Guide · Dimensions and units

Container Dimensions in Feet & Inches

Yuri Kan Checked against 29 of 88 published sheets 19 October 2026

A 20 ft container measures 19′10½″ long × 8′ wide × 8′6″ high outside (238.5 × 96 × 102 in; 6,058 × 2,438 × 2,591 mm), per ISO 668; tables rounded to the whole inch print the length as 19′11″. A 40 ft container is 40′ × 8′ × 8′6″ (480 × 96 × 102 in; 1,219 × 244 × 259 cm). High cube versions are 9′6″ (114 in / 290 cm) tall.

Container sizes are nominal: a “20-footer” is actually 19′10½″ (6,058 mm) long, so that two of them plus a 3-inch (76 mm) gap equal one 40-footer exactly. Width is always 8′ and height 8′6″ standard or 9′6″ high cube.

Below are the working figures in feet-and-inches, plain inches (useful for US cargo specs) and centimetres.

Scale elevation comparing a standard 8 ft 6 in container (2,591 mm) with a high cube 9 ft 6 in container (2,896 mm). — Container heights to scaleScale elevation comparing a standard 8 ft 6 in container (2,591 mm) with a high cube 9 ft 6 in container (2,896 mm), against a 1.75 m person for reference.Drawn to scaleOpen image: Container heights to scale

Container heights to scale
	Height, m	Height, ft in
Standard 8′6″	2.591	8′6″
High cube 9′6″	2.896	9′6″
1.75 m person	1.75	5′9″

Bar chart of internal volume and maximum payload for the 10, 20, 40, 40 HC, 45 HC, 48 and 53 ft containers. — Volume and payload of every shipping container sizeBar chart of internal volume and maximum payload for the 10, 20, 40, 40 HC, 45 HC, 48 and 53 ft containers: a 40 ft holds 2.04 times the volume of a 20 ft and may carry 550 kg more.Open image: Volume and payload of every shipping container size

Volume and payload of every shipping container size
Size	Volume	Max payload
10 ft container	15.9 m³ · 562 ft³	8,860 kg · 19,533 lb
20 ft container	33.2 m³ · 1,172 ft³	28,250 kg · 62,281 lb
40 ft container	67.7 m³ · 2,391 ft³	28,800 kg · 63,493 lb
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	97.6 m³ · 3,447 ft³	25,530 kg · 56,284 lb
53 ft container	111.8 m³ · 3,948 ft³	25,250 kg · 55,667 lb

External dimensions by size

20 ft: 19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″ — 238.5 × 96 × 102 in — 606 × 244 × 259 cm.
40 ft: 40′ × 8′ × 8′6″ — 480 × 96 × 102 in — 1,219 × 244 × 259 cm.
40 ft HC: 40′ × 8′ × 9′6″ — 480 × 96 × 114 in — 1,219 × 244 × 290 cm.
45 ft HC: 45′ × 8′ × 9′6″ — 540 × 96 × 114 in — 1,372 × 244 × 290 cm.

The container pack

Sizes, doors, pallets, weights and codes of every container, set out by the job: a PDF to print, an A3 wall chart and an Excel workbook. Free, by email.

17 containers, by the job
17 container sheets
85 owner prefixes

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Internal dimensions by size

20 ft: 19′4″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″ — 232 × 92.5 × 94 in — 590 × 235 × 239 cm.
40 ft: 39′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″ — 473.5 × 92.5 × 94 in — 1,203 × 235 × 239 cm.
40 ft HC: 39′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 8′10″ — 473.5 × 92.5 × 106 in — 1,203 × 235 × 270 cm.
Door openings: 7′8″ wide, 7′6″ high (standard) or 8′6″ high (high cube).
ISO 668 sets only the outside; these inside and door figures are what most published line and maker sheets print, to the nearest half inch.

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 29 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · Every figure and its sources

Every size, every unit

The master chart lists all sizes in metres; use the unit converter for any single value in feet, inches or centimetres.

Beside each figure, its evidence: ISO set by the standard · ✓ 16 sheets that agree, counted · range the sheets disagree · 1 sheet one source. A mark opens the sheets behind the figure.

Container size chart (all 17)
Specification	ISO	External dimensions, m	Internal dimensions, m	m³	Max payload, kg	EUR pallets
10 ft container	12G1	2.991 × 2.438 × 2.591 10 ft container · Outside height 2,591 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	2.831 × 2.350 × 2.393 10 ft container · Inside length 2,831 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	15.9 10 ft container · Volume 15.9 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	8,860 10 ft container · Payload 8,860 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	5
20 ft container	22G1	6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 20 ft container · Outside length 6,058 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 20 ft container · Inside length 5,898 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	33.2 20 ft container · Volume 33.2 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	28,250 20 ft container · Payload 28,250 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	11
40 ft container	42G1	12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 40 ft container · Outside length 12,192 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 40 ft container · Inside length 12,032 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	67.7 40 ft container · Volume 67.7 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	28,800 40 ft container · Payload 28,800 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	25
40 ft high cube container	45G1	12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 40 ft high cube container · Outside length 12,192 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	12.032 × 2.352 × 2.698 40 ft high cube container · Inside length 12,032 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	76.4 40 ft high cube container · Volume 76.4 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	28,670 40 ft high cube container · Payload 28,670 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	25
45 ft high cube container	L5G1	13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 45 ft high cube container · Outside length 13,716 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	13.556 × 2.352 × 2.698 45 ft high cube container · Inside length 13,556 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	86.0 45 ft high cube container · Volume 86.0 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	27,850 45 ft high cube container · Payload 27,850 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	27
48 ft container	—	14.630 × 2.591 × 2.896 48 ft container · Outside length 14,630 mm One sheet Every reading and where it is printed	14.472 × 2.502 × 2.694 48 ft container · Inside length 14,472 mm One sheet Every reading and where it is printed	97.6 48 ft container · Volume 97.6 m³ One sheet Every reading and where it is printed	25,530 48 ft container · Payload 25,530 kg One sheet Every reading and where it is printed	36
53 ft container	—	16.154 × 2.591 × 2.896 53 ft container · Outside height 2,896 mm Sheets disagree Every reading and where it is printed	16.017 × 2.515 × 2.781 53 ft container · Inside length 16,017 mm Sheets disagree Every reading and where it is printed	111.8 53 ft container · Volume 111.8 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	25,250 53 ft container · Payload 25,250 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	40
20 ft reefer	22R1	6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 20 ft reefer · Outside length 6,058 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	5.454 × 2.290 × 2.267 20 ft reefer · Inside length 5,454 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	28.3 20 ft reefer · Volume 28.3 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	27,500 20 ft reefer · Payload 27,500 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	10
40 ft high cube reefer	45R1	12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 40 ft high cube reefer · Outside length 12,192 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	11.583 × 2.290 × 2.545 40 ft high cube reefer · Inside length 11,583 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	67.5 40 ft high cube reefer · Volume 67.5 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	29,380 40 ft high cube reefer · Payload 29,380 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	23
20 ft open top	22U1	6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 20 ft open top · Outside length 6,058 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	5.898 × 2.352 × 2.348 20 ft open top · Inside length 5,898 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	32.5 20 ft open top · Volume 32.5 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	28,230 20 ft open top · Payload 28,230 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	11
40 ft open top	42U1	12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 40 ft open top · Outside length 12,192 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	12.032 × 2.352 × 2.348 40 ft open top · Inside length 12,032 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	66.4 40 ft open top · Volume 66.4 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	26,630 40 ft open top · Payload 26,630 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	25
20 ft flat rack	22P3	6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 20 ft flat rack · Outside length 6,058 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	5.636 × 2.194 × 2.233 20 ft flat rack · Inside length 5,636 mm Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	—	31,060 20 ft flat rack · Payload 31,060 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	—
40 ft flat rack	42P3	12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 40 ft flat rack · Outside length 12,192 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	11.652 × 2.374 × 1.955 40 ft flat rack · Inside width 2,374 mm Sheets disagree Every reading and where it is printed	—	40,000 40 ft flat rack · Payload 40,000 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	—
20 ft tank container	22T1	6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 20 ft tank container · Outside length 6,058 mm Set by the standard Every reading and where it is printed	—	25.0 20 ft tank container · Volume 25.0 m³ Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed tank capacity	32,360 20 ft tank container · Payload 32,360 kg Confirmed Every reading and where it is printed	—

Checked 19 October 2026: the outside sizes of the ISO boxes (of the 10 ft, its length and width) set by ISO 668, read in IS 6566:2001, GOST R 51876-2008 and GOST R 53350-2009; the US domestic boxes, which no ISO standard covers, and every other figure against 80 published sheets of 30 lines, lessors, makers and rail and road operators. 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

Data: ISO 668 (1995 text, read in IS 6566:2001)

Frequently asked questions

How many inches is a 40 ft container?

A 40 ft container is 480 inches long, 96 wide and 102 high outside (12,192 × 2,438 × 2,591 mm; 114 in, or 2,896 mm, for a high cube) — per ISO 668. Inside it is about 473.5 × 92.5 × 94 inches, per 13 of 16 sheets.

What are container dimensions in cm?

A 20 ft container is 606 × 244 × 259 cm outside (19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″) and 590 × 235 × 239 cm inside — per ISO 668; inside, per 15 of 18 sheets. A 40 ft is 1,219 × 244 × 259 cm outside and 1,203 × 235 × 239 cm inside. High cube height: 290 cm (9′6″) external, 270 cm internal.

Why is a 20 ft container shorter than 20 feet?

Because ISO 668 makes it 6,058 mm, 19′10½″ (238.5 in), long, so that two of them with a 76 mm (3 in) gap between them take exactly the 12,192 mm (40 ft) of one 40 ft slot. That keeps container maths exact on ships and chassis.