At the Twelfth Session of the Committee on Shipping, Transport, Communications and Tourism, concern was expressed that the introduction of non-ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standard containers might pose particular problems for the developing countries in the ESCAP region because their infrastructures are designed to handle only ISO standard containers. The ESCAP secretariat was requested to undertake a study into this matter, with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The overall objective of the study was to assist developing countries of the ESCAP region in the formulation of appropriate policies for the inland movement of non-ISO standard containers. The immediate objectives were to:
(a) Estimate present and future demand for inland movement of containers, particularly those of non-ISO standards such as high cube1 and oversize containers;
(b) Identify constraints on such movements in ports, railways, roads and inland waterway trunk routes;
(c) Recommend means of alleviating these constraints; and
(d) Provide broad estimates of the costs and benefits of implementing the recommendations.