Standard Starship Cargo Containers (aka Standard Starship Shipping Containers) are boxes designed for easy intermodal shipping. They were originally designed for the Star Army of Yamatai but caught on in the civilian market and are now used by every major nation. SSCCs are part of the International Starship and Cargo Standards.
A door with a locking device is located on one end of the box (usually the “width” in the size chart below, although small SSCC containers are available with doors on the sides or the ends). Each box has attachment holes in the corners for lifting. SSCCs are sturdy enough to be moved by forklift, robotic grabbers, or rollers, and can be stacked up to ten boxes tall (20m) even when filled with heavy cargo in 1G conditions.
Standard Starship Shipping Containers are intended for ships to transport internally, but they are not only used on starships; they are also often transported by truck, rail, and watercraft. If cargo is especially large, external containers, Detachable Outer Containers may be more suitable.
Standard Starship Cargo Containers come in five sizes:
| Name | Length | Width | Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSCC-Small | 1m (3.28') | 2.5m (8.2') | 2m (6.56') | Small unit typically used for food or personal gear |
| SSCC-Medium | 5m (16.4') | 2.5m (8.2') | 2m (6.56') | Most common size for smaller ships and warships |
| SSCC-Large | 10m (32.8') | 2.5m (8.2') | 2m (6.56') | A double-length version of the SSCC-Medium; very common |
| SSCC-XL | 15m (49.2') | 2.5m (8.2') | 3m (9.84') | Most common size for large freighters; also used for tractor-trailers; added YE 31 |
| SSCC-Huge | 20m (65.62') | 5m (16.4') | 4m (13.12') | Equal to 16 SSCC-Mediums in volume; found on grav-trains; added YE 31 |
The standard containers are 2 meters tall because 4 meters is a fairly standard deck size on starships. On the Plumeria-class Medium Gunship, for example, the cargo hold is two decks tall (8 meters); This allows it to theoretically fit 4 containers vertically (although in reality the bay has robotic arms on the ceiling that would prevent the use of some space).
Collapsible versions of the standard containers (sizes Small through Large) have become increasingly common as of late. These SSCCs fold almost flat, for easy storage of empty containers.
Different nations and organizations use various colors:
SSCC-Huge containers are loaded into a Model 32 Logistics Engine:
