# Shipping Container Size Chart: All 17 Containers

Source: https://contsize.com/shipping-container-dimensions-chart/ · CC BY 4.0 · checked 2026-10-19

ISO 668 makes a container 8 ft (2.438 m) wide, 8′6″ or 9′6″ (2.591 / 2.896 m) high and 10, 20, 40 or 45 ft (2.991 / 6.058 / 12.192 / 13.716 m) long; this chart gives all 17 containers: outside, inside, door, weights and pallets, in metres and feet. A 20 ft suits dense, heavy cargo; a 40 ft high cube suits volume and building: see [20 ft vs 40 ft](https://contsize.com/20-ft-vs-40-ft-container/) and [container prices](https://contsize.com/shipping-container-prices/).

## Dimensions of 17 containers: outside, inside, door, weight, pallets

PDF pack by emailData: [CSV](https://contsize.com/data/containers.csv) · [JSON](https://contsize.com/data/containers.json)

![Size chart of seven shipping containers, 10 ft to 53 ft: outside, inside and door dimensions in metres and feet.](https://contsize.com/figures/shipping-container-size-chart-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Shipping container size chart*

| Container | Outside | Inside | Door | Volume | Tare |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [10 ft container](https://contsize.com/10-ft-container/) | 2.991 × 2.438 × 2.591 m (9′10″ × 8′ × 8′6″) | 2.831 × 2.350 × 2.393 m (9′3½″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″) | 2.340 × 2.280 m (7′8″ × 7′6″) | 15.9 m³ · 562 ft³ | 1,300 kg · 2,866 lb |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m (19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″) | 5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m (19′4″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″) | 2.340 × 2.280 m (7′8″ × 7′6″) | 33.2 m³ · 1,172 ft³ | 2,230 kg · 4,916 lb |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m (40′ × 8′ × 8′6″) | 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 m (39′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″) | 2.340 × 2.280 m (7′8″ × 7′6″) | 67.7 m³ · 2,391 ft³ | 3,700 kg · 8,157 lb |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 m (40′ × 8′ × 9′6″) | 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.698 m (39′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 8′10″) | 2.340 × 2.585 m (7′8″ × 8′6″) | 76.4 m³ · 2,698 ft³ | 3,830 kg · 8,444 lb |
| [45 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/) | 13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 m (45′ × 8′ × 9′6″) | 13.556 × 2.352 × 2.698 m (44′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 8′10″) | 2.340 × 2.585 m (7′8″ × 8′6″) | 86.0 m³ · 3,037 ft³ | 4,650 kg · 10,251 lb |
| [48 ft container](https://contsize.com/48-ft-container/) | 14.630 × 2.591 × 2.896 m (48′ × 8′6″ × 9′6″) | 14.472 × 2.502 × 2.694 m (47′6″ × 8′2½″ × 8′10″) | 2.491 × 2.585 m (8′2″ × 8′6″) | 97.6 m³ · 3,447 ft³ | 4,950 kg · 10,913 lb |
| [53 ft container](https://contsize.com/53-ft-container/) | 16.154 × 2.591 × 2.896 m (53′ × 8′6″ × 9′6″) | 16.017 × 2.515 × 2.781 m (52′6½″ × 8′3″ × 9′1½″) | 2.489 × 2.718 m (8′2″ × 8′11″) | 111.8 m³ · 3,948 ft³ | 5,230 kg · 11,530 lb |

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 44 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Shipping container size chart*

![Seven shipping containers drawn to one scale, from the 10 ft container (2.991 m long) to the 53 ft container (16.154 m long).](https://contsize.com/figures/shipping-container-sizes-to-scale-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Shipping container sizes to scale: 10 to 53 ft*

| Container | Outside, m | Outside, ft | Volume, m³ | EUR pallets |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [10 ft container](https://contsize.com/10-ft-container/) | 2.991 × 2.438 × 2.591 | 9′10″ × 8′ × 8′6″ | 15.9 | 5 |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 | 19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″ | 33.2 | 11 |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 | 40′ × 8′ × 8′6″ | 67.7 | 25 |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 | 40′ × 8′ × 9′6″ | 76.4 | 25 |
| [45 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/) | 13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 | 45′ × 8′ × 9′6″ | 86.0 | 27 |
| [48 ft container](https://contsize.com/48-ft-container/) | 14.630 × 2.591 × 2.896 | 48′ × 8′6″ × 9′6″ | 97.6 | 36 |
| [53 ft container](https://contsize.com/53-ft-container/) | 16.154 × 2.591 × 2.896 | 53′ × 8′6″ × 9′6″ | 111.8 | 40 |

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 44 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Shipping container sizes to scale: 10 to 53 ft*

## A drawing of each size

Outside, inside, door, floor and pallets, to scale. Open one for the full page.

- [10 ft container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor — **10 ft container** — 2.991 × 2.438 × 2.591 m · 15.9 m³](https://contsize.com/10-ft-container/)
- [20 ft container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor — **20 ft container** — 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m · 33.2 m³](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/)
- [40 ft container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor — **40 ft container** — 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m · 67.7 m³](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/)
- [40 ft high cube container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor — **40 ft high cube container** — 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 m · 76.4 m³](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/)
- [45 ft high cube container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor — **45 ft high cube container** — 13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 m · 86.0 m³](https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/)
- [48 ft container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor — **48 ft container** — 14.630 × 2.591 × 2.896 m · 97.6 m³](https://contsize.com/48-ft-container/)
- [53 ft container dimensions drawing: outside, inside, door and floor — **53 ft container** — 16.154 × 2.591 × 2.896 m · 111.8 m³](https://contsize.com/53-ft-container/)

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 44 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

## Where the figures come from, and how to print or download them

The outside sizes are the ones [ISO 668](https://contsize.com/citations/#iso-668) sets, read in IS 6566:2001 and ГОСТ Р 53350-2009. The inside, door, volume, tare and payload are what the published line and maker sheets print, and the line under the table says how many were read. Tare and [payload](https://contsize.com/glossary/payload/) vary by a few hundred kilograms with the manufacturer and the build year. Pallets are counted floor-loaded, in a single tier.

The **Print the chart** button under the table prints it alone, on one landscape A4 or Letter sheet. Beside it, the **Data** links give the same figures as a CSV that opens in a spreadsheet and as JSON with each figure’s status, and the PDF pack with a sheet per container comes by email. For one unit system at a time, the figures are broken out in [metres](https://contsize.com/container-dimensions-in-meters/) and in [feet and inches](https://contsize.com/container-dimensions-in-feet/); the condition of a box you buy is in the [grades guide](https://contsize.com/container-grades/).

## Size and type codes: 22G1, 42G1, 45G1, L5G1

The four characters printed after the container number on the doors are its size and type code under [ISO 6346](https://contsize.com/citations/#iso-6346): the first gives the length, the second the height, the third and fourth the type. 42G1 marks a standard-height 40 ft and 45G1 a 40 ft high cube, so the second character is the one to read when the height matters.

A 45 ft high cube is 13.716 m (45′) long and coded L5G1, or 55G1 on some newer boxes: the 1995 edition coded 45 ft as L, the 2022 edition as 5, and most boxes still carry the L. The US domestic 48 ft and 53 ft have no ISO code. The [check digit calculator](https://contsize.com/container-check-digit-calculator/) decodes any code typed after a number.

*Size and type codes of the containers in the chart (ISO 6346)*

| Code | Container | What the code says |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `12G1` | 10 ft container | 10 ft long, 8′6″ high; [general purpose](https://contsize.com/glossary/general-purpose/) (dry), passive vents at the top of the cargo space |
| `22G1` | 20 ft container, 20 ft double door container | 20 ft long, 8′6″ high; general purpose (dry), passive vents at the top of the cargo space |
| `42G1` | 40 ft container | 40 ft long, 8′6″ high; general purpose (dry), passive vents at the top of the cargo space |
| `45G1` | 40 ft high cube container, 40 ft HC double door container | 40 ft long, 9′6″ high; general purpose (dry), passive vents at the top of the cargo space |
| `L5G1` | 45 ft high cube container | 45 ft long, 9′6″ high; general purpose (dry), passive vents at the top of the cargo space |
| `22R1` | 20 ft reefer | 20 ft long, 8′6″ high; refrigerated (integral unit), mechanically refrigerated and heated |
| `45R1` | 40 ft high cube reefer | 40 ft long, 9′6″ high; refrigerated (integral unit), mechanically refrigerated and heated |
| `22U1` | 20 ft open top | 20 ft long, 8′6″ high; open top, end openings and removable top members in the end frames |
| `42U1` | 40 ft open top | 40 ft long, 8′6″ high; open top, end openings and removable top members in the end frames |
| `22P3` | 20 ft flat rack | 20 ft long, 8′6″ high; platform (flat rack), folding complete ends |
| `42P3` | 40 ft flat rack | 40 ft long, 8′6″ high; platform (flat rack), folding complete ends |
| `22T1` | 20 ft tank container | 20 ft long, 8′6″ high; tank |
| `22G2` | 20 ft open side container | 20 ft long, 8′6″ high; general purpose (dry), end openings and full openings on one or both sides |

## Container door sizes, and what the walls take from the inside

A 40 ft container’s door opens 2.340 × 2.280 m (7′8″ × 7′6″), per 13 of 16 sheets; a 40 ft high cube’s 2.340 × 2.585 m (7′8″ × 8′6″), per 13 of 19 sheets. The door, not the inside, decides whether a machine or a crate gets in at all. Each container has three sets of dimensions, and mixing them up is the most common ordering error: the **outside** is the ISO envelope that the ship slot, the chassis, the crane spreader and your site deal with; the **inside** is what the cargo gets; the **door opening** is smaller again.

The gaps are structure, not rounding. On a 20 ft the door assembly and the end frame take 160 mm of length, the corrugated side walls 86 mm of width, and the floor and the roof 198 mm of height; the floor is 28 mm of plywood on steel cross-members. The [container door dimensions](https://contsize.com/container-door-dimensions/) guide gives every door, size by size.

*Door height against inside height: what the door header takes*

| Container | Inside height | Door height | Lost at the door |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [10 ft container](https://contsize.com/10-ft-container/) | 2,393 mm7′10″ | 2,280 mm7′6″ | **113 mm**4½″ |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 2,393 mm7′10″ | 2,280 mm7′6″ | **113 mm**4½″ |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 2,393 mm7′10″ | 2,280 mm7′6″ | **113 mm**4½″ |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 2,698 mm8′10″ | 2,585 mm8′6″ | **113 mm**4½″ |
| [45 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/) | 2,698 mm8′10″ | 2,585 mm8′6″ | **113 mm**4½″ |
| [48 ft container](https://contsize.com/48-ft-container/) | 2,694 mm8′10″ | 2,585 mm8′6″ | **109 mm**4½″ |
| [53 ft container](https://contsize.com/53-ft-container/) | 2,781 mm9′1½″ | 2,718 mm8′11″ | **63 mm**2½″ |
| [20 ft reefer](https://contsize.com/reefer-container/) | 2,267 mm7′5½″ | 2,264 mm7′5″ | none: the [red load line](https://contsize.com/glossary/load-line/), 2,155 mm (7′1″), decides |
| [40 ft high cube reefer](https://contsize.com/reefer-container/) | 2,545 mm8′4″ | 2,567 mm8′5″ | none: the red load line, 2,394 mm (7′10½″), decides |
| [20 ft open top](https://contsize.com/open-top-container/) | 2,348 mm7′8½″ | 2,280 mm7′6″ | **68 mm**2½″ |
| [40 ft open top](https://contsize.com/open-top-container/) | 2,348 mm7′8½″ | 2,280 mm7′6″ | **68 mm**2½″ |
| [20 ft double door container](https://contsize.com/double-door-container/) | 2,393 mm7′10″ | 2,280 mm7′6″ | **113 mm**4½″ |
| [40 ft HC double door container](https://contsize.com/double-door-container/) | 2,698 mm8′10″ | 2,585 mm8′6″ | **113 mm**4½″ |

A piece taller than the door does not go in, however much room there is inside. Open tops load from above with the header swung away.

The difference is worked out from the inside height and the door height.

Data: [ISO 1496-1 (1990 text and its amendments)](https://contsize.com/citations/#iso-1496) · [Maersk Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#maersk-specs) · [Hapag-Lloyd Container Specifications](https://contsize.com/citations/#hapag-specs) · [CMA CGM Equipment Guide](https://contsize.com/citations/#cma-specs)

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 72 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

![End view of a 20 ft container whose door opening is 2,340 mm wide and 2,280 mm high.](https://contsize.com/figures/container-door-opening-dimensions-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*What fits through the door opening*

| Item | Width, mm | Height, mm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Opening | 2,340 | 2,280 |
| Container end, external | 2,438 | 2,591 |
| EUR pallet + pallet truck | 1,200 | 1,700 |
| Passenger car | 1,850 | 1,500 |
| Racking bay 2.2 m | 1,000 | 2,200 |

*What fits through the door opening Drawn to scale; the three sizes are examples*

## How wide is a shipping container?

**2,438 mm (8 ft) outside and 2,352 mm (92.6 in) inside** for the 20 ft to the 45 ft, and 2,350 mm inside the 10 ft. Width is the one dimension that never changes with length: a 10 ft and a 45 ft are the same 8 ft across. The door frame narrows the opening further, so the door is the tightest of the three widths a load has to pass.

Two families sit outside that figure. US domestic 48 ft and 53 ft units are 2,591 mm wide, built for road freight rather than ship cells. European [pallet-wide](https://contsize.com/glossary/pallet-wide/) boxes push the inside to about 2,420 mm on a 40 ft high cube, from one sheet (DP World). ISO 668 covers neither, and neither interlocks in a standard cell guide.

The inside width decides more loading plans than any other figure on this page. Two EUR pallets side by side need 2,400 mm and the inside gives 2,352 mm, so they do not fit abreast. That one shortfall is why a 20 ft takes 11 EUR pallets in a tier rather than the 14 a floor 2,400 mm wide would take; the [pallet layout for a 20 ft](https://contsize.com/pallets-in-20-ft-container/) shows the pattern.

![Cross-section of the trapezoidal corrugation of a shipping container wall, about 36 mm deep.](https://contsize.com/figures/container-wall-corrugation-profile-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Corrugation profile and panel thickness*

| Part | Dimension |
| --- | --- |
| Corrugation depth | ~36 mm |
| Side panel | 1.6 mm |
| Side panel beside the posts, many builds | 2.0 mm |
| Roof | 2.0 mm |
| Door header | 4.0 mm |
| Front corner post | 6 mm |

*Corrugation profile and panel thickness*

## Shipping container interior dimensions, floor area and pallets

Floor area is the figure most people are after when they measure a box for a workshop, a store room or a build. A 20 ft gives 149 ft² (13.9 m²) and a 40 ft 305 ft² (28.3 m²), twice the floor of the twenty almost exactly. A 40 ft takes 25 EUR or 21 US pallets in one tier; the [pallets in a 40 ft](https://contsize.com/pallets-in-40-ft-container/) guide draws both layouts.

Read the height column with one caveat. The inside height is measured to the lowest point of the roof structure, not to the roof sheet, so a tall crate has to clear the cross-members. Floor area holds everywhere: the walls are vertical, and the floor is flat from the door to the front wall.

![Bar chart of usable floor area by container length, from 6.7 m² in a 10 ft to 40.3 m² in a 53 ft.](https://contsize.com/figures/shipping-container-floor-area-by-size-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Floor area inside each container size*

| Size | m² | ft² |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [10 ft container](https://contsize.com/10-ft-container/) | 6.7 | 72 |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 13.9 | 149 |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 28.3 | 305 |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 28.3 | 305 |
| [45 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/) | 31.9 | 343 |
| [48 ft container](https://contsize.com/48-ft-container/) | 36.2 | 390 |
| [53 ft container](https://contsize.com/53-ft-container/) | 40.3 | 434 |

Every figure checked: 41 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Floor area inside each container size*

## ISO 668 sizes, tolerances and exact metric–imperial conversions

ISO 668 fixes the outside: one width, two heights and four lengths, 2,991 / 6,058 / 12,192 / 13,716 mm for the 10 / 20 / 40 / 45 ft. The 40 ft is 76 mm longer than two twenties, the gap that lets two 20 ft boxes sit in one 40 ft ship slot with clearance between their [corner castings](https://contsize.com/glossary/corner-casting/).

The standard allows manufacturing tolerance in the minus direction only: 0 to −10 mm on the length of a 40 ft, 0 to −6 mm on a 20 ft, and 0 to −5 mm on width and height, per GOST R 51876-2008, GOST R 53350-2009 and IS 6566:2001. No container may exceed the nominal envelope, which is why boxes built decades apart stack on each other worldwide. The inside is *not* standardised: ISO 1496 sets only minimums, so a given 40 ft may be a few millimetres roomier than the 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 m in the chart. The details, with the 48 ft and 53 ft domestic exceptions, are in the [ISO standards guide](https://contsize.com/iso-container-standards/).

*Converting container figures without rounding errors*

| Measure | Exact factor | Example from the chart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Length | 1 in = 25.4 mm | 20 ft inside width: 2,352 mm is 92.6 in (7′8½″); a table rounded to the whole inch prints 7′9″, more than the box gives, so plan on 7 ft 8 in |
| Mass | 1 kg = 2.2046 lb | 20 ft max gross: 30,480 kg is 67,197 lb; ISO 668 prints 67,200 lb beside it |
| Volume | 1 m³ = 35.31 ft³ | 20 ft: 33.2 m³ is 1,172 ft³; 40 ft: 67.7 m³ is 2,391 ft³ |

When a spec sheet disagrees with this chart by an inch or two, check which way it rounded: marketing pages often round inside dimensions up. Cargo planning should round down; a crate cut to “7 ft 9 in because the container is 8 ft wide” will not load.

![Three bars of unit blocks, one block per twenty-foot length: a 20′ container counts as 1 TEU.](https://contsize.com/figures/teu-twenty-foot-equivalent-unit-explained-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*How TEU is counted*

| Container | TEU |
| --- | --- |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 1 |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 2 |
| [45 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/) | 2.25 |

*How TEU is counted A 24,000 TEU vessel = 12,000 forty-foot boxes*

## Tare, payload and max gross: what each container weighs and carries

Three weights describe every container. **Tare** is the empty box: about 2,230 kg for a 20 ft (the published sheets print 2,080–2,570 kg), 3,700 kg for a 40 ft and 3,830 kg for a 40 ft HC. **Max gross** is the rating on the CSC plate: 30,480 kg for a typical 20 ft and 32,500 kg for most of today’s 40 ft boxes and high cubes. **Payload** is max gross less tare, so 28,250 kg for the 20 ft and 28,800 kg for the 40 ft. The forty carries twice the volume for only about 550 kg more cargo, and an older forty rated 30,480 kg carries 26,480–26,840 kg on its sheets, less than a twenty.

The weights marked on the doors of each unit are the ones that count, and road limits usually bind long before the container’s rating does. On a US Interstate the 80,000 lb (36.3 t) vehicle limit, per 23 CFR 658.17, leaves room for about 38,000 lb (17,236 kg) of cargo in a 20 ft on a standard chassis by US lines’ guidelines, far below the box’s 30,480 kg rating. The [container weight guide](https://contsize.com/shipping-container-weight/) breaks the weights down by size.

The CSC plate also says how high a box may be stacked. ISO 1496-1 as written in 1990 tests a box under 192,000 kg superimposed, eight 24,000 kg boxes above it in the **nine-high** stack its table note describes, times the 1.8 that allows for a ship’s motion; each corner post carries 86,400 kg, a quarter of it. The amended standard, as IS 13288 (Part 1) and ГОСТ Р 51876-2008 print it, raises the superimposed mass to 213,360 kg and drops the nine-high note, and a box cleared for heavier stacks says so on its plate. The whole load passes through the four corner castings, so on land a box stands corner on corner, and its [foundation](https://contsize.com/container-foundation/) needs bearing only at the four corners.

![Stacked bar chart of tare weight and maximum payload making up the maximum gross weight, in kilograms, for 20 ft container.](https://contsize.com/figures/container-tare-vs-payload-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Tare vs payload, by container*

| Container | Tare, kg | Payload, kg | max gross, kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 2,230 | 28,250 | 30,480 |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 3,700 | 28,800 | 32,500 |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 3,830 | 28,670 | 32,500 |
| [40 ft high cube reefer](https://contsize.com/reefer-container/) | 4,620 | 29,380 | 34,000 |

Every figure checked: 40 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Tare vs payload, by container*

![Bar chart of internal volume and maximum payload for the 10, 20, 40, 40 HC, 45 HC, 48 and 53 ft containers.](https://contsize.com/figures/shipping-container-volume-and-payload-by-size-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Volume and payload of every shipping container 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](https://contsize.com/45-ft-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 |

Every figure checked: 42 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Volume and payload of every shipping container size*

![Bar chart of the density threshold for the 20, 40, 40 HC and 45 HC containers.](https://contsize.com/figures/container-weight-or-volume-density-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Weight or volume: the cargo density at which each container is full both ways*

| Container | kg/m³ |
| --- | --- |
| [20 ft container](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/) | 851 |
| [40 ft container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/) | 425 |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 375 |
| [45 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/45-ft-container/) | 324 |

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 32 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Weight or volume: the cargo density at which each container is full both ways*

## High cube or standard height: one foot more, the same footprint

Every length in the chart comes in up to two heights. A general purpose (GP, “standard”) box is 2,591 mm (8′6″) high outside and a high cube (HC) 2,896 mm (9′6″), 305 mm (1 ft) more and all of it usable: 2.393 m against 2.698 m inside. Footprint and width are the same, and the high cube’s door is taller by as much.

The extra foot adds 8.7 m³ to a 40 ft (67.7 → 76.4 m³) at nearly the same cost, which is why the 40 ft HC is the usual choice for light, bulky cargo and for building. Every 45 ft and every US domestic 48 ft and 53 ft is high-cube height.

![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).](https://contsize.com/figures/container-height-comparison-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*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″ |

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 25 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Container heights to scale Drawn to scale*

## Reefer, open top, flat rack and tank: what each special type gives up

The lower rows of the chart reuse the standard outsides with different structures, and each trades something for its speciality. The [reefer](https://contsize.com/reefer-container/) spends inside room on insulation and machinery: a 40 ft HC reefer holds 67.5 m³ against the dry 40 ft HC’s 76.4 m³ and is 2.290 m wide inside instead of 2.352, yet its 34,000 kg max gross still leaves a strong 29,380 kg payload. The 20 ft [open top](https://contsize.com/open-top-container/) gives up 45 mm of inside height to its removable bows but loads by crane from above.

The [flat rack](https://contsize.com/flat-rack-container/) has no walls and makes up for it in structure: the 40 ft flat rack is rated to 45,000 kg max gross and carries 40,000 kg of machinery or steel on a reinforced floor. The [tank](https://contsize.com/tank-container/) is a vessel of about 25,000 L in a 20 ft frame, rated 36,000 kg gross; its sheets print 20,000–26,000 L.

Special types buy capability with volume (the reefer, the open top) or with universality, since the flat rack and the tank need special handling and stowage, and their tares run 1–63% above the dry box of the same length. If the cargo fits a dry container, a dry container is the cheapest slot. The [types of shipping containers](https://contsize.com/types-of-shipping-containers/) guide compares every type.

![Bar chart comparing the inside of a 40 ft high cube reefer with a dry 40 ft high cube.](https://contsize.com/figures/reefer-vs-dry-container-interior-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*What insulation costs: a 40 ft reefer against a dry high cube*

|  | 40 ft high cube, dry | 40 ft high cube reefer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inside length | 12.032 m | 11.583 m |
| Inside width | 2.352 m | 2.290 m |
| Inside height | 2.698 m | 2.545 m |
| Volume | 76.4 m³ | 67.5 m³ |

Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 31 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*What insulation costs: a 40 ft reefer against a dry high cube*

![Bar chart of maximum payload for double door, reefer, open top, flat rack and tank containers beside a dry 40 ft high cube.](https://contsize.com/figures/special-container-types-payload-en.png)

**The numbers in this chart**

*Payload of the special container types against a dry high cube*

| Container | kg | lb |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [40 ft high cube container](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/) | 28,670 | 63,207 |
| 40 ft HC double door container | 26,730 | 58,930 |
| [40 ft high cube reefer](https://contsize.com/reefer-container/) | 29,380 | 64,772 |
| [40 ft open top](https://contsize.com/open-top-container/) | 26,630 | 58,709 |
| [40 ft flat rack](https://contsize.com/flat-rack-container/) | 40,000 | 88,185 |
| [20 ft flat rack](https://contsize.com/flat-rack-container/) | 31,060 | 68,476 |
| [20 ft tank container](https://contsize.com/tank-container/) | 32,360 | 71,342 |

Every figure checked: 44 of 88 published sheets · 19 October 2026 · [Every figure and its sources](https://contsize.com/container-data-sources/)

*Payload of the special container types against a dry high cube*

## Frequently asked questions

**Are all shipping containers 8 feet wide?**

Every ISO container is 2,438 mm (8 ft) wide outside, from the 10 ft to the 45 ft, per ISO 668. The exceptions are US domestic 48 ft and 53 ft units (2,591 mm / 8′6″ wide) and European pallet-wide variants (about 2.42 m inside, from one sheet (DP World)), none of which ISO 668 covers.

**What size is a 40 ft container?**

A 40 ft container is 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m outside (40′ × 8′ × 8′6″) and 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 m inside (39′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″) — per ISO 668; inside, per 13 of 16 sheets. It holds 67.7 m³ (2,391 ft³) and, on the 32,500 kg rating most of today’s forties carry, a payload of 28,800 kg. The high-cube version is 305 mm (1 ft) taller (2.896 m external, 2.698 m internal) and holds 76.4 m³.

**What is the most common container size?**

The 20 ft and the 40 ft — 6.058 m (19′10½″) and 12.192 m (40′) long, per ISO 668 — are the two standard ISO lengths, and the 20 ft is the unit the trade counts in (1 TEU). The 40 ft high cube gives the most volume per box for light cargo; the 20 ft carries dense cargo like tiles, metal and paper best.

**What does 45G1 mean on a container?**

45G1 marks a 40 ft high cube, 12.192 m (40′) long and 2.896 m (9′6″) high outside, built for general cargo. Under ISO 6346 the 4 is the length, the 5 the height and G1 a dry box with vents at the top; a standard-height 40 ft reads 42G1, a 20 ft 22G1 and a 45 ft high cube L5G1.

**Why are internal dimensions smaller than external?**

Structure takes it: on a 20 ft the corrugated side walls take 86 mm (3.4 in) of width, the floor (steel cross-members under 28 mm of plywood) and roof 198 mm (7.8 in) of height, and the door assembly and end frame 160 mm (6.3 in) of length — the gap between the outside ISO 668 sets and the inside most published sheets print. Insulated reefers lose more — 148 mm (5.8 in) of width.

**How many square feet is a shipping container?**

Between 72 ft² and 434 ft² (6.7–40.3 m²) of inside floor depending on length: 72 ft² for a 10 ft, 149 ft² for a 20 ft, 305 ft² for a 40 ft or 40 ft high cube, 343 ft² for a 45 ft, 390 ft² for a 48 ft and 434 ft² for a 53 ft — from the inside length and width the published sheets print, the 48 ft’s from one sheet (Sea Box). Height does not change the figure — a high cube has the same floor as the standard box of its length.

**What are the interior dimensions of a shipping container?**

A 20 ft measures 5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m inside (19′4″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″) and a 40 ft 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 m (39′5½″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″) — the 20 ft per 15 of 18 sheets, the 40 ft per 13 of 16 sheets; a high cube adds 305 mm (1 ft) of height, taking the interior to 2.698 m (8′10″). ISO 668 sets only the outside, so these are the sheets’ figures, and the interior width is 2.352 m from the 20 ft to the 45 ft (2.350 m on the 10 ft); the table above lists every container on this site.

## Related pages

- [20 ft container6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m · 33.2 m³](https://contsize.com/20-ft-container/)
- [40 ft container12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m · 67.7 m³](https://contsize.com/40-ft-container/)
- [40 ft high cube container12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 m · 76.4 m³](https://contsize.com/40-ft-high-cube-container/)
- [Container grades & conditionOne-trip → IICL → CW → WWT → as-is](https://contsize.com/container-grades/)
- [Shipping container pricesUSD · US market · 28 named sources · read 2026-10-05 and 2026-10-09](https://contsize.com/shipping-container-prices/)
- [Tank containerISO 22T · tank container](https://contsize.com/tank-container/)