Remotely monitorable shipping container assembly including a shipping container including at least one door, a door status sensor for monitoring the open or closed status of the door(s) and a communications device mounted on the container and wirelessly transmitting information to one or more remote facilities including the status of the door(s) as monitored by the door status sensor. The remote facility may be for example, a facility interested in ensuring the integrity of the contents of the container, a facility which is charged with preventing theft of the contents of the containers, a law enforcement facility which is responsible for preventing transport of illegal cargo, and the like. A positioning system may be arranged on the container for determining a position thereof. The communications device is coupled to the positioning system and transmits the determined position of the container with the open or closed status of the door(s).