Shipping container dimensions
Every standard shipping container is 8 ft wide. A standard box is 8 ft 6 in tall and a high cube is 9 ft 6 in. The length gives the size its name: 20, 40 or 45 ft. Inside, a 20ft box is about 19 ft 4 in long, 7 ft 8 in wide and 7 ft 10 in high. Here are all four common sizes, outside and in.
Outside and inside dimensions
| Container | Outside (L × W × H) | Inside (L × W × H) | Door (W × H) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 19' 10½" × 8' × 8' 6"6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m | 19' 4" × 7' 8" × 7' 10"5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 7' 8" × 7' 6"2.34 × 2.28 m |
| 40ft standard | 40' × 8' × 8' 6"12.19 × 2.44 × 2.59 m | 39' 6" × 7' 8" × 7' 10"12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 7' 8" × 7' 6"2.34 × 2.28 m |
| 40ft high cube | 40' × 8' × 9' 6"12.19 × 2.44 × 2.90 m | 39' 6" × 7' 8" × 8' 10"12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | 7' 8" × 8' 6"2.34 × 2.59 m |
| 45ft high cube | 45' × 8' × 9' 6"13.72 × 2.44 × 2.90 m | 44' 6" × 7' 9" × 8' 10"13.56 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | 7' 8" × 8' 6"2.34 × 2.59 m |
Outside sizes are the ISO 668 standard. Inside and door sizes are Ocean Network Express's published specs. Boxes from other builders differ by a few millimeters.
Why the inside is smaller than the name
A container is a steel box with ribbed walls, a thick floor and a frame at each end. Those take up room. A 20ft box loses about 6½ inches of length and 4 inches of width to its walls and doors. The floor and roof take about 8 inches of height. So a box sold as 8 ft wide gives you 7 ft 8 in to load.
The door is the tightest point. On a standard box it is 7 ft 6 in high, 4 inches lower than the inside. A crate that is 7 ft 8 in tall fits once it is inside, but it will not go through the door upright. Measure tall cargo against the door, not the inside height. A high cube door is 8 ft 6 in, which is often the reason to book one.
Empty weight matters too, because the road limit counts the box. In ONE's spec a 20ft weighs 4,740 lb (2,150 kg) empty, a 40ft 8,027 lb (3,640 kg), a 40ft high cube 8,157 lb (3,700 kg) and a 45ft 10,252 lb (4,650 kg).
Capacity: CBM, pallets and payload
| Container | CBM | Pallets (US / Euro) | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | 33.1 m³ | 9 / 11 | 28,200 kg |
| 40ft Standard | 67.6 m³ | 20 / 24 | 26,700 kg |
| 40ft High Cube | 76 m³ | 20 / 24 | 26,500 kg |
| 45ft High Cube | 86 m³ | 24 / 27 | 27,600 kg |
Pallets = US (48 × 40 in) / Euro (1200 × 800 mm), one layer on the floor. Payload varies by box rating; read the CSC plate on the door.
Weight or space: which runs out first?
Divide a container's payload by its volume and you get the cargo density at which it is full by weight and by space at the same moment. Denser cargo hits the weight limit first and leaves empty space; lighter cargo fills the box long before it gets heavy.
- 20ft Standard: 28,200 kg ÷ 33.1 m³ = about 852 kg/m³
- 40ft Standard: 26,700 kg ÷ 67.6 m³ = about 395 kg/m³
- 40ft High Cube: 26,500 kg ÷ 76 m³ = about 349 kg/m³
- 45ft High Cube: 27,600 kg ÷ 86 m³ = about 321 kg/m³
So a 20ft suits heavy cargo: goods at 1,500 kg/m³ reach its 28,200 kg payload after only 18.8 m³, a little over half the box. A 40ft gives twice the space but no more payload, so it suits light, bulky goods. Payload also depends on road weight limits at each end, so check both with your carrier.
Pallets: why a 20ft takes 9, not 10
Ten 48 × 40 in pallets would need two rows of five, or 240 inches of floor. A 20ft is about 232 inches long inside, and no other pattern fits ten, so 9 US pallets is the real floor count. Euro pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) are narrower and fit 11. A 40ft and a 40ft high cube share the same floor, so both take 20 US or 24 Euro pallets. A 45ft high cube takes 24 US or 27 Euro pallets. These sizes in German: Container Maße.
Work out your own load
Total your shipment with the CBM calculator, or see how many boxes fit with the container loading calculator.
Container dimensions FAQ
How wide is a shipping container?
8 feet (2.44 m) on the outside. That is the same for 20ft, 40ft, high cube and 45ft boxes. Inside, the walls take about 4 inches, which leaves about 7 ft 8 in (2.35 m).
How tall is a shipping container?
A standard box is 8 ft 6 in tall outside and about 7 ft 10 in inside. A high cube is a foot taller: 9 ft 6 in outside and about 8 ft 10 in inside. The door is lower than the inside: 7 ft 6 in on a standard box and 8 ft 6 in on a high cube.
What are the inside dimensions of a 40ft container?
About 39 ft 6 in long, 7 ft 8 in wide and 7 ft 10 in high (12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m) for a standard box, in Ocean Network Express's spec. A 40ft high cube has the same floor and is 8 ft 10 in high inside.
Is a 20ft container really 20 feet long?
Almost. The ISO length is 19 ft 10.5 in (6.058 m), a little short of 20 ft so that two of them, with a gap, fit in the space of one 40ft box. Inside it is about 19 ft 4 in.
What is the difference between a high cube and a standard container?
Only the height. A high cube is 9 ft 6 in tall instead of 8 ft 6 in, which adds about 8 m³ inside a 40ft box. The floor, width and pallet count per layer are the same.