Shipping container dimensions
Inside measurements, door openings, volume, payload and how many pallets fit — for every common ocean container, in metric and imperial.
At a glance
- A 20ft standard container is 5.90 m long, 2.35 m wide and 2.39 m high inside: 33.2 m³ and up to 28,180 kg of cargo.
- A 40ft standard has the same width and height on twice the length: 67.7 m³ and up to 26,700 kg.
- A 40ft high cube is 305 mm taller inside (2.70 m), which makes 76.4 m³.
- On the floor, a 20ft takes 11 Euro pallets or 9 US pallets in one tier; a 40ft takes 25 and 20.
Dry containers
Steel boxes for general cargo. “GP” (general purpose) and “DV” (dry van) name the same box; “HC” or “HQ” is the high cube version, one foot taller. The 45ft pallet-wide box fits three Euro pallets side by side.
| Type | Inside L × W × H | Door W × H | Volume | Max payload | Tare | Pallets EUR / US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard (20GP / 20DV) 22G1 | 5,898 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm 19′ 4″ × 7′ 8½″ × 7′ 10″ | 2,340 × 2,280 mm 7′ 8″ × 7′ 6″ | 33.2 m³ 1,172 ft³ | 28,180 kg 62,126 lb | 2,300 kg 5,071 lb | 11 / 9 |
| 40ft standard (40GP / 40DV) 42G1 | 12,032 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm 39′ 5½″ × 7′ 8½″ × 7′ 10″ | 2,340 × 2,280 mm 7′ 8″ × 7′ 6″ | 67.7 m³ 2,392 ft³ | 26,700 kg 58,863 lb | 3,780 kg 8,333 lb | 25 / 20 |
| 40ft high cube (40HC / 40HQ) 45G1 | 12,032 × 2,352 × 2,698 mm 39′ 5½″ × 7′ 8½″ × 8′ 10″ | 2,340 × 2,585 mm 7′ 8″ × 8′ 6″ | 76.4 m³ 2,696 ft³ | 26,580 kg 58,599 lb | 3,900 kg 8,598 lb | 25 / 20 |
| 45ft high cube (45HC) L5G1 | 13,556 × 2,352 × 2,698 mm 44′ 5½″ × 7′ 8½″ × 8′ 10″ | 2,340 × 2,585 mm 7′ 8″ × 8′ 6″ | 86.0 m³ 3,038 ft³ | 25,680 kg 56,615 lb | 4,800 kg 10,582 lb | 27 / 24 |
| 45ft pallet-wide high cube | 13,556 × 2,444 × 2,698 mm 44′ 5½″ × 8′ 0″ × 8′ 10″ | 2,420 × 2,585 mm 7′ 11½″ × 8′ 6″ | 89.4 m³ 3,157 ft³ | 27,000 kg 59,525 lb | 4,900 kg 10,803 lb | 33 / 26 |
| 53ft domestic (North America) | 15,900 × 2,489 × 2,690 mm 52′ 2″ × 8′ 2″ × 8′ 10″ | 2,480 × 2,600 mm 8′ 1½″ × 8′ 6½″ | 106.5 m³ 3,759 ft³ | 27,000 kg 59,525 lb | 5,200 kg 11,464 lb | 39 / 30 |
Refrigerated containers
Reefers have their own, smaller interior: the insulated walls and the T-floor that circulates the air take several centimeters off every side. Keep cargo below the load line so the air can flow.
| Type | Inside L × W × H | Door W × H | Volume | Max payload | Tare | Pallets EUR / US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft reefer (20RF) 22R1 | 5,444 × 2,268 × 2,272 mm 17′ 10½″ × 7′ 5½″ × 7′ 5½″ | 2,290 × 2,264 mm 7′ 6″ × 7′ 5″ | 28.1 m³ 991 ft³ | 27,400 kg 60,407 lb | 3,050 kg 6,724 lb | 10 / 9 |
| 40ft reefer (40RF) 42R1 | 11,560 × 2,280 × 2,249 mm 37′ 11″ × 7′ 6″ × 7′ 4½″ | 2,290 × 2,220 mm 7′ 6″ × 7′ 3½″ | 59.3 m³ 2,093 ft³ | 27,700 kg 61,068 lb | 4,300 kg 9,480 lb | 23 / 20 |
| 40ft high cube reefer (40RH) 45R1 | 11,583 × 2,286 × 2,554 mm 38′ 0″ × 7′ 6″ × 8′ 4½″ | 2,290 × 2,569 mm 7′ 6″ × 8′ 5″ | 67.6 m³ 2,388 ft³ | 29,000 kg 63,934 lb | 4,500 kg 9,921 lb | 23 / 20 |
Open top and flat rack
For cargo that does not fit through the doors or is too tall: open tops load from above under a tarpaulin; flat racks have no roof or side walls. For flat racks the figures are the deck length and width and the height between the end walls.
| Type | Inside L × W × H / Deck L × W, height | Door W × H | Volume | Max payload | Tare | Pallets EUR / US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft open top (20OT) 22U1 | 5,894 × 2,344 × 2,347 mm 19′ 4″ × 7′ 8½″ × 7′ 8½″ | — | 32.4 m³ 1,145 ft³ | 28,000 kg 61,729 lb | 2,350 kg 5,181 lb | 11 / 9 |
| 40ft open top (40OT) 42U1 | 12,029 × 2,342 × 2,326 mm 39′ 5½″ × 7′ 8″ × 7′ 7½″ | — | 65.5 m³ 2,314 ft³ | 26,600 kg 58,643 lb | 3,850 kg 8,488 lb | 23 / 20 |
| 20ft flat rack (20FR) 22P1 | 5,940 × 2,345 × 2,346 mm 19′ 6″ × 7′ 8½″ × 7′ 8½″ | — | — | 30,000 kg 66,139 lb | 2,750 kg 6,063 lb | 11 / 9 |
| 40ft flat rack (40FR) 42P1 | 12,080 × 2,438 × 2,103 mm 39′ 7½″ × 8′ 0″ × 6′ 11″ | — | — | 45,000 kg 99,208 lb | 5,000 kg 11,023 lb | 30 / 22 |
Pallets: one tier on the floor, no overhang, tight loading. Real loads often fit one or two fewer.
Road weight limits at origin and destination
A box that is legal at sea can be too heavy for the road. These are customary planning ceilings for a standard tractor and chassis; permits, axle spacing and tri-axle chassis change them, so confirm with the trucker.
| Country | Max gross vehicle weight | Typical max cargo, 20ft | Typical max cargo, 40ft / 45ft | Typical max cargo, semi-trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States 80,000 lb federal limit; tri-axle chassis and state permits raise it | 36,287 kg 79,999 lb | 17,500 kg 38,581 lb | 19,500 kg 42,990 lb | 20,000 kg 44,092 lb |
| Canada Provincial limits vary; Ontario and Quebec allow heavier boxes | 39,500 kg 87,083 lb | 21,000 kg 46,297 lb | 24,000 kg 52,911 lb | 22,000 kg 48,502 lb |
| Mexico NOM-012 limit for a T3-S3 tractor-trailer | 66,500 kg 146,607 lb | 22,000 kg 48,502 lb | 26,000 kg 57,320 lb | 28,000 kg 61,729 lb |
| United Kingdom 44 t on six axles | 44,000 kg 97,003 lb | 25,000 kg 55,116 lb | 26,000 kg 57,320 lb | 26,000 kg 57,320 lb |
| China GB 1589 limit for six axles | 49,000 kg 108,027 lb | 24,000 kg 52,911 lb | 26,000 kg 57,320 lb | 30,000 kg 66,139 lb |
| European Union 40 t; 44 t for combined (intermodal) transport in most member states | 40,000 kg 88,185 lb | 24,000 kg 52,911 lb | 26,000 kg 57,320 lb | 24,000 kg 52,911 lb |
Figures are customary planning values from carrier and manufacturer specifications — the same equipment catalog our load planner uses. Boxes differ by a few millimeters between owners; check the carrier's spec sheet for critical loads.
The 3D load planner does the fitting.
Enter the cargo or drop in a packing list: DO IT ALL SOFT picks the containers or trucks, shows how full they are and how to load them, and shares the plan by link.
Frequently asked questions
What are the inside dimensions of a 20ft container?
A standard 20ft container (20GP) measures about 5.90 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m inside (19′ 4″ × 7′ 8½″ × 7′ 10″). The door opening is 2.34 m × 2.28 m, the volume 33.2 m³ and the maximum payload about 28,180 kg.
How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?
In one tier on the floor, a 40ft container takes 25 Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm) or 20 US pallets (48 × 40 in). A 45ft pallet-wide container takes 33 Euro pallets. Stacking doubles that when the goods allow it — but check the payload first.
What is the difference between a 40ft and a 40ft high cube?
Same length and width; the high cube is 305 mm taller inside (2.39 m against 2.70 m), so it holds 76.4 m³ instead of 67.7 m³. Light, bulky cargo that fills the box before it reaches the weight limit gains the most from the extra height.
How much weight can a 20ft container hold?
The box is rated for about 28,180 kg of cargo, but the road often limits it first: on a standard chassis a 20ft box typically carries about 17,500 kg in the United States and 24,000 kg in the EU. Check the carrier's limit and the road limits at both ends.
Why are reefer containers smaller inside?
Insulated walls and the T-shaped floor that circulates cold air take space: a 40ft high cube reefer is 11.58 m × 2.29 m × 2.55 m inside, about 67.6 m³, against 76.4 m³ for a dry 40ft high cube.
What do codes like 22G1 and 45G1 mean?
They are ISO 6346 size-type codes painted on the box. The first character is the length (2 = 20ft, 4 = 40ft, L = 45ft), the second the height (2 = 8ft 6in, 5 = 9ft 6in high cube), and the last two the type (G1 general purpose, R1 reefer, U1 open top, P1 flat rack).
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