A container depot or yard is where several containers are stored or held in transit, once they are unloaded. This depot provides a single place where shipping and logistics companies can keep their containers until it is time for reloading.

Once containers have been unloaded, they are trucked back to the depot, where they are registered by company officials. In general, the depot is located inside a port or terminal or in the surrounding area. This enables for a quick and immediate transfer of containers between different locations.