Shipping Container Types
- Inside sizes, door openings, volumes and weight limits of the containers used most.
- Which container suits which cargo, from cartons to chilled food and heavy machinery.
At a glance
The three most used containers, to scale
All three are 2.44 m wide outside. A 20' container is 6.06 m long and a 40' 12.19 m; both are 2.59 m high, the High Cube 2.90 m.
20' Dry 6.06 × 2.59 m
40' Dry 12.19 × 2.59 m
40' High Cube 12.19 × 2.90 m
Compare the figures
| Container | Inside (L × W × H) | Door (W × H) | Volume | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' Dry | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 33.2 m³ | 28,330–28,380 kg |
| 40' Dry | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 67.7 m³ | 26,840–28,960 kg |
| 40' High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | 2.34 × 2.58 m | 76.4 m³ | 26,780–28,800 kg |
| 20' Reefer | 5.45 × 2.29 × 2.26 m | 2.23–2.29 × 2.10–2.26 m | 28.2 m³ | 27,400–27,670 kg |
| 40' High Cube Reefer | 11.59 × 2.29 × 2.54 m | 2.29 × 2.50–2.57 m | 67.5 m³ | 29,520–30,510 kg |
| 20' Open Top | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.35 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 32.5 m³ | 28,130–28,320 kg |
| 40' Open Top | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.35 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 66.4 m³ | 26,600–28,760 kg |
| 20' Flat Rack | 5.56–5.64 × 2.19–2.35 m (deck) | open sides | – | 30,140–35,000 kg |
| 40' Flat Rack | 11.63–11.66 × 2.21–2.40 m (deck) | open sides | – | 38,800–47,370 kg |
The containers
Which container for which cargo
20' Dry
Also called: 20' GP, 20' DV, 20' standard
Half the length of a 40', but rated for about the same weight, so it is the usual choice for dense cargo.
Good for: Heavy goods that reach the weight limit before the container is full: tiles, stone, steel, paper rolls, machinery parts, bagged goods.
| Inside (L × W × H) | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m |
|---|---|
| Door opening (W × H) | 2.34 × 2.28 m |
| Volume | 33.2 m³ |
| Tare weight | 2,100–2,300 kg |
| Max gross weight | 30,480 kg |
| Max payload | 28,330–28,380 kg |
40' Dry
Also called: 40' GP, 40' DV, 40' standard
Twice the volume of a 20' for a similar payload, so it pays off for light and bulky cargo.
Good for: Goods that fill the space before they reach the weight limit: furniture, textiles, household goods, cartons of consumer goods.
| Inside (L × W × H) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m |
|---|---|
| Door opening (W × H) | 2.34 × 2.28 m |
| Volume | 67.7 m³ |
| Tare weight | 3,540–3,750 kg |
| Max gross weight | 30,480–32,500 kg |
| Max payload | 26,840–28,960 kg |
40' High Cube
Also called: 40' HC, 40' HQ
30 cm taller than a standard container, inside and at the door, for about 13% more volume.
Good for: Light, bulky or tall cargo: furniture, mattresses, tyres, cotton, stacked pallets.
| Inside (L × W × H) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m |
|---|---|
| Door opening (W × H) | 2.34 × 2.58 m |
| Volume | 76.4 m³ |
| Tare weight | 3,700 kg |
| Max gross weight | 30,480–32,500 kg |
| Max payload | 26,780–28,800 kg |
- On a truck it also stands 30 cm higher than a standard container: check bridges, gates and doors on the way and at the delivery site.
Reefer
Also called: Refrigerated container, 20' RF, 40' RH
Insulated, with its own refrigeration unit at the front end, powered by the ship, the terminal or a generator set. It keeps the temperature that is set and, for fresh produce, can let in fresh air.
Good for: Chilled and frozen goods: fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products, flowers, medicines.
| 20' | 40' High Cube | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside (L × W × H) | 5.45 × 2.29 × 2.26 m | 11.59 × 2.29 × 2.54 m |
| Door opening (W × H) | 2.23–2.29 × 2.10–2.26 m | 2.29 × 2.50–2.57 m |
| Volume | 28.2 m³ | 67.5 m³ |
| Tare weight | 2,810–3,080 kg | 4,480–4,660 kg |
| Max gross weight | 30,480 kg | 34,000–35,000 kg |
| Max payload | 27,400–27,670 kg | 29,520–30,510 kg |
- Load the cargo already at its carrying temperature: the unit is built to hold a temperature, not to cool warm cargo down.
- Do not stack above the red load line or block the air channels in the floor: the cold air has to reach all of the cargo.
- The insulation and the unit take space, so a reefer holds less than a dry container of the same length.
Open Top
Also called: OT
Instead of a fixed roof it has removable roof bows and a tarpaulin, so cargo can be loaded from above. On most, the beam above the doors swings aside for tall pieces.
Good for: Cargo too tall for the door or lifted in by crane: machinery, heavy single pieces, timber, glass, scrap.
| 20' | 40' | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside (L × W × H) | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.35 m | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.35 m |
| Door opening (W × H) | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m |
| Roof opening (L × W) | 5.68 × 2.25 m | 11.80 × 2.23 m |
| Volume | 32.5 m³ | 66.4 m³ |
| Tare weight | 2,160–2,350 kg | 3,740–3,880 kg |
| Max gross weight | 30,480 kg | 30,480–32,500 kg |
| Max payload | 28,130–28,320 kg | 26,600–28,760 kg |
- Cargo higher than the container can travel as out-of-gauge cargo, by arrangement with the shipping line and at extra cost.
Flat Rack
Also called: FR
A strong floor with two end walls and no sides or roof, rated for more weight than other containers of its length. On many the end walls fold down, so that empty racks can be stacked.
Good for: Heavy, wide or awkward cargo loaded from the side or from above: machinery, vehicles, boats, steel structures, cable drums.
| 20' | 40' | |
|---|---|---|
| Loading deck (L × W) | 5.56–5.64 × 2.19–2.35 m | 11.63–11.66 × 2.21–2.40 m |
| End wall height | 2.21–2.35 m | 1.96–2.14 m |
| Tare weight | 2,360–3,100 kg | 5,000–6,200 kg |
| Max gross weight | 32,500–38,100 kg | 45,000–52,500 kg |
| Max payload | 30,140–35,000 kg | 38,800–47,370 kg |
- Cargo may be wider or higher than the rack (out of gauge), by arrangement with the shipping line and at extra cost.
- The cargo is lashed to the rack's lashing points, so plan how it will be secured.
Good to know
Before you book
Each container has its own figures
Sizes and weights differ from one container to the next. Every container's tare, maximum gross weight and payload are marked on its doors, and its safety approval plate (CSC plate) states its maximum gross weight.
Road limits can be lower
The weight a truck may carry on the road can be lower than the container's payload, depending on the truck and the country. Ask before planning a container to its full payload.
The container is weighed before it sails
Since 1 July 2016 the SOLAS convention requires the shipper to declare the verified gross mass (VGM) of every packed container before it is loaded on a ship.
Heavy in a 20', light in a 40'
Dense goods usually travel in 20' containers, light and bulky goods in 40' or 40' High Cube containers, so that both the space and the weight limit are used well.
Load evenly and secure
Spread the weight evenly over the floor, put heavy packages at the bottom and secure the cargo so that it cannot shift on the way.
Typical figures from the published specifications of container owners and shipping lines; where they differ, the range. Sizes and weights differ from container to container: the figures that count are those marked on the container itself.