This standard was first published in May, 1989 as DNV Certification Note 2.7-1 Offshore freight containers. It was prepared because other regulations at the time, whether international codes, national requirements or rules published by Det Norske Veritas, did not specifically cover offshore containers. A revised certification note was issued in May 1995. In April 2006 it was revised again and reissued as DNV Standard for certification 2.7-1. The basic strength and design requirements from the original edition were retained at these revisions.

Many other standards, codes and regulations exist for containers, container-like units and related types of equipment. International standards, codes and regulations considered relevant have been taken into account when preparing this standard for certification. The most important of these are IMO's circular MSC/ Circ.860 and EN 12079. The European Committee for Standardization, CEN, issued a European standard for offshore containers, EN 12079, in 1999, and a revised edition, split into three parts, was issued in 2006. The requirements for design, testing and production of offshore containers in EN 12079 are directly based on DNV Standard for certification 2.7-1. The relationship between this standard and other standards, codes and regulations is outlined in sub-chapter 1.3.

The standard is concerned with certification of all types of offshore containers as transport units. The three typical phases of transport are: shoreside (e.g. by fork lift truck), by supply vessel and lifting to and from offshore installations. The standard includes design requirements related to all three phases.

Under conditions in which offshore containers are often transported and handled, the normal rate of wear and tear is high, and damage necessitating repair will occur. However, containers designed and certified according to this standard should have sufficient strength to withstand the normal forces encountered in offshore operations, and not suffer complete failure even if subject to more extreme loads.