Choosing the right container saves money and avoids loading problems on the day. This guide gives the standard dimensions, realistic loading volumes and weight limits for the containers most used between China, the UAE, Iraq, the GCC and Africa. External dimensions follow ISO 668; internal dimensions and weights below are typical values that vary by manufacturer and container age, so check the carrier's specification for tight or heavy loads.
What are the standard container dimensions?
A 20ft and a 40ft container share the same width and height (2.438 m by 2.591 m outside); a high cube is 2.896 m high, about 30 cm taller.
Type (ISO size-type code)
External L × W × H
Internal L × W × H (typical)
Door W × H (typical)
Volume (typical)
20ft standard (22G1)
6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m
5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m
2.34 × 2.28 m
about 33 m³
40ft standard (42G1)
12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m
12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m
2.34 × 2.28 m
about 67 m³
40ft high cube (45G1)
12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 m
12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m
2.34 × 2.58 m
about 76 m³
45ft high cube (L5G1)
13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 m
13.56 × 2.35 × 2.69 m
2.34 × 2.58 m
about 86 m³
How much do containers weigh, and how much can they carry?
Many modern 20ft and 40ft containers are rated to a maximum gross mass of 30,480 kg, and the payload is that rating minus the container's own tare weight.
Type
Max gross mass (common rating)
Tare (typical)
Max payload (typical)
20ft standard
30,480 kg (older units often 24,000 kg)
about 2,200–2,300 kg
about 28,000 kg
40ft standard
30,480 kg
about 3,700–3,800 kg
about 26,600 kg
40ft high cube
30,480 kg (some 32,500 kg)
about 3,900–4,000 kg
about 26,500 kg
The figures that count for your shipment are the ones on the container's CSC safety approval plate, which shows its maximum gross mass and tare. Before the container is loaded on a ship, the shipper must declare its verified gross mass (VGM) under the SOLAS convention.
How much cargo actually fits in each container?
Plan on loading roughly 75–90% of the nominal volume, because cartons, pallets and the gaps between them never fill a box perfectly.
Type
Practical loading volume
Standard pallets 1.2 × 1.0 m (one tier)
Euro pallets 1.2 × 0.8 m (one tier)
20ft standard
about 25–28 CBM
about 10
about 11
40ft standard
about 55–58 CBM
about 20–21
about 23–24
40ft high cube
about 65–68 CBM
about 20–21 (more height for stacking)
about 23–24
Worked example: 420 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm are 0.096 CBM each, so 40.3 CBM in total. That is too much for a 20ft and leaves room in a 40ft standard; a 40ft HC adds space for growth. Use our CBM calculator and container guide tool with your own packing list.
Weight or volume: which limit will you hit first?
If your cargo weighs more than roughly 1,000 kg per CBM, a 20ft reaches its weight limit before it is full; a 40ft HC reaches its weight limit at roughly 400 kg per CBM.
Dense cargo (tiles, steel, paper rolls, cement products, some machinery) usually goes in 20ft containers, often several of them, because a 40ft cannot carry twice the weight of a 20ft.
Light, bulky cargo (furniture, garments, plastics, household goods) goes in 40ft or 40ft HC containers, where volume is the limit.
Road limits can be lower than the container's rating. The legal gross weight of the truck, trailer and container on your delivery route, in the UAE, Iraq or East Africa, may cap what you can load. Check before you plan to fill a 20ft to its plated maximum.
Weight distribution matters as much as total weight: heavy items should sit low and be spread along the floor, never concentrated at one end.
Which special containers are available?
Special containers solve temperature, height and width problems, but they have less internal space, cost more and need to be booked earlier.
Type (ISO code)
Internal size (typical)
Volume (typical)
Use it for
20ft reefer (22R1)
5.45 × 2.29 × 2.27 m
about 28 m³
Chilled or frozen food, pharmaceuticals; temperature range typically around −30 °C to +30 °C depending on the unit
Out-of-gauge cargo on open tops and flat racks pays extra, needs a lashing plan and is accepted only on some services. See our project and breakbulk cargo service for heavy-lift and oversized moves.
How do you read the codes on a container?
Every container carries an ISO 6346 identification number and a size-type code, which together tell you who owns it and what kind of box it is.
Owner code and serial number: three letters for the owner, the letter U, six digits and a check digit, for example ABCU 123456 7. Owner codes are registered with the Bureau International des Containers (BIC). The check digit lets you spot a mistyped or fake container number.
Size-type code: the first character is the length (2 = 20ft, 4 = 40ft, L = 45ft), the second the height and width (2 = 8ft 6in standard height, 5 = 9ft 6in high cube), and the last two the type (G1 = general purpose, R1 = reefer, U1 = open top, P1 = flat rack). So 45G1 is a 40ft high cube general-purpose container.
TEU and FEU: a 20ft container is one twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU); a 40ft is two TEU, also called one FEU.
How do you choose the right container?
Start from your packing list: total volume, total weight, the largest single item and any temperature need decide the container type.
Measure every carton or crate and calculate total CBM and total gross weight.
Divide weight by volume to see whether weight or volume will limit you.
Check the tallest and longest item against door heights and internal length.
Decide whether cargo needs temperature control or crane loading.
Ask whether the equipment is available at the origin and accepted at the destination. Special equipment can be scarce on some lanes, and in early 2026 Ethiopia reported a shortage of empty containers because fewer ships were calling at Djibouti.
Confirm the road weight limit for delivery.
If your volume is well below a full container, compare with LCL in our FCL vs LCL guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many CBM is a 40ft high cube?
About 76 CBM of internal volume, and most shipments load around 65–68 CBM. It is 2.896 m high externally, about 30 cm more than a standard 40ft.
What is the maximum weight of a 20ft container?
Many 20ft containers are rated to 30,480 kg gross, including the container's own tare of about 2.2–2.3 tonnes. Some older units are rated lower, and road limits on your route may be lower still, so check the CSC plate and local rules.
What is a TEU?
A twenty-foot equivalent unit. One 20ft container is 1 TEU and one 40ft container is 2 TEU, also called one FEU.
Is a 40ft container twice the price of a 20ft?
Usually not; a 40ft often costs less than two 20ft containers, although prices vary by lane and season. For heavy cargo you may still need two 20ft containers because of weight limits.
Are internal dimensions the same for every container?
No. External dimensions follow ISO 668, but internal measurements, door openings and tare weights vary by manufacturer and age. Use the carrier's specification when the fit is tight.
Sources
Official and primary sources used for this page. Rules change, so check the source for the latest version.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules and rates change; confirm the requirements for your shipment with your coordinator or the relevant authority.
Full-container sea freight from China to the UAE, Iraq and the GCC, with one named coordinator, an itemised quote and every stage in your case file.
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Carrier-owned and shipper-owned containers, reefers, open tops and flat racks, with release, VGM, free-time tracking and the empty return coordinated through carriers and partners.
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Out-of-gauge machinery, steel structures and vehicles moved on flat racks, open tops, breakbulk or RoRo vessels and low-bed trucks, with a route and equipment plan agreed before booking.
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Ship smaller volumes by sea in a shared container from China to Dubai, and consolidate goods from several suppliers in Jebel Ali for the UAE, Iraq, the GCC or East Africa.
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