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Vanta Containers
Buyer's guide

Shipping container dimensions.

Exterior, interior, and door dimensions plus capacity, tare weight and payload for every standard ISO shipping container we stock - in both imperial and metric units.

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20ft Standard Dry

Exterior
  • Length: 20' 0" (6.06 m)
  • Width: 8' 0" (2.44 m)
  • Height: 8' 6" (2.59 m)
Interior
  • Length: 19' 4" (5.90 m)
  • Width: 7' 8" (2.35 m)
  • Height: 7' 10" (2.39 m)
Capacity & weight
  • Volume: 1,172 cu ft (33.2 m³)
  • Door: 7' 8" (2.34 m) × 7' 5" (2.28 m)
  • Tare: 4,850 lbs (2,200 kg)
  • Payload: 61,289 lbs (27,800 kg)
  • Max gross: 66,139 lbs (30,000 kg)

40ft Standard Dry

Exterior
  • Length: 40' 0" (12.19 m)
  • Width: 8' 0" (2.44 m)
  • Height: 8' 6" (2.59 m)
Interior
  • Length: 39' 5" (12.03 m)
  • Width: 7' 8" (2.35 m)
  • Height: 7' 10" (2.39 m)
Capacity & weight
  • Volume: 2,392 cu ft (67.7 m³)
  • Door: 7' 8" (2.34 m) × 7' 5" (2.28 m)
  • Tare: 8,820 lbs (4,000 kg)
  • Payload: 59,039 lbs (26,780 kg)
  • Max gross: 67,200 lbs (30,480 kg)

40ft High Cube (HC)

Exterior
  • Length: 40' 0" (12.19 m)
  • Width: 8' 0" (2.44 m)
  • Height: 9' 6" (2.90 m)
Interior
  • Length: 39' 5" (12.03 m)
  • Width: 7' 8" (2.35 m)
  • Height: 8' 10" (2.70 m)
Capacity & weight
  • Volume: 2,700 cu ft (76.4 m³)
  • Door: 7' 8" (2.34 m) × 8' 5" (2.58 m)
  • Tare: 8,750 lbs (3,970 kg)
  • Payload: 58,450 lbs (26,510 kg)
  • Max gross: 67,200 lbs (30,480 kg)

45ft High Cube

Exterior
  • Length: 45' 0" (13.72 m)
  • Width: 8' 0" (2.44 m)
  • Height: 9' 6" (2.90 m)
Interior
  • Length: 44' 5" (13.54 m)
  • Width: 7' 8" (2.35 m)
  • Height: 8' 10" (2.70 m)
Capacity & weight
  • Volume: 3,040 cu ft (86.1 m³)
  • Door: 7' 8" (2.34 m) × 8' 5" (2.58 m)
  • Tare: 10,580 lbs (4,800 kg)
  • Payload: 56,620 lbs (25,680 kg)
  • Max gross: 67,200 lbs (30,480 kg)

20ft Refrigerated (Reefer)

Exterior
  • Length: 20' 0" (6.06 m)
  • Width: 8' 0" (2.44 m)
  • Height: 8' 6" (2.59 m)
Interior
  • Length: 17' 8" (5.38 m)
  • Width: 7' 5" (2.26 m)
  • Height: 7' 5" (2.26 m)
Capacity & weight
  • Volume: 1,000 cu ft (28.3 m³)
  • Door: 7' 5" (2.26 m) × 7' 3" (2.21 m)
  • Tare: 6,834 lbs (3,100 kg)
  • Payload: 60,406 lbs (27,400 kg)
  • Max gross: 67,240 lbs (30,500 kg)

40ft High Cube Reefer

Exterior
  • Length: 40' 0" (12.19 m)
  • Width: 8' 0" (2.44 m)
  • Height: 9' 6" (2.90 m)
Interior
  • Length: 37' 8" (11.48 m)
  • Width: 7' 5" (2.29 m)
  • Height: 8' 2" (2.50 m)
Capacity & weight
  • Volume: 2,344 cu ft (66.4 m³)
  • Door: 7' 5" (2.29 m) × 8' 2" (2.49 m)
  • Tare: 10,780 lbs (4,890 kg)
  • Payload: 56,437 lbs (25,600 kg)
  • Max gross: 67,200 lbs (30,480 kg)

Dimensions FAQ

What's the difference between a standard and high-cube container?

A high-cube container is 1 foot (30 cm) taller than a standard container - 9'6" total exterior height vs 8'6". Interior height jumps from 7'10" to 8'10", adding ~344 cu ft of usable volume on a 40ft footprint.

How much weight can a 40ft container carry?

A standard 40ft dry container has a payload capacity of roughly 59,039 lbs (26,780 kg) with a maximum gross weight of 67,200 lbs (30,480 kg). Road-legal payloads vary by country - most jurisdictions cap the loaded container plus chassis at 44,000-46,000 lbs.

Are shipping container dimensions standardised?

External dimensions are standardised under ISO 668: 20ft, 40ft, and 45ft lengths at 8ft width and 8'6" (standard) or 9'6" (high-cube) height. Internal dimensions vary slightly by manufacturer due to insulation, corrugation depth, and door hardware.

How many pallets fit inside a 20ft or 40ft container?

A 20ft container fits 10-11 standard EUR pallets (1200x800 mm) or 9-10 US pallets (48x40"). A 40ft container fits 23-24 EUR pallets or 20-21 US pallets. Pallet-wide containers add ~2 inches of internal width for a full 26 EUR pallets in a 40ft.

Need a size we haven't listed?

We also stock 10ft, open-top, flat-rack, tank, and pallet-wide units. Ask our team.

See all container types