Please also see our GLOSSARY for the terminology used in the container shipping industry.
Shipping containers range in size from 8ft, or 2.43m, 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.
What’s the difference between General Purpose and High Cube?
The external height of a general-purpose container is 8’6”, or 2.59m tall. The internal height varies slightly but is approximately 2.39m high.
A high cube container has an additional foot of height, measuring 9’6”, or 2.89m tall externally. Internally, the height of a high cube container also varies slightly, but is approximately 2.69m high. High cubes were originally introduced to provide additional internal storage for furniture transport, but their benefits have extended to other uses as well. You can identify a high cube container by observing black and yellow tape next to the corner castings.
Generally speaking, YES. A 10ft General Purpose container has the same height as a 20ft General Purpose container, which is also equivalent in height to a 40ft General Purpose container. The same principle applies to High Cube variants.
How much does a shipping container weigh and what about the other weights displayed on containers?
Tare weight refers to the weight of an empty shipping container. For context, a 20ft shipping container weighs approximately 2,100kg when empty.
A shipping container’s payload is the total weight of cargo or goods that it can hold. For context, a 20ft shipping container can hold just over 28,000kg of cargo
Maximum Gross Weight represents the total maximum weight permitted for the container. It equals the sum of Tare and Payload, or simply put, it is the combined weight of the container and the maximum amount of goods it can safely carry.
While there is no single ‘standard’ shipping container due to the variety of sizes available, the most common size is the 20ft container.
20’ 2PW GP
20’ 2PW HC
20’ 2PW HC 30T
20’ 2PW HC 9’10 SIDE DOORS
20’ 2PW HC BULKER
20’ 2PW HC DOUBLE DOORS
20’ 2PW HC SIDE & END DOORS
20’ 2PW HC SIDE DOORS
20’ 2PW HC WITH BLANKETS
20’ 30T GP
20’ Bulkers
20’ CURTAIN
20’ FLAT RACK
20’ GP
20’ GP BULKER
20’ GP DOUBLE DOORS
20’ GP END DOORS
20’ GP FLEXI TANK
20’ GP FQ
20’ GP NOR
20’ GP OPEN TOP
20’ GP SIDE & END DOORS
20’ GP SIDE DOORS
20’ GP WITH BLANKETS
20’ HC
20’ HC DOUBLE DOORS
20’ HC DOUBLE SIDE DOORS
20’ HC FQ
20’ HC OPEN SIDES
20’ HC Open Sides with End Doors
20’ HC OPEN TOP
20’ HC REEFER (NOR)
20’ HC SIDE & REAR DOORS
20’ HC SIDE DOORS
20’ HC SIDE DOORS & MEZZ
20’ HC SIDE DOORS (DG)
20’ HC WITH BLANKETS
20’ SIDE DOORS
20’ HC Bulkers
40’ 2PW GP
40’ 2PW HC
40’ 2PW HC 9’10
40’ 2PW HC CURTAINSIDER NO END
DOORS
40’ 2PW HC CURTAINSIDER WITH
END DOORS
40’ 2PW HC SIDE DOORS
40’ 30T GP
40’ FLAT RACK
40’ GP
40’ GP SIDE DOORS
40’ HC
40’ HC DOUBLE DOORS
40’ HC Open Sides
40’ HC REEFER (NOR)
40’ HC SIDE & REAR DOORS
40’ OPEN TOP
48’ 2PW HC
48’ CURTAINSIDER
48’ HC
48’ HC 2PW
48’ HC END DOORS
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