Container size

What is the size of a shipping container?

Shipping containers vary in length and height. However, in order to ensure that shipping containers can be safely stacked either on top of or below any other shipping container, they are often kept to particular dimensional standards. Most commonly, standard shipping containers are 8ft wide (2.44m) and measured in twenty-foot equivalent units.

See our table below for more information about the different sizes.

Dimensions in metric units

Container Designation
Outside Length
Outside Height
Outside Width
Internal Length
Internal Height
Internal Width
Door Width
Door Height
Cubic Capacity
Max Gross Weight
Tare Weight
8ft Container
2.44m
2.26m
2.20m
2.29m
2.06m
2.11m
2.10m
1.95m
10.0m3
6,000kg
950kg
10ft Container
1D
2.99m
2.59m
2.44m
2.84m
2.39m
2.35m
2.34m
2.28m
16.0m3
10,000kg
1,000kg
10ft High Cube
2.99m
2.90m
2.44m
2.84m
2.69m
2.35m
2.34m
2.58m
18.0m3
11,350kg
1,350kg
20ft Container
1CC
6.06m
2.60m
2.44m
5.90m
2.39m
2.35m
2.34m
2.28m
33.2m3
30,480kg
2,000kg
20ft High Cube
1CCC
6.06m
2.90m
2.44m
5.96m
2.69m
2.35m
2.34m
2.58m
37.4m3
30,480kg
2,100kg
20ft High Cupe Open-sider
1CC
6.06m
2.60m
2.44m
5.90m
2.30m
2.29m
2.22m
2.19m
31.0m3
30,480kg
3,170kg
20ft Open-top
1CCC
6.06m
2.90m
2.44m
5.96m
2.28m
2.35m
2.34m
2.28m
33.0m3
30,480kg
3,000kg
20ft Tunnel
1CC
6.06m
2.60m
2.44m
5.84m
2.39m
2.35m
2.34m
2.28m
32.8m3
30,480kg
2,180kg
40ft Container
1AA
12.20m
2.60m
2.44m
12.03m
2.39m
2.35m
2.34m
2.28m
67.6m3
30,480kg
3,470kg
40ft High Cube
1AAA
12.20m
2.90m
2.44m
12.03m
2.69m
2.35m
2.34m
2.58m
76.4m3
30,480kg
3,660kg
40ft High Cube Open Sider
1AAA
12.20m
2.90m
2.44m
12.03m
2.46m
2.28m
2.22m
2.35m
67.7m3
24,000kg
5,920kg
40ft Open-top
1AA
12.20m
2.60m
2.44m
12.03m
2.39m
2.35m
2.34m
2.28m
66.8m3
32,500kg
4,050kg
40ft Tunnel
1AA
12.20m
2.60m
2.44m
11.98m
2.39m
2.35m
2.34m
2.28m
67.4m3
30,480kg
3,680kg

Dimensions in imperial units

Container Designation
Outside Length
Outside Height
Outside Width
Internal Length
Internal Height
Internal Width
Door Width
Door Height
Cubic Capacity
Max Gross Weight
Tare Weight
8ft Container
8ft
7ft 6in
7ft
7ft 6in
6ft 6in
6ft 11in
6ft 11in
6ft 5in
351 cf
13,227Ibs
2,094Ibs
10ft Container
1D
10ft
8ft 6in
8ft
9ft 4in
7ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
7ft 6in
563cf
22,046Ibs
2,204Ibs
10ft High Cube
10ft
9ft 6in
8ft
9ft 4in
8ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
8ft 6in
636cf
25,020Ibs
2,989Ibs
20ft Container
1CC
20ft
8ft 6in
8ft
19ft 4in
7ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
7ft 6in
1,172cf
67,196Ibs
4,409Ibs
20ft High Cube
1CCC
20ft
9ft 6in
8ft
19ft 4in
8ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
8ft 6in
1,320cf
67,196Ibs
4,629Ibs
20ft High Cupe Open-sider
1CC
20ft
8ft 6in
8ft
19ft 4in
7ft 6in
7ft 6in
7ft 3in
7ft 3in
1,094cf
67,196Ibs
6,988Ibs
20ft Open-top
1CCC
20ft
9ft 6in
8ft
19ft 4in
7ft 6in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
7ft 6in
1,165cf
67,196Ibs
6,613Ibs
20ft Tunnel
1CC
20ft
8ft 6in
8ft
19ft 1in
7ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
7ft 6in
1,158cf
67,196Ibs
4,806Ibs
40ft Container
1AA
40ft
8ft 6in
8ft
39ft 5in
7ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
7ft 6in
2,387cf
67,196Ibs
7,650Ibs
40ft High Cube
1AAA
40ft
9ft 6in
8ft
39ft 5in
8ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 8in
8ft 6in
2,698cf
67,196Ibs
8,068Ibs
40ft High Cube Open Sider
1AAA
40ft
9ft 6in
8ft
39ft 5in
8ft 1in
7ft 6in
7ft 3in
7ft 9in
2,391cf
52,910Ibs
13,051Ibs
40ft Open-top
1AA
40ft
8ft 6in
8ft
39ft 5in
7ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
7ft 6in
2,358cf
71,650Ibs
8,928Ibs
40ft Tunnel
1AA
40ft
8ft 6in
8ft
39ft 4in
7ft 10in
7ft 9in
7ft 9in
7ft 6in
2,380cf
67,196Ibs
8,113Ibs

Requirements

It is important to note that all containers are manufactured according to strict requirements to ensure safety. Hence, they follow the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) via ISO 668, which establishes the standards for shipping container sizes.

Internal and external dimensions

As shown in the table above, a distinction is made between internal and external dimensions. This is because the sides of a container in nearly all cases are corrugated, which takes some inches from the external dimension. Additionally, the insulation reduces the internal dimensions by approx. 200mm. Moreover, the door, floor, roof, and corner ISO posts of a standard container also affect the internal dimensions.

Container weights

When it comes to weight, there are three relevant weights to take into account: the Tare weight, the Gross weight, and the Payload.

  • The Tare weight is the weight of the container without cargo or contents
  • The Gross weight is the weight of the container plus the maximum Payload it can hold (thus the maximum total weight of the container)
  • The Payload is the weight of the cargo or contents that a container can hold

Customized solutions

Our expertise is to design and produce customized containers and modular solutions for onshore, offshore, medical, and military sectors. Thus, we use the abovementioned container standards to produce our safe and cost-effective solutions – as well as we offer many other alternatives and sizes.

Learn more: Customized Containers and Modules

Don’t hesitate to contact us today to get a quote!

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