If containers aren't working I'm sure people would be willing to use something like the black and yellow totes given enough market pressure.
Also, to the extent that small vessels are used in the "transportation" business, it's for contraband, not Beanie Babies. Look up the street value of 100 kilos (~220 pounds) of cocaine in major US and European cities and compare it to the value of a 40 foot container full of nuts and bolts.