How big is a shipping container?
They range in size from 8ft, or 2.43m, all the way up to 48ft, or 14.63m.
The most common shipping container, a 20ft container, measures 6.05m long x 2.43m wide x 2.59m tall.
It’s important to note the following dimensions and weights can vary slightly between builds.
Standard Shipping Container Dimensions
10ft Shipping Container Dimensions |
|||||
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
2,831 |
Length (mm) |
2,991 |
Tare (kg) |
1,300 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,350 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
8,860 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,390 |
Height (mm) |
2,591 |
MGW (kg) |
10,160 |
20ft Shipping Container Dimensions |
|||||
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
5,898 |
Length (mm) |
6,058 |
Tare (kg) |
2,120 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,352 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
28,360 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,390 |
Height (mm) |
2,591 |
MGW (kg) |
30,480 |
20ft High Cube Shipping Container Dimensions |
|||||
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
5,898 |
Length (mm) |
6,058 |
Tare (kg) |
2,315 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,352 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
28,165 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,700 |
Height (mm) |
2,896 |
MGW (kg) |
30,480 |
40ft Shipping Container Dimensions |
|||||
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
12,032 |
Length (mm) |
12,192 |
Tare (kg) |
3,490 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,352 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
26,990 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,393 |
Height (mm) |
2,591 |
MGW (kg) |
30,480 |
40ft High Cube Shipping Container Dimensions |
|||||
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
12,032 |
Length (mm) |
12,192 |
Tare (kg) |
4,670 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,350 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
29,330 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,695 |
Height (mm) |
2,896 |
MGW (kg) |
34,000 |
The Most Common Shipping Container Sizes
10ft Shipping Container
10ft shipping containers, also referred to as mini shipping containers, are the ideal storage solution when space is limited. These smaller units are commonly used for the safe onsite storage of furniture, equipment, parts and accessories.
20ft Shipping Container
SCF's 20ft shipping container is the most popular and common onsite storage solution, and with good reason! It is strong, safe, secure and quick to deliver. Not only that, it is affordable and so so easy to organise.
40ft Shipping Container
The 40ft Shipping Container is twice the length of the 20ft variant, which means twice the internal storage volume. It is a good choice for large sites with a high volume of storage needs.
“Choosing the right container is more than a logistics decision — it directly impacts shipping costs, cargo safety, and supply chain efficiency.” — Extended Blue Trade Team
Shipping Container Height – What’s the difference between a General Purpose and High Cube?
General Purpose Container
The external height of a general purpose container is 8’6”, or 2.59m tall. The internal height varies slightly, but is ~2.39m high.
High Cube Container
A high cube container has an additional foot of height, so externally it measures 9’6”, or 2.89m tall. The internal height of a high cube container varies slightly, but is ~2.69m high.
High cubes were originally introduced to provide additional internal storage for the purpose of furniture storage and transport, but the benefits have extended into other uses also.
You can tell if a container is a high cube by looking at it if you see black and yellow tape next to the corner castings.
Is a 20ft shipping container as tall as a 40ft shipping container?
Generally speaking, yes.
A 10ft General Purpose container is the same height as a 20ft General Purpose container, which is the same height as a 40ft General Purpose container. The same goes for high cube variants.
Not a high cube
High cube...
What do container weights mean?
How much does a shipping container weigh? And what about the other weights that are displayed on containers?
Tare
Tare weight is the weight of an empty shipping container. For context, a 20ft shipping container weighs ~2,100kg empty.
Payload
A shipping container’s payload is the total weight of the cargo or goods that it can hold. For context, a 20ft shipping container can hold just over 28,000kg.
Maximum Gross Weight (MGW)
Maximum Gross Weight is the total maximum weight that is permitted for the container. It equals the Tare + Payload, or put simply, the weight of the container and the maximum amount of goods it can carry safely.
Shipping Container Dimensions & Sizes
Shipping containers come in a wide range of sizes. For storage containers, the most common size is 20ft, however there are others designed to cater for your storage needs or fit in the space available at your site.
8ft Shipping Container Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
2,287 |
Length (mm) |
2,438 |
Tare (kg) |
950 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,112 |
Width (mm) |
2,200 |
Payload (kg) |
5,050 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,067 |
Height (mm) |
2,260 |
MGW (kg) |
6,000 |
The 8ft shipping container is less common, but still a popular choice for space constrained sites that require extra storage. Courtyard homes, small business and sports clubs are well suited to containers of this size.
10ft Shipping Container Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
2,831 |
Length (mm) |
2,991 |
Tare (kg) |
1,300 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,350 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
8,860 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,390 |
Height (mm) |
2,591 |
MGW (kg) |
10,160 |
Of the mini shipping containers available, 10ft shipping containers are the most commonly available. They provide ample space for onsite storage, but are still less common than 20ft containers.
10ft High Cube Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
2,840 |
Length (mm) |
2,991 |
Tare (kg) |
1,350 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,350 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
10,000 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,698 |
Height (mm) |
2,896 |
MGW (kg) |
11,350 |
10ft high cube shipping containers provide an additional foot of height for extra storage.
20ft Shipping Container Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
5,898 |
Length (mm) |
6,058 |
Tare (kg) |
2,120 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,352 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
28,360 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,390 |
Height (mm) |
2,591 |
MGW (kg) |
30,480 |
The original and most common type of container, the 20ft shipping container is everywhere.
20ft High Cube Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
5,898 |
Length (mm) |
6,058 |
Tare (kg) |
2,315 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,352 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
28,165 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,700 |
Height (mm) |
2,896 |
MGW (kg) |
30,480 |
The 20ft high cube shipping container provides an additional foot of height for extra storage. These are popular for transport purposes too.
20ft Side Opening Shipping Container Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
5,898 |
Length (mm) |
6,058 |
Tare (kg) |
3,200 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,287 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
20,800 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,302 |
Height (mm) |
2,591 |
MGW (kg) |
24,000 |
The 20ft side opening shipping container provides easy access to your stored goods. These are popular if you plan to regularly access stored goods.
20ft Side Opening High Cube Shipping Container Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
5,898 |
Length (mm) |
6,058 |
Tare (kg) |
3,300 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,287 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
27,180 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,607 |
Height (mm) |
2,896 |
MGW (kg) |
30,480 |
The 20ft side opening high cube shipping container provides easy access to your stored goods with an additional foot of height. These are popular if you plan to regularly access stored goods, and need a little extra storage space.
40ft Shipping Container Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
12,032 |
Length (mm) |
12,192 |
Tare (kg) |
3,490 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,352 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
26,990 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,393 |
Height (mm) |
2,591 |
MGW (kg) |
30,480 |
The 40ft shipping container is another common size. These are not much more expensive than 20ft variants and store a lot of goods.
40ft High Cube Container Dimensions
|
INTERNAL |
EXTERNAL |
WEIGHT |
|||
|
Length (mm) |
12,032 |
Length (mm) |
12,192 |
Tare (kg) |
4,670 |
|
Width (mm) |
2,350 |
Width (mm) |
2,438 |
Payload (kg) |
29,330 |
|
Height (mm) |
2,695 |
Height (mm) |
2,896 |
MGW (kg) |
34,000 |
If space is not an issue, the 40ft high cube shipping container is often the most popular choice for large scale storage and transport.
