The Huntsman spider was spotted by staff at a manufacturing firm in Dumbarton.
They called in the Scottish SPCA amid concerns that it could be poisonous.
The animal charity contacted an arachnid specialist who helped identify the spider, which can give a painful bite.
The Huntsman is being cared for while a suitable home is sought, the BBC reported.
Scottish SPCA Animal Rescue Officer Emma Bonner, who dealt with the incident, said: "We were called to a manufacturing business on Stirling Road, Dumbarton, on Friday morning after we received reports of a large spider.
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The spider was passed to Scottish SPCA Chief Inspector Fiona Henderson who contacted a specialist.
Henderson said: "An arachnid expert identified it as a Huntsman spider. We believe that due to a yellow stripe on its abdomen that the spider is female.
"It would be hard to say where it is from exactly due to the fact it arrived here in a shipping container.
"It must be a tough little spider as it has done well to survive living in a cold container for so long before arriving in Scotland."
"If there are any bacteria or bugs that the spider is carrying that we are not aware of then it could introduce those to other species.
"The spider appears in good condition and is already an adult so we are going to try to find a specialist home for it.
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