet 11 inches long and 7 feet 2 inches wide outside, and 7 feet 6 inches high. It is a small, non-standard size, not an ISO 20-foot or 40-foot box.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/8-ft-container)

[All 220 terms](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary)

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