Containers and shipping
Shipping container dimensions
Independent site, not a government service. General information, not customs advice.
Pick a box and enter your cargo to see how much of its volume and payload you would use. The full table follows.
Will my cargo fit this container?
Tightest limit used
72.3%
| Volume used | 72.3% |
| Payload used | 39.7% |
| Space left | 9.2 m³ |
Nominal figures from one carrier brochure of 2016. Check the plate on your own container.
General purpose containers come in standard outside sizes set in ISO 668: 6,058 millimetres long for a 20 foot box and 12,192 for a 40 foot, both 2,438 wide, and 2,591 high, or 2,896 for a high cube, as stated in the Hapag-Lloyd container specification. Inside, its 20 foot box measures 5,900 by 2,352 by 2,393 millimetres, with a capacity of 33.2 cubic metres, and its 40 foot box 12,032 by 2,352 by 2,395 millimetres, with 67.7 cubic metres. A high cube adds height, taking capacity to 76.3. Inside sizes vary by maker and fleet. We read these numbers from one carrier's brochure dated March 2016, which calls itself non-binding, because the ISO text itself could not be read. Your own container's plate decides.
Cartons in a container, as an upper limit
Cartons, geometry and weight
500
| Per layer | 100 |
| Layers | 5 |
| Weight at that count | 7,500 kg |
| Limit that binds | Space |
One orientation, no gaps. Payload 28,800 kg, one carrier's nominal figure; road limits are often lower.
Tariff and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Sizes compared
| Measure | 20' general purpose | 40' general purpose | 40' high cube |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside length | 6,058 mm | 12,192 mm | 12,192 mm |
| Outside width | 2,438 mm | 2,438 mm | 2,438 mm |
| Outside height | 2,591 mm | 2,591 mm | 2,896 mm |
| Inside length | 5,900 mm | 12,032 mm | 12,032 mm |
| Inside width | 2,352 mm | 2,352 mm | 2,352 mm |
| Inside height | 2,393 mm | 2,395 mm | 2,700 mm |
| Door width | 2,340 mm | 2,340 mm | 2,340 mm |
| Door height | 2,292 mm | 2,292 mm | 2,597 mm |
| Tare | 2,300 kg | 3,700 kg | 3,900 kg |
| Max gross | 32,500 kg | 32,500 kg | 32,500 kg |
| Payload | 30,200 kg | 28,800 kg | 28,600 kg |
| Capacity | 33.2 m³ | 67.7 m³ | 76.3 m³ |
How far to trust this table
The specification says its sizes are nominal, and production tolerances are possible. It lists several series in each size with different tare and payload, and we show the first wooden-floor series of each size. It also says that the fleet shown is a sample. Treat the numbers as planning figures. The ISO and UNECE pages we tried refused automated readers, so we did not read ISO 668, and this carrier's brochure is our only source. We name the carrier only as a source, with no tie to it.
Weight limits on the road
The same brochure notes that road and rail limits vary by place and refers customers to a local office. An Indian road limit may stop you well before the payload figure, so ask your haulier. For each box, see the pages on the 20 foot, 40 foot and high cube containers.