Common dry container sizes
| Container | Internal L × W × H | Door W × H | Capacity | Payload | Euro pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Container | 5,898 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm | 2,340 × 2,280 mm | 33.2 m³ | 28,250 kg | 11 |
| 40ft Container | 12,032 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm | 2,340 × 2,280 mm | 67.7 m³ | 26,730 kg | 25 |
| 40ft High Cube Container | 12,032 × 2,352 × 2,698 mm | 2,340 × 2,585 mm | 76.4 m³ | 26,540 kg | 25 |
| 45ft High Cube Container | 13,556 × 2,352 × 2,698 mm | 2,340 × 2,585 mm | 86.0 m³ | 25,680 kg | 27 |
Planning reference values. Actual dimensions and payload can vary by carrier, equipment and manufacturer.
Internal dimensions
Internal length, width and height describe the usable cargo space between the walls, floor and roof. Use them for load planning. Corrugated walls and roof beams mean the real usable space can be a few centimetres smaller in places, especially near the door header.
External dimensions
Containers are built to ISO standard outer sizes: 20 ft or 40 ft long (45 ft for the longer box), 8 ft wide, and 8 ft 6 in tall for standard boxes or 9 ft 6 in tall for high cubes. External sizes matter for trucks, chassis, height-restricted roads and the space at your loading dock, not for cargo planning.
Door opening
The door opening is narrower and lower than the inside of the container because of the door frame. Anything taller or wider than the opening cannot be loaded, even if it would fit inside. Pallets loaded close to the internal height may not pass under the door header.
Capacity (CBM)
Cubic capacity is internal length × width × height. It is a ceiling, not a target: cartons leave gaps against the walls and roof, so real loads are usually well below it. For realistic numbers, plan carton by carton with the Container Loading Calculator.
Tare, payload and maximum gross weight
- Tare weight is the weight of the empty container.
- Payload is the most cargo the container is rated to carry.
- Maximum gross weight is tare plus payload, shown on the container's CSC plate.
Road and rail limits at origin and destination can be lower than the container's rating, so the practical payload is sometimes less than the figure on the door.
Finding exact figures
For each container's full specifications in metric and imperial units and its pallet capacity, see the container dimensions reference. To choose between sizes, read 20ft vs 40ft vs 40HC Container.