Freight container, system, and method for shipping freight

1. Field of the Invention A freight transportation container can accept standardized pallets and is suitable for the transportation by land, sea, or air. The size and construction of the container permits the loading and removal of freight by a conventional fork lift truck, and allows placement of the container in standard-sized trucks and aircraft. Lockdown lips formed on the bottom of the container secure the container to the floors of trucks and aircraft. The freight container also is part of a system for transportation whereby the freight can be loaded, inventoried, locked, and sealed at a customer's premises, and remain under the custody of one entity throughout shipment of the freight to the consignee. An empty freight container can be delivered to a customer's premises on a truck having a cab and removable trailer, so that the container and trailer can remain there for loading, and then later be picked up by the cab and taken to holding areas, other trucks, ships, aircraft, or directly to the consignee. Transactional information regarding the freight and destination is stored in a computer, allowing a central system to track the freight and generate appropriate business and customer documentation.