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Containers

Container Dimensions: 20', 40' & 45' Inside and Out

Inside dimensions, door openings, volume, tare and payload for 10 container types, from the 20' dry box to the 40' flat rack.

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Dimensions

ISO code 22G1
Inside dimensions (L × W × H)
5,898 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,393 mm
Outside dimensions (L × W × H)
6,058 mm × 2,438 mm × 2,591 mm
Door opening (W × H)
2,340 mm × 2,280 mm
Internal volume
33.2 m³ · 1,172 ft³
Floor area
13.87 m²
Door opening area
5.34 m²
Nominal capacity
33,200 L
Tare (empty weight)
2,230 kg
Max. gross mass
30,480 kg
Max. payload
28,250 kg
TEU
1
kg/m³

Optional: cargo weight ÷ cargo volume (kg/m³).

Result · 20GP

33.2 m³

20' Dry (General Purpose) · ISO code 22G1

Max. payload28,250 kg
Density limit851 kg/m³
Floor area13.87 m²
Tare (empty weight)2,230 kg
Inside dimensions (L × W × H)5,898 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,393 mm
Door opening (W × H)2,340 mm × 2,280 mm

Payload ÷ internal volume. Cargo denser than this runs out of weight allowance before the space is full.

Open in 3D Planner

See the real load pattern in 3D, free and without sign-up.

The planner button opens this container with a sample 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton (260 cartons); change the cargo in the planner.

Dimension drawing

20GP · 22G1
Side viewoutside 6,058 mminside 5,898 mmoutside 2,591 mminside 2,393 mmDoor enddoor 2,340 mm2,280 mmoutside 2,438 mm2,591 mm

Typical figures from carrier specification sheets. Inside sizes and tare can differ by a few mm or kg per unit: always go by the CSC plate and door marking of the container you receive.

All containers compared

Typical figures; check the CSC plate of the unit you receive.
ContainerInside dimensions (L × W × H)Door opening (W × H)m³Tare (empty weight)Max. gross massMax. payloadkg/m³
Selected5,898 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,393 mm2,340 mm × 2,280 mm33.22,23030,48028,250851
Select12,032 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,393 mm2,340 mm × 2,280 mm67.73,75030,48026,730395
Select12,032 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,698 mm2,340 mm × 2,585 mm76.43,94030,48026,540348
Select13,556 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,698 mm2,340 mm × 2,585 mm864,80030,48025,680299
Select5,444 mm × 2,294 mm × 2,276 mm2,290 mm × 2,264 mm28.43,08030,48027,400964
Select11,583 mm × 2,294 mm × 2,550 mm2,290 mm × 2,569 mm67.84,80034,00029,200431
Select5,898 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,348 mm2,340 mm × 2,280 mm32.62,35030,48028,130864
Select12,032 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,348 mm2,340 mm × 2,280 mm66.43,85030,48026,630401
Select5,638 mm × 2,228 mm × 2,233 mm–282,74034,00031,2601,114
Select11,652 mm × 2,228 mm × 1,955 mm–50.85,00045,00040,000788

About this calculator

Container size drives almost every loading decision: how many cartons or pallets fit, whether a machine clears the door, and whether the shipment runs out of space or out of weight first. Trade names refer to the outside dimensions (20 or 40 feet long, 8 feet wide), but what matters to exporters and warehouses is the inside size and the door opening, because corrugated walls, the floor and the door frame take a few centimetres on every side.

This page covers the 10 types you meet most often: 20' GP, 40' GP, 40' HC, 45' HC, 20' and 40' reefers, 20' and 40' open tops, and 20' and 40' flat racks. For each one the calculator works out the internal volume (m³), floor area (m²), payload (maximum gross mass minus tare) and the density limit, which is payload divided by internal volume. If your cargo is denser than that figure (kg per m³), the box hits its weight limit before it is full.

Catalogue figures are typical values from carrier specification sheets. Individual boxes differ by a few millimetres or tens of kilograms depending on the manufacturer and age of the unit, so for tight loads always check the CSC plate and door markings of the container you actually receive. The weight allowed on the road leg to the port can also be lower than the container payload; ask your trucking company.

Worked example

A 20' GP container with inside dimensions of 5,898 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm and a payload of 28,250 kg:

  • Internal volume: 5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m = 33.196 m³
  • Floor area: 5.898 × 2.352 = 13.872 m²
  • Payload: 30,480 − 2,230 (tare) = 28,250 kg
  • Density limit: 28,250 ÷ 33.196 ≈ 851 kg/m³

Cargo denser than about 851 kg/m³, such as ceramic tiles or steel, reaches the weight limit before a 20' box is full.

How to use it

  1. Choose a container type

    Pick one of the 10 types, for example a 20' GP, 40' HC, reefer, open top or flat rack.

  2. Read size and capacity

    See inside and outside dimensions, door opening, volume in m³, tare, maximum gross mass and payload, in millimetres and feet-inches.

  3. Compare with your cargo

    Compare your cargo density with the density limit to see whether the load is bound by volume or by weight.

  4. Move on to planning

    Open the selected container in the 3D Planner, or go to the cartons per container calculator to count what fits.

Frequently asked questions

What are the inside dimensions of a 20 ft container?
A typical 20' GP measures 5,898 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm inside, about 33.2 m³, with a door opening of 2,340 × 2,280 mm. Outside it is 6,058 × 2,438 × 2,591 mm.
What is the difference between a 40 ft and a 40 ft High Cube?
Length and width are the same, but the 40' HC is about 30 cm taller: 2,698 mm inside height against 2,393 mm. Volume rises from about 67.7 m³ to 76.4 m³, which suits light, bulky cargo.
What is the maximum payload of a 20 ft and a 40 ft container?
Typically about 28,250 kg for a 20' GP and 26,730 kg for a 40' GP (maximum gross mass of 30,480 kg minus tare). The exact figure is on the CSC plate, and road limits for the truck may be lower.
What is the density limit of a container?
Payload divided by internal volume. It is about 851 kg/m³ for a 20' GP and about 395 kg/m³ for a 40' GP. Cargo denser than that uses up the weight allowance before the space is full.
Why do container sizes differ between carrier websites?
Each manufacturer and owner uses slightly different designs, so inside dimensions and tare can shift by a few millimetres or kilograms. Use typical figures for planning, then check the unit you receive.

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