Container glossary
What is container payload?
Payload is the weight of cargo a container may carry — its max gross minus its tare — and comes to about 28,250 kg (62,281 lb) in a 20 ft and 26,740 kg (58,952 lb) in a 40 ft dry box. Packaging, pallets and securing materials all count as part of it.
Payload by container size
| Container | Payload | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| 20 ft container | 28,250 kg 62,281 lb | 33.2 m³ |
| 40 ft container | 26,740 kg 58,952 lb | 67.7 m³ |
| 40 ft high cube container | 28,600 kg 63,052 lb | 76.4 m³ |
| 45 ft high cube container | 27,700 kg 61,068 lb | 86.0 m³ |
| 20 ft reefer | 27,400 kg 60,407 lb | 28.3 m³ |
| 40 ft high cube reefer | 29,520 kg 65,080 lb | 67.3 m³ |
Data: Hapag-Lloyd Container Specifications · Maersk Container Specifications
Why a twenty carries more than a forty
Payload is a subtraction, not a measurement. Take the rating the container was approved for, take away the weight of the empty box, and what remains is yours. A standard 20 ft and a standard 40 ft are typically plated for the same 30,480 kg, but the forty weighs 1,510 kg more, so its payload is 1,510 kg lower — double the room, slightly less weight.
That makes cargo density the deciding figure. Dense goods reach the payload while the box is still half empty; light goods fill the volume long before weight matters. The dividing line and the case for two twenties against one forty are worked through in 20 ft vs 40 ft. A 40 ft high cube, rated higher, gets back to 28,600 kg.
The NET figure on the door, and when to use it
On the right-hand door the weight block lists MAX GROSS, TARE and then NET, PAYLOAD or MAX CARGO, in kilograms and pounds. That third line is the payload of that unit. Because tare differs between manufacturers and years, so does payload, and the door and the CSC plate of the actual box are the authority over any published table.
Use it when planning the load, before booking: add up the goods with their cartons, pallets, dunnage and lashing, and compare the total with the payload. If you only know the volume, the CBM calculator shows how full the box will be; weight needs its own check.
Planning to a payload the road will not allow
The frequent mistake is treating payload as the amount you can ship. It is the amount the container can hold. Each country limits the weight of the loaded truck, and that limit is usually lower than what a container’s rating would permit, so the practical cargo weight is decided by the road leg at origin and destination. Find that figure from the haulier before packing; unloading part of a sealed container costs more than the freight saved.
The second mistake is taking the payload from whichever page ranks first. Published figures for one and the same 20 ft box differ by 3,250 kg between sources, as our spec variance study found. And a heavy single item can be within payload yet too concentrated for the floor — ask the carrier about point loads. More in the weight guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the payload of a 20 ft container?
About 28,250 kg (62,281 lb): a max gross of 30,480 kg less a typical tare of 2,230 kg. The figure for a specific unit is on its door, and road limits usually allow less.
Does payload include pallets and packaging?
Yes — everything put into the container counts: the goods, cartons, pallets, dunnage and lashing materials. Only the container’s own weight, the tare, is outside the payload.
Which container has the highest payload?
Among common dry boxes, the 40 ft high cube at about 28,600 kg (63,052 lb), just ahead of the 20 ft at 28,250 kg (62,281 lb). Flat racks are rated higher for heavy single pieces.