# 45 ft High Cube Container Dimensions

Source: https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/ · CC BY 4.0 · checked 2026-10-19

A 45 ft high cube container is 45′ × 8′ × 9′6″ outside (13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 m), 44′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 8′10″ inside (13.556 × 2.352 × 2.698 m), door 7′8″ × 8′6″ (2.340 × 2.585 m): 86.0 m³ (3,037 ft³), tare 4,650 kg (Evergreen prints 4,700), [max gross](https://contsize.com/glossary/max-gross/) 32,500 kg, payload 27,850 kg. ContSize, 2026: sizes per ISO 668; inside, per 12 of 15 sheets; tare: per 10 of 16 sheets.

![Measured drawing of a 45 ft high cube container: 13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 m outside, 13.556 × 2.352 × 2.698 m inside.](https://contsize.com/figures/45hc-container-dimensions-drawing-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*45 ft high cube container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor*

| Measure | Metric | Imperial |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Length outside | 13,716 mm | 45′ |
| Width outside | 2,438 mm | 8′ |
| Height outside | 2,896 mm | 9′6″ |
| Length inside | 13,556 mm | 44′5½″ |
| Width inside | 2,352 mm | 7′8½″ |
| Height inside | 2,698 mm | 8′10″ |
| Door width | 2,340 mm | 7′8″ |
| Door height | 2,585 mm | 8′6″ |
| Floor area | 31.9 m² | 343 ft² |
| Volume | 86.0 m³ | 3,037 ft³ |
| Tare (empty) | 4,650 kg | 10,251 lb |
| Payload | 27,850 kg | 61,399 lb |
| Max gross | 32,500 kg | 71,650 lb |
| TEU | 2.25 | — |
| ISO type | L5G1 | — |
| EUR pallets, one tier (counted) | 27 | — |
| US pallets, one tier (counted) | 24 | — |

Checked 19 October 2026: outside sizes set by ISO 668, read in IS 6566:2001, GOST R 51876-2008 and GOST R 53350-2009; every other figure against 16 published sheets of 16 lines, lessors and makers. A sheet agrees within ±5 mm, or ±2 % for a mass and ±1 % for a volume; a maximum gross is a rating and must be the same. [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/#c-45hc)

*45 ft high cube container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor*

## 45 ft high cube container: dimensions and weight

*45 ft high cube containerL5G1*

|  | Metric | Imperial |
| --- | --- | --- |
| External dimensions |  |  |
| Length | 13.716 m | 45′ |
| Width | 2.438 m | 8′ |
| Height | 2.896 m | 9′6″ |
| Internal dimensions |  |  |
| Length | 13.556 m | 44′5½″ |
| Width | 2.352 m | 7′8½″ |
| Height | 2.698 m | 8′10″ |
| Door opening |  |  |
| Width | 2.340 m | 7′8″ |
| Height | 2.585 m | 8′6″ |
| Specification |  |  |
| Tare weight | 4,650 kg | 10,251 lb |
| Max gross weight | 32,500 kg | 71,650 lb |
| Max payload | 27,850 kg | 61,399 lb |
| Capacity (volume) | 86.0 m³ | 3,037 ft³ |
| Pallets (one tier, counted on the floor) | 27 EUR · 24 US |  |
| TEU | 2.25 (by length) |  |

Checked 19 October 2026: outside sizes set by ISO 668, read in IS 6566:2001, GOST R 51876-2008 and GOST R 53350-2009; every other figure against 16 published sheets of 16 lines, lessors and makers. A sheet agrees within ±5 mm, or ±2 % for a mass and ±1 % for a volume; a maximum gross is a rating and must be the same. [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/#c-45hc)

Machine-readable: [/data/containers.json](https://contsize.com/data/containers.json) · closest published sheet: Evergreen, 9 of 12 figures

Data: [ISO 668 (1995 text, read in IS 6566:2001)](https://contsize.com/citations/#iso-668) · [CMA CGM Equipment Guide](https://contsize.com/citations/#cma-specs) · [Evergreen Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#evergreen-specs) · [Hapag-Lloyd Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#hapag-specs) · [Maersk Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#maersk-specs) · [ONE Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#one-specs) · [Singamas product range](https://contsize.com/citations/#singamas-products) · Crowley, HMM, Matson, OOCL, Seaco, Textainer, TOTE, Triton, Yang Ming, ZIM

[Compare every size in one chart](https://contsize.com/shipping-container-dimensions-chart/)

A 45 ft high cube container stands on 31.9 m² (343 ft²) of floor. One tier holds 27 EUR pallets, as CMA CGM prints it, or 24 US pallets by our layout of the inside floor; the European [pallet-wide](https://contsize.com/glossary/pallet-wide/) variant takes 33 EUR pallets, from one sheet (CMA CGM) — the container answer to a semi-trailer.

![Scale plan view of a 45 ft high cube container: 27 Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm) in a single tier on a 13.556 × 2.352 m floor.](https://contsize.com/figures/45hc-container-pallet-layout-en.png)

*27 EUR pallets in one tier, counted on the floor — 45 ft high cube container, top view Drawn to scale*

![Range chart of what a 45 ft high cube container costs to buy in the US by condition: One-trip (new) $5,800–8,800.](https://contsize.com/figures/45hc-container-price-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*45 ft high cube container price by condition (USD, October 2026)*

| Size | One-trip (new) | Cargo-worthy | Wind & watertight |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 45 ft high cube container | $5,800–8,800 | $3,500–5,300 | $2,700–4,100 |

*45 ft high cube container price by condition (USD, October 2026) typical US asking prices*

![Bar chart placing the 45 ft high cube container (86.0 m³, 27,850 kg payload) among the seven container lengths from 10 to…](https://contsize.com/figures/45hc-container-volume-and-payload-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*45 ft high cube container: volume and payload against every other size*

| Size | Volume | Max payload |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [10 ft container](https://contsize.com/10-ft-container/) | 15.9 m³ · 562 ft³ | 8,860 kg · 19,533 lb |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 33.2 m³ · 1,172 ft³ | 28,250 kg · 62,281 lb |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 67.7 m³ · 2,391 ft³ | 28,800 kg · 63,493 lb |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 76.4 m³ · 2,698 ft³ | 28,670 kg · 63,207 lb |
| 45 ft high cube container | 86.0 m³ · 3,037 ft³ | 27,850 kg · 61,399 lb |
| [48 ft container](https://contsize.com/48-ft-container/) | 97.6 m³ · 3,447 ft³ | 25,530 kg · 56,284 lb |
| [53 ft container](https://contsize.com/53-ft-container/) | 111.8 m³ · 3,948 ft³ | 25,250 kg · 55,667 lb |

Checked 19 October 2026: the figures in this chart against 42 of 88 published sheets from 27 lines, lessors, makers and rail and road operators: those that print these figures. A sheet agrees within ±5 mm, or ±2 % for a mass and ±1 % for a volume; a maximum gross is a rating and must be the same. [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*45 ft high cube container: volume and payload against every other size*

## What a 45 ft high cube container is used for

The 45 ft high cube (ISO type L5G1) stretches the 40 ft high cube by 1.524 m, reaching 13.716 m of length and about 86.0 m³ of capacity. The extra 1.524 m of floor adds two more EUR pallet positions, taking a single tier from 25 to 27.

It rides on the same corner-casting positions as a 40 ft box (the extra length overhangs on reinforced end frames), so it fits standard ships and chassis. In Europe, a pallet-wide variant about 2.420 m (7′11½″) wide inside carries 33 EUR pallets, from one sheet (CMA CGM) — the container answer to a semi-trailer.

Doors match the 40 ft high cube at 2.340 m wide × 2.585 m high, so loading equipment and cargo clearances carry over unchanged. Height throughout is the full 9′6″ — there is no standard-height 45-footer in meaningful circulation.

The weight budget is where the stretch shows: at roughly 4,650 kg [tare](https://contsize.com/glossary/tare-weight/), the 45 is the heaviest ISO dry box, and payload dips to about 27,850 kg at 32,500 kg max gross. For dense cargo that changes nothing (you would weigh out in any forty anyway); for light cargo the extra 9.6 m³ over a 40 ft HC is the whole point.

## What fits in a 45 ft container

86.0 m³ with a [payload](https://contsize.com/glossary/payload/) of about 27,850 kg. One floor tier holds 27 EUR pallets or, by our layout of the inside floor, 24 US pallets; the pallet-wide version raises that to 33 EUR pallets.

45-footers are common in intra-European short-sea and rail service and in US domestic moves, less so on deep-sea trades where the 40 ft HC dominates.

That trade-lane pattern matters when you buy or book one. On deep-sea routes many carriers treat the 45 as its own equipment type with its own (higher) rate and thinner availability; on intra-European lanes it is a first-class citizen precisely because it goes head-to-head with trucking. If your freight today moves in curtain-sided semi-trailers, the pallet-wide 45 is the direct container substitute.

For static use, 31.9 m² of floor, 3.6 m² more than a 40 ft high cube, makes the 45 a readily available ISO box popular for workshops and farm storage where the domestic 48/53 ft sizes (a North American speciality) cannot be sourced.

## 45 ft vs 40 ft high cube

*45 ft vs 40 ft high cube*

|  | 45 ft high cube container | [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ISO type code | L5G1 | 45G1 |
| External dimensions — Length | 13.716 m45′ | 12.192 m40′ |
| External dimensions — Width | 2.438 m8′ | 2.438 m8′ |
| External dimensions — Height | 2.896 m9′6″ | 2.896 m9′6″ |
| Internal dimensions — Length | 13.556 m44′5½″ | 12.032 m39′5½″ |
| Internal dimensions — Width | 2.352 m7′8½″ | 2.352 m7′8½″ |
| Internal dimensions — Height | 2.698 m8′10″ | 2.698 m8′10″ |
| Tare weight | 4,650 kg10,251 lb | 3,830 kg8,444 lb |
| Max gross weight | 32,500 kg71,650 lb | 32,500 kg71,650 lb |
| Max payload | 27,850 kg61,399 lb | 28,670 kg63,207 lb |
| Capacity (volume) | 86.0 m³3,037 ft³ | 76.4 m³2,698 ft³ |
| EUR pallets | 27 | 25 |
| TEU | 2.25 | 2 |

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 23 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

Data: [ISO 668 (1995 text, read in IS 6566:2001)](https://contsize.com/citations/#iso-668) · [CMA CGM Equipment Guide](https://contsize.com/citations/#cma-specs) · [Evergreen Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#evergreen-specs) · [Hapag-Lloyd Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#hapag-specs) · [Maersk Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#maersk-specs) · [ONE Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#one-specs) · [Singamas product range](https://contsize.com/citations/#singamas-products) · COSCO, Crowley, HMM, Matson, MSC, OOCL, Seaco, SeaCube, Textainer, TOTE, Trailer Bridge, Triton, Yang Ming, ZIM

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the dimensions of a 45 ft container?**

A 45 ft high cube is 13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 m outside (45′ × 8′ × 9′6″) and 13.556 × 2.352 × 2.698 m inside (44′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 8′10″) — per ISO 668; inside, per 12 of 15 sheets. Its capacity is about 86.0 m³ (3,037 ft³), per 13 of 15 sheets.

**How much does a 45 ft container weigh?**

An empty 45 ft high cube weighs about 4,650 kg (10,251 lb) — per 10 of 16 sheets, within 4,570–5,160 kg, the heaviest of the ISO dry boxes. With a max gross of 32,500 kg, payload is roughly 27,850 kg.

**How much does a 45 ft container cost?**

In October 2026, used 45 ft high cubes typically sell for $3,500–5,300. Supply is thinner than for 40 ft units, so prices swing more by region — they are easiest to find in Europe and North America. As always, prices vary by market, location and condition.

**How many square meters (square feet) is a 45 ft container?**

A 45 ft high cube has about 31.9 m² (343 ft²) of internal floor — 13.556 m long by 2.352 m wide (44′5½″ × 7′8½″), per 12 of 15 sheets. That is roughly 13% more floor than a 40 ft container.

**How many pallets fit in a 45 ft container?**

27 EUR pallets in one tier, as CMA CGM prints it, or 24 US pallets by our layout of the inside floor (CMA CGM gives 21 pallets of 1.2 × 1 m). The European pallet-wide variant, about 2.420 m (7′11½″) wide inside, takes 33 EUR pallets, from one sheet (CMA CGM).

**Do 45 ft containers exist?**

Yes — the size-type code is L5G1 (BIC’s table for the 2022 edition of ISO 6346 writes the 45 ft length as “5” instead of “L”), and they are standard equipment on intra-European short-sea and rail lanes and in US domestic service. They are simply far rarer than 40-footers on deep-sea trades, where carriers treat the 45 as its own equipment type — which is why many shippers have never met one.

**Is a 45 ft container 2 TEU or 2.25 TEU?**

Statistically it is usually counted as 2.25 TEU, but it occupies a 40 ft slot plus overhang on ships, and carriers typically price it as its own equipment type.

## Related pages

- [40 ft high cube container12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 m · 76.4 m³](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/)
- [48 ft container14.630 × 2.591 × 2.896 m · 97.6 m³](https://contsize.com/48-ft-container/)
- [Shipping container weightTare · Payload · Max gross · VGM](https://contsize.com/shipping-container-weight/)
- [Container size chart (all 17)17 containers · Metric and imperial · Prints on one sheet](https://contsize.com/shipping-container-dimensions-chart/)