Shipping containers are built to ISO standards, so a 20ft container in the port of Klaipėda, a Vilnius yard or Rotterdam is exactly the same size. That makes planning easy: you can work out in advance how much cargo will fit, how much yard space you need and which crane will deliver it.
In Lithuania containers are often named in metres rather than feet: a 20ft container is the "6-metre" one, a 40ft the "12-metre" one and a 10ft the "3-metre" one. It is the same thing - simply the rounded outside length.
Shipping container size chart
The table shows standard (Dry Cube) and High Cube dimensions from our catalogue, as length × width × height.
| Size | External, mm | Internal, mm | Door opening, mm | Volume, m³ | Tare, kg | Euro pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10ft (3 m) | 2991 × 2438 × 2591 | 2843 × 2352 × 2393 | 2335 × 2292 | 15.9 | - | - |
| 20ft (6 m) | 6058 × 2438 × 2591 | 5898 × 2352 × 2393 | 2336 × 2291 | 33-33.2 | 2145-2370 | 11 |
| 20ft High Cube | 6058 × 2438 × 2895 | 5898 × 2352 × 2698 | 2340 × 2597 | 37.5 | 2340 | 11 |
| 40ft (12 m) | 12 192 × 2438 × 2591 | 12 032 × 2352 × 2393 | 2336 × 2291 | 67.3-67.8 | 3640-4000 | 25 |
| 40ft High Cube | 12 192 × 2438 × 2895 | 12 032 × 2352 × 2698 | 2340 × 2597 | 75.6-76.5 | 3740-4200 | 25 |
| 45ft | 13 716 × 2438 × 2591 | 13 540 × 2350 × 2389 | 2340 × 2280 | 76 | 3830 | 27 |
| 45ft High Cube | 13 716 × 2438 × 2895 | 13 540 × 2350 × 2689 | 2340 × 2580 | 86 | 4470 | 27 |
Weights and payloads vary a little between manufacturers, so some values are given as a range. Each size has its own page with full data, for example the 20ft and the 40ft container.
What High Cube and Pallet Wide mean
- High Cube (HC) is about 30 cm taller than standard: 2895 mm outside instead of 2591 mm, and 2698 mm inside. It is chosen for tall cargo, shelved storage and living modules.
- Pallet Wide (PW) is wider inside - about 2440-2460 mm instead of 2352 mm - so euro pallets fit more tightly: 30 in a 40ft Pallet Wide and 33 in a 45ft.
- High Cube Pallet Wide combines both - the highest-capacity version.
Reefer container dimensions
A reefer has the same outside size as a dry container, but its thick insulated walls make it smaller inside. A 20ft reefer measures 5513 × 2286 × 2269 mm inside (28 m³, 10 euro pallets) and a 40ft reefer 11 638 × 2286 × 2269 mm (59.81 m³, 23 euro pallets). All sizes are on the Reefer containers page.
Choosing a size for the job
- 10ft (3 m) - where space is short: tools, garden machinery, seasonal items.
- 20ft (6 m) - the all-rounder for a homestead, building site, workshop or small store.
- 40ft (12 m) - company storage, larger loads, living and office modules.
- 45ft - the biggest stocks and loads, when you need as much room as possible.
Undecided between the two most popular sizes? Read 20ft or 40ft container: which one to choose.
Door opening: will your largest item fit?
The doors are at one end and the opening is smaller than the inside cross-section: about 2336 × 2291 mm on a standard container and 2340 × 2597 mm on a High Cube. Measure your largest item before buying - a car, a pallet truck or furniture.
Weight and delivery
An empty 20ft container weighs about 2.1-2.4 t and a 40ft 3.6-4.2 t. That is why 10-20ft containers come on a small crane truck (10-15 t capacity, 9-12 m reach) and 40-45ft containers on a large one (17-21 t, 12-14 m reach) or a side loader. Delivery needs a level spot a little longer than the container and good access - see How to prepare the ground for a shipping container.
Common questions
How many euro pallets fit in a 20ft container? 11 in a standard 20ft, 25 in a 40ft and 27 in a 45ft.
How tall is a 40ft container? A standard one is 2591 mm outside and 2393 mm inside; a High Cube is 2895 mm outside and 2698 mm inside.
Do all manufacturers build the same size? External dimensions are standardised; internal dimensions and weights can differ slightly, which is why some values are ranges.
Find the right container under Shipping containers for sale, and units for sale right now, with prices, under Containers in stock.