How many CBM in a 40ft High Cube container?
A 40ft High Cube holds about 76 m³ (CBM) — the same floor as a standard 40ft but a foot taller, so it fits more by volume. It is the go-to box for light, bulky cargo that cubes out before it weighs out.
Internal volume
76 m³
2,684 ft³
GMA pallets
20
single layer
Euro pallets
24
single layer
Max payload
27 t
26,500 kg
40ft High Cube container dimensions
These are the typical internal dimensions — what actually fits inside. The door opening is slightly smaller, so measure tall or wide cargo against the doorway, not just the box.
| Internal length | 12.03 m | 39' 5" |
| Internal width | 2.35 m | 7' 8" |
| Internal height | 2.69 m | 8' 10" |
| Capacity (CBM) | 76 m³ | 2,684 ft³ |
| Max payload | 26,500 kg | 58,422 lb |
| Equivalent | 2 TEU | 40' HC · 2 TEU |
How many pallets fit in a 40ft High Cube container?
Floor-loaded in a single layer, a 40ft High Cube container takes about 20 standard GMA pallets (48×40 in) or 24 Euro pallets (1200×800 mm). If your cargo stacks and you are under the weight limit, double-stacking can roughly double those numbers. Work out how many of your cartons fit per pallet first with the pallet calculator.
How many boxes fit in a 40ft High Cube container?
That depends on your box size — a 40ft High Cube container is 76 m³, but real packing efficiency is usually 80–90% once orientation and gaps are accounted for. Enter your carton dimensions in the container loading calculator to see how many fit this and other containers, or total your shipment volume with the CBM calculator.
What the extra foot of height actually buys
A high cube is one foot taller externally, which shows up inside as roughly 2.69 m of clear height versus 2.39 m in a standard 40ft. Same floor, same doors' width — just 30 cm more headroom. On paper that's 8.4 extra CBM (76.0 vs 67.6, about 12% more volume); in practice the gain is often bigger than 12%, because the extra height turns wasted air above a stack into a usable layer of cartons, or lets you load taller-built pallets instead of leaving them short.
The classic HQ use case is pallet height: with 2.69 m to work with, two 1.3 m-tall pallets stack cleanly — a build height that would not double-stack in a standard 40ft's 2.39 m. For e-commerce, furniture and other light goods, that single change can move a meaningful share of a shipment's cartons off a second container.
When the HQ wins — and when it doesn't
At ~26,500 kg of payload spread over 76 m³, the break-even density is about 349 kg/m³. Most consumer cargo sits well below that, which is why high cubes now dominate the 40ft fleet on major east–west trades and are typically priced at or near standard-40ft rates — when the cost is equal, the extra 8.4 CBM is free volume.
The HQ doesn't help dense cargo: if you weigh out at 26,500 kg long before 67 m³, the extra height carries nothing but air. And on inland legs in some countries, the taller box can face route or clearance restrictions road-standard 40fts don't — worth confirming with the trucker for door deliveries in height-restricted areas.
Frequently asked questions
How many CBM are in a 40ft High Cube container?
A 40ft High Cube container has an internal volume of about 76 m³ (2,684 ft³). In practice you can load roughly 80–90% of that once you account for pallet patterns, packaging and bracing.
How many pallets fit in a 40ft High Cube container?
Floor-loaded in a single layer, a 40ft High Cube container holds about 20 standard GMA (48×40 in) pallets or 24 Euro (1200×800 mm) pallets. Double-stacking can roughly double that if your cargo and weight limit allow.
What is the maximum payload of a 40ft High Cube container?
A 40ft High Cube container carries up to about 26,500 kg (58,422 lb) of cargo. Dense freight often hits this weight limit before it fills the volume — always check both.
How much taller is a 40ft high cube inside?
About 30 cm — roughly 2.69 m internal height versus 2.39 m in a standard 40ft. External height is 9' 6" versus 8' 6". Floor dimensions are identical, so pallet counts per layer don't change; what changes is how high each stack can go.
Does a 40ft high cube cost more than a standard 40ft?
Often not — HQs make up the majority of modern 40ft fleets and many carriers quote them at the same or nearly the same rate. When rates match, light cargo should default to the HQ: about 12% more volume for the same money.