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Shipping container dimensions

Q: How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?

Around 20 to 21 standard 48x40 GMA pallets in a single tier, or 24 to 25 Euro pallets at 1200x800 millimetres.

Q: Why is a container's internal width less than 8 feet?

External width is a standardised 2.44 metres and corrugated steel walls take roughly 45 millimetres in total, leaving about 2.35 metres or 7 feet 8 inches internally.

Every standard ISO container is 8 feet wide externally and either 8 feet 6 inches or 9 feet 6 inches tall. Length and height are the only variables, which makes the choice between them mostly a question of whether your cargo is heavy or bulky.

Last reviewed: August 2026

Container size chart

Nominal figures for general purpose dry containers. Tare and payload vary by manufacturer, age and door configuration; the plate on the container door is the authority for any individual unit.
Container	Internal L × W × H	Door opening W × H	Capacity	Tare	Max payload
20 ft standard	5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m 19'4" × 7'8" × 7'10"	2.34 × 2.28 m 7'8" × 7'6"	33.2 m³ 1,172 cu ft	~2,250 kg ~4,960 lb	~28,200 kg ~62,170 lb
40 ft standard	12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m 39'5" × 7'8" × 7'10"	2.34 × 2.28 m 7'8" × 7'6"	67.7 m³ 2,389 cu ft	~3,750 kg ~8,270 lb	~26,700 kg ~58,860 lb
40 ft high cube	12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m 39'5" × 7'8" × 8'10"	2.34 × 2.58 m 7'8" × 8'5"	76.2 m³ 2,691 cu ft	~3,940 kg ~8,690 lb	~26,500 kg ~58,420 lb
45 ft high cube	13.55 × 2.35 × 2.69 m 44'6" × 7'8" × 8'10"	2.34 × 2.58 m 7'8" × 8'5"	86.0 m³ 3,037 cu ft	~4,800 kg ~10,580 lb	~27,600 kg ~60,850 lb

The door is narrower than the box, again

Internal width is roughly 2.35 metres but the door opening is about 2.34 metres, and internal height on a standard container is 2.39 metres against a 2.28 metre opening. That last one is an 11 centimetre difference, more than four inches, and it is where oversized crates get stuck.

High cube gains height inside, and at the door. A 40ft high cube adds 30 centimetres of internal height over a standard 40ft, about 13 percent more volume for a modest rate premium. The door opening grows too, from 2.28 to 2.58 metres, which is often the deciding factor for tall machinery rather than the volume itself.

Why heavy cargo goes in a 20ft

A 40ft container holds roughly twice the volume of a 20ft but carries slightly less weight, because the container itself is heavier and the maximum gross weight is capped at a similar figure. Two 20ft containers therefore give you materially more payload than one 40ft, which is why dense freight such as tile, stone, liquids, machinery and steel usually ships in 20s even though the per-cubic-metre rate looks worse.

The practical crossover sits near 400 kilograms per cubic metre, roughly 25 pounds per cubic foot. Above that, you will hit the weight plate before you fill the box.

Road weight is usually the real limit

The payload figures above are the container's structural rating. What you can actually load is frequently lower, because the loaded container has to travel by road at both ends of the ocean leg. In the United States, drayage of a loaded 20ft container commonly runs into state axle and gross weight limits well before the container's 28 tonne plate becomes relevant.

Check the road limit for the origin and destination lanes before you plan to the plate. A container that is legal on the vessel and illegal on the highway is a container that gets stripped and reworked at your expense.

See how your cargo actually fits

Enter your carton or crate dimensions and PCTS places them into a 20ft, 40ft, 40HC or 45HC, checks each item against the door opening, tracks weight against the payload limit, and gives you floor, side, door and 3D views plus a printable loading sequence.

Open the load planner

Frequently asked

What are the internal dimensions of a 40ft container?

About 12.03 metres long, 2.35 metres wide and 2.39 metres high, which is roughly 39 feet 5 inches by 7 feet 8 inches by 7 feet 10 inches. That gives about 67.7 cubic metres, or 2,389 cubic feet.

How much can a 20ft container hold?

Roughly 33 cubic metres of volume and about 28,200 kilograms of cargo by its structural rating. Road weight limits at either end of the journey usually reduce the practical figure.

What is the difference between a 40ft and a 40ft high cube?

One foot of internal height, 2.69 metres against 2.39 metres. That is roughly 8.5 extra cubic metres, about 13 percent more volume, with the same footprint and a slightly lower payload because the container weighs more.

How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?

Around 20 to 21 standard 48×40 GMA pallets in a single tier, or 24 to 25 Euro pallets at 1200×800 millimetres. Stacking multiplies that if the freight and the weight limit both allow it.

Why is a container's internal width less than 8 feet?

External width is a standardised 2.44 metres, exactly 8 feet, and corrugated steel walls take roughly 45 millimetres in total. Internal width lands at about 2.35 metres, or 7 feet 8 inches, on every standard ISO container regardless of length.