Dry (standard)
20' Standard
General purpose, closed on all sides.
- Inside length5.898 m|19′ 4¼″
- Inside width2.352 m|7′ 8½″
- Inside height2.393 m|7′ 10¼″
- Capacity33.2 m³|1,172 ft³
- Tare2,230 kg|4,916 lb
- Max payload28,250 kg|62,281 lb
- Max gross30,480 kg|67,197 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Dense cargo that hits the weight limit before it fills the box — tiles, machinery, drummed liquids.
40' Standard
Twice the length, same cross-section.
- Inside length12.032 m|39′ 5¾″
- Inside width2.352 m|7′ 8½″
- Inside height2.393 m|7′ 10¼″
- Capacity67.7 m³|2,391 ft³
- Tare3,750 kg|8,267 lb
- Max payload28,750 kg|63,383 lb
- Max gross32,500 kg|71,650 lb
- TEU2
Use for: The default for most containerised freight. Twice the volume of a 20-foot for well under twice the cost.
20' Bulk
Roof hatches for dry bulk.
- Inside length5.89 m|19′ 4″
- Inside width2.345 m|7′ 8¼″
- Inside height2.38 m|7′ 9¾″
- Capacity32.9 m³|1,162 ft³
- Tare2,450 kg|5,401 lb
- Max payload28,030 kg|61,796 lb
- Max gross30,480 kg|67,197 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Free-flowing dry bulk — grain, resin, malt — loaded through roof hatches and discharged by tipping.
High-cube
40' High-Cube
A foot more internal height.
- Inside length12.032 m|39′ 5¾″
- Inside width2.352 m|7′ 8½″
- Inside height2.698 m|8′ 10¼″
- Capacity76.4 m³|2,698 ft³
- Tare3,900 kg|8,598 lb
- Max payload28,600 kg|63,052 lb
- Max gross32,500 kg|71,650 lb
- TEU2
Use for: Light, bulky cargo that runs out of space long before it runs out of weight allowance.
45' High-Cube
Largest box in mainstream service.
- Inside length13.556 m|44′ 5¾″
- Inside width2.352 m|7′ 8½″
- Inside height2.698 m|8′ 10¼″
- Capacity86 m³|3,037 ft³
- Tare4,800 kg|10,582 lb
- Max payload27,700 kg|61,068 lb
- Max gross32,500 kg|71,650 lb
- TEU2.25
Use for: Maximum volume per unit. Check inland road limits — not every route permits a 45-foot box.
45' Pallet Wide
Two europallets side by side.
- Inside length13.556 m|44′ 5¾″
- Inside width2.44 m|8′
- Inside height2.698 m|8′ 10¼″
- Capacity89 m³|3,143 ft³
- Tare4,900 kg|10,803 lb
- Max payload27,600 kg|60,848 lb
- Max gross32,500 kg|71,650 lb
- TEU2.25
Use for: European intermodal traffic. The extra internal width takes two 1.2 m pallets abreast without waste.
Refrigerated
20' Refrigerated
Integral refrigeration unit.
- Inside length5.449 m|17′ 10½″
- Inside width2.29 m|7′ 6¼″
- Inside height2.267 m|7′ 5¼″
- Capacity28.3 m³|999 ft³
- Tare3,000 kg|6,614 lb
- Max payload27,480 kg|60,583 lb
- Max gross30,480 kg|67,197 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Temperature-controlled cargo. The machinery eats roughly half a metre of length and a tonne of payload.
40' Refrigerated High-Cube
The standard reefer, and high-cube by default.
- Inside length11.577 m|37′ 11¾″
- Inside width2.294 m|7′ 6¼″
- Inside height2.557 m|8′ 4¾″
- Capacity67.3 m³|2,377 ft³
- Tare4,420 kg|9,744 lb
- Max payload29,580 kg|65,213 lb
- Max gross34,000 kg|74,957 lb
- TEU2
Use for: Perishables on long ocean legs. Built on a high-cube frame, so internal height survives the insulation.
Open top
20' Open Top
Removable tarpaulin roof.
- Inside length5.898 m|19′ 4¼″
- Inside width2.352 m|7′ 8½″
- Inside height2.348 m|7′ 8½″
- Capacity32.5 m³|1,148 ft³
- Tare2,250 kg|4,960 lb
- Max payload28,230 kg|62,236 lb
- Max gross30,480 kg|67,197 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Cargo craned in from above because it will not go through the doors.
40' Open Top
Top-loading at forty feet.
- Inside length12.029 m|39′ 5½″
- Inside width2.35 m|7′ 8½″
- Inside height2.344 m|7′ 8¼″
- Capacity66.8 m³|2,359 ft³
- Tare4,050 kg|8,929 lb
- Max payload28,450 kg|62,722 lb
- Max gross32,500 kg|71,650 lb
- TEU2
Use for: Long items craned in from above — timber, pipe, machinery too tall for the doors.
Flatrack
20' Flatrack
Open bed with fixed end walls.
- Inside length5.618 m|18′ 5¼″
- Inside width2.208 m|7′ 3″
- Inside height2.233 m|7′ 4″
- Tare3,100 kg|6,834 lb
- Max payload35,000 kg|77,162 lb
- Max gross38,100 kg|83,996 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Out-of-gauge loads that overhang the sides — pipes, vehicles, plant.
40' Flatrack
Highest payload of the flatracks.
- Inside length11.832 m|38′ 9¾″
- Inside width2.228 m|7′ 3¾″
- Inside height1.981 m|6′ 6″
- Tare5,000 kg|11,023 lb
- Max payload40,000 kg|88,185 lb
- Max gross45,000 kg|99,208 lb
- TEU2
Use for: Heavy project cargo. The payload rating is the highest of any common box.
20' Flatrack Collapsible
End walls fold flat.
- Inside length5.675 m|18′ 7½″
- Inside width2.213 m|7′ 3¼″
- Inside height2.27 m|7′ 5¼″
- Tare2,600 kg|5,732 lb
- Max payload27,880 kg|61,465 lb
- Max gross30,480 kg|67,197 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Same job as a fixed flatrack, but folds down so empties stack and reposition cheaply.
40' Flatrack Collapsible
Folding walls on a forty-foot bed.
- Inside length11.66 m|38′ 3″
- Inside width2.2 m|7′ 2½″
- Inside height2.245 m|7′ 4½″
- Tare5,700 kg|12,566 lb
- Max payload39,300 kg|86,642 lb
- Max gross45,000 kg|99,208 lb
- TEU2
Use for: Heavy out-of-gauge cargo where the empty leg matters as much as the loaded one.
20' Platform
Load bed only, no walls.
- Inside length6.058 m|19′ 10½″
- Inside width2.438 m|8′
- Inside height0.37 m|1′ 2½″
- Tare2,520 kg|5,556 lb
- Max payload27,960 kg|61,641 lb
- Max gross30,480 kg|67,197 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Cargo wider and taller than any box, strapped to a bare deck. Dimensions are the external ISO frame.
40' Platform
Bare forty-foot deck.
- Inside length12.192 m|40′
- Inside width2.438 m|8′
- Inside height0.648 m|2′ 1½″
- Tare5,700 kg|12,566 lb
- Max payload39,300 kg|86,642 lb
- Max gross45,000 kg|99,208 lb
- TEU2
Use for: The largest out-of-gauge loads that still move in the container system.
Tank
20' Tank
Cylindrical vessel in an ISO frame.
- Tare3,800 kg|8,378 lb
- Max payload26,680 kg|58,819 lb
- Max gross30,480 kg|67,197 lb
- TEU1
Use for: Bulk liquids and gases. Rated in litres — commonly 21,000 to 26,000 — not cubic metres.
Side by side
Every type and every measurement in one place. A dash means the measurement does not apply: a flatrack has no doors, and a tank is rated in litres rather than cubic metres.
| Type | Inside L | Inside W | Inside H | Door W | Door H | Capacity | Tare | Max payload | Max gross | TEU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' Standard | 5.898 m|19′ 4¼″ | 2.352 m|7′ 8½″ | 2.393 m|7′ 10¼″ | 2.343 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.28 m|7′ 5¾″ | 33.2 m³|1,172 ft³ | 2,230 kg|4,916 lb | 28,250 kg|62,281 lb | 30,480 kg|67,197 lb | 1 |
| 40' Standard | 12.032 m|39′ 5¾″ | 2.352 m|7′ 8½″ | 2.393 m|7′ 10¼″ | 2.343 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.28 m|7′ 5¾″ | 67.7 m³|2,391 ft³ | 3,750 kg|8,267 lb | 28,750 kg|63,383 lb | 32,500 kg|71,650 lb | 2 |
| 40' High-Cube | 12.032 m|39′ 5¾″ | 2.352 m|7′ 8½″ | 2.698 m|8′ 10¼″ | 2.343 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.585 m|8′ 5¾″ | 76.4 m³|2,698 ft³ | 3,900 kg|8,598 lb | 28,600 kg|63,052 lb | 32,500 kg|71,650 lb | 2 |
| 45' High-Cube | 13.556 m|44′ 5¾″ | 2.352 m|7′ 8½″ | 2.698 m|8′ 10¼″ | 2.343 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.585 m|8′ 5¾″ | 86 m³|3,037 ft³ | 4,800 kg|10,582 lb | 27,700 kg|61,068 lb | 32,500 kg|71,650 lb | 2.25 |
| 20' Refrigerated | 5.449 m|17′ 10½″ | 2.29 m|7′ 6¼″ | 2.267 m|7′ 5¼″ | 2.276 m|7′ 5½″ | 2.261 m|7′ 5″ | 28.3 m³|999 ft³ | 3,000 kg|6,614 lb | 27,480 kg|60,583 lb | 30,480 kg|67,197 lb | 1 |
| 40' Refrigerated High-Cube | 11.577 m|37′ 11¾″ | 2.294 m|7′ 6¼″ | 2.557 m|8′ 4¾″ | 2.294 m|7′ 6¼″ | 2.566 m|8′ 5″ | 67.3 m³|2,377 ft³ | 4,420 kg|9,744 lb | 29,580 kg|65,213 lb | 34,000 kg|74,957 lb | 2 |
| 20' Open Top | 5.898 m|19′ 4¼″ | 2.352 m|7′ 8½″ | 2.348 m|7′ 8½″ | 2.341 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.274 m|7′ 5½″ | 32.5 m³|1,148 ft³ | 2,250 kg|4,960 lb | 28,230 kg|62,236 lb | 30,480 kg|67,197 lb | 1 |
| 20' Flatrack | 5.618 m|18′ 5¼″ | 2.208 m|7′ 3″ | 2.233 m|7′ 4″ | — | — | — | 3,100 kg|6,834 lb | 35,000 kg|77,162 lb | 38,100 kg|83,996 lb | 1 |
| 40' Flatrack | 11.832 m|38′ 9¾″ | 2.228 m|7′ 3¾″ | 1.981 m|6′ 6″ | — | — | — | 5,000 kg|11,023 lb | 40,000 kg|88,185 lb | 45,000 kg|99,208 lb | 2 |
| 40' Open Top | 12.029 m|39′ 5½″ | 2.35 m|7′ 8½″ | 2.344 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.34 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.276 m|7′ 5½″ | 66.8 m³|2,359 ft³ | 4,050 kg|8,929 lb | 28,450 kg|62,722 lb | 32,500 kg|71,650 lb | 2 |
| 20' Flatrack Collapsible | 5.675 m|18′ 7½″ | 2.213 m|7′ 3¼″ | 2.27 m|7′ 5¼″ | — | — | — | 2,600 kg|5,732 lb | 27,880 kg|61,465 lb | 30,480 kg|67,197 lb | 1 |
| 40' Flatrack Collapsible | 11.66 m|38′ 3″ | 2.2 m|7′ 2½″ | 2.245 m|7′ 4½″ | — | — | — | 5,700 kg|12,566 lb | 39,300 kg|86,642 lb | 45,000 kg|99,208 lb | 2 |
| 20' Platform | 6.058 m|19′ 10½″ | 2.438 m|8′ | 0.37 m|1′ 2½″ | — | — | — | 2,520 kg|5,556 lb | 27,960 kg|61,641 lb | 30,480 kg|67,197 lb | 1 |
| 40' Platform | 12.192 m|40′ | 2.438 m|8′ | 0.648 m|2′ 1½″ | — | — | — | 5,700 kg|12,566 lb | 39,300 kg|86,642 lb | 45,000 kg|99,208 lb | 2 |
| 20' Bulk | 5.89 m|19′ 4″ | 2.345 m|7′ 8¼″ | 2.38 m|7′ 9¾″ | 2.335 m|7′ 8″ | 2.27 m|7′ 5¼″ | 32.9 m³|1,162 ft³ | 2,450 kg|5,401 lb | 28,030 kg|61,796 lb | 30,480 kg|67,197 lb | 1 |
| 45' Pallet Wide | 13.556 m|44′ 5¾″ | 2.44 m|8′ | 2.698 m|8′ 10¼″ | 2.43 m|7′ 11¾″ | 2.585 m|8′ 5¾″ | 89 m³|3,143 ft³ | 4,900 kg|10,803 lb | 27,600 kg|60,848 lb | 32,500 kg|71,650 lb | 2.25 |
| 20' Tank | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3,800 kg|8,378 lb | 26,680 kg|58,819 lb | 30,480 kg|67,197 lb | 1 |
Questions
- What is the difference between a standard and a high-cube container?
- A high-cube is about 30 cm taller inside — roughly one extra foot of internal height — with the same footprint. It suits light, bulky cargo that runs out of space before it runs out of weight allowance.
- How much can a 20-foot container actually carry?
- Around 28 tonnes by the plate, but road limits usually bind first. Many jurisdictions cap a laden 20-foot box well below its rated payload, so the legal limit on the road is often the real one.
- Why does a reefer hold less than a dry container of the same length?
- The refrigeration unit occupies roughly half a metre of internal length, and the insulation takes width and height. A 20-foot reefer holds about 28 cubic metres against 33 for a dry box.
- Are these dimensions exact for every container?
- No. They are nominal ISO figures. Real containers vary by manufacturer, build year and carrier. Every unit carries a CSC safety-approval plate on the door, and that plate is authoritative for the box in front of you.
- What is a TEU?
- Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit — the unit ship and terminal capacity is counted in. A 20-foot container is one TEU by definition; a 40-foot box counts as two.
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Figures are nominal ISO values compiled by FrateZone for planning purposes. The CSC plate on each container governs.
Provided for convenience and general information only.Figures, definitions and descriptions on these pages are compiled from publicly available sources — published industry standards, official code registers and carriers' own published specifications — and are nominal: actual equipment, regulations and commercial terms vary by manufacturer, carrier, jurisdiction and contract, and change over time. FrateZone is not the issuing authority for any of it, does not warrant that any figure here is correct, current or complete, and makes no representation that a source has not changed since it was read. Where a specification belongs to a specific physical unit or a specific contract — a container's certified plate, an airline's tariff, the wording of your own sale agreement — that document governs, not this page. FrateZone accepts no liability for any error or omission here, nor for any operational, commercial, financial or legal decision taken in reliance on it. Verify against the authoritative source before you act.