Ocean shipping container dimensions
Ocean shipping container dimensions vary by container type and directly affect how much cargo you can load. Understanding the internal dimensions, door openings, and payload limits helps you plan your shipment and avoid costly mistakes.
Depending on the type of the commodity, requirements for transportation, packaging, security, there are different types of containers: standard dry vans, reefers, flat racks, open tops, tank containers, which are used for shipping the goods worldwide.
Below you can find the dimensions and maximum payload per container depending on the container type.
All dimensions follow internationally recognized intermodal container standards. For a general overview, see the intermodal container specifications on Wikipedia.
1. Standard dry van containers: 20’DV, 40’DV, 40’HC:
Dry van containers is the most used equipment for ocean transportation of general goods..
| Container type | Door dimensions (mm) | Internal dimensions (mm) | Weight (kg) | Volume (CBM) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | Height | Length | Width | Height | Max gross | Tare | Max payload | ||
| 20’DV — 20′ Dry Van (20′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 2274 | 2339 | 5896 | 2350 | 2393 | 30480 | 2280 | 28200 | 33 |
| 40’DV — 40′ Dry Van (40′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 2274 | 2340 | 12032 | 2350 | 2393 | 32500 | 3700 | 28800 | 67 |
| 40’HC — 40′ High Cube (40′ × 8′ × 9’6″) | 2577 | 2340 | 12032 | 2350 | 2697 | 32500 | 3880 | 27600 | 76 |
2. Reefer containers: 20’RF, 40’RF, 40’RH
Reefer containers are designed to transport goods within a temperature controlled environment. These containers are used for ocean shipping of commodities – like food or temperature or environment sensitive goods.
| Container type | Door dimensions (mm) | Internal dimensions (mm) | Weight (kg) | Volume (CBM) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | Height | Length | Width | Height | Max gross | Tare | Max payload | ||
| 20’RF — 20′ Reefer (20′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 2212 | 2290 | 5451 | 2290 | 2167 | 30480 | 2990 | 27490 | 27 |
| 40’RF — 40′ Reefer (40′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 2471 | 2276 | 11580 | 2275 | 2415 | 34000 | 4520 | 29480 | 63.5 |
| 40’RH — 40′ Reefer HC (40′ × 8′ × 9’6″) | 2471 | 2276 | 11578 | 2280 | 2450 | 34000 | 4620 | 29380 | 64.5 |
3. Open top containers; 20’OT, 40’OT, 40’OH
OpenTop containers what the name shows. Container with open top allowing loading of goods also from the top. You can use them for heavy items which can be loaded only with a crane or for items with dimensions exceeding the maximum height of the dry van containers. Often the container top is substituted with a tarpaulin cover and the cargo can easily be secured with lashing bars and bull rings.
| Container type | Door dimensions (mm) | Internal dimensions (mm) | Top opening (mm) | Weight (kg) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | Height | Length | Width | Height | Length | Width | Max gross | Tare | Max payload | |
| 20’OT — 20′ Open Top (20′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 2253 | 2286 | 5919 | 2346 | 2286 | 5490 | 2223 | 34800 | 2280 | 28000 |
| 40’OT — 40′ Open Top (40′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 2253 | 2289 | 12192 | 2338 | 2289 | 11810 | 2223 | 32700 | 4000 | 28700 |
| 40’OH — 40′ OT HC (40′ × 8′ × 9’6″) | 2580 | 2388 | 12192 | 2348 | 2653 | 11810 | 2223 | 34800 | 4000 | 26480 |
4. Flat racks: 20’FR, 40’FR
Flat racks are containers used mainly for oversized and overweight shipments – no matter in-gauge or out-of-gauge. There are many types of flat racks – fixed corners, flush fold, collapsible sides, platforms
| Container type | Length between headers (mm) | Internal dimensions (mm) | Max width (mm) | Weight (kg) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headers | Corner post angles | Length | Width | Height | Max gross | Tare | Max payload | ||
| 40′ Fixed corners FR (20′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 12080 | 11796 | 12192 | 2438 | 1940 | 2114 | 40000 | 5500 | 34500 |
| 40′ Flush fold FR (40′ × 8′ × 8’6″) | 12058 | 11662 | 12192 | 2438 | 1940 | 2224 | 40000 | 5500 | 34500 |
| 40′ High FR (40′ × 8′ × 9’6″) | 12058 | 11662 | 12192 | 2438 | 2260 | 2224 | 52500 | 5300 | 47200 |
Once you’ve chosen the right container type, our team can help you arrange the shipment and provide a rate quote.
