Shipping Container Dimensions & Sizes
New and used shipping containers come in standard sizes and dimensions.
20 and 40 foot sea containers, however, are by far the most common and are governed by the ISO 6346 shipping container standard. They are the most popular size used in shipping container housing projects.
Choose your required size from the list below in order to get the exact width, length and weight for each sea container.
We also provide payload and tare weight information as well as internal sizes.
Exact Container Sizes By Length
- 10 foot shipping container dimensions
- 20 foot shipping container dimensions (ISO)
- 30 foot shipping container dimensions
- 40 foot shipping container dimensions (ISO)
- 45 foot shipping container dimensions (ISO)
- 48 foot shipping container dimensions (ISO, mainly USA rail/road freight)
- 53 foot shipping container dimensions (ISO, mainly USA rail/road freight)
High Cube Container – Dimensions
In most sizes, a variation of the standard container is available with an additional 1 foot in height regardless of the length of the box.
This provides additional cubic capacity (not additional floor space) without having to incur more cost for a longer container and are known industry-wide as high cubes.
See also our dedicated page on high cube container dimensions.
Reefer Container – Dimensions
A reefer container is used where the internal atmosphere of the container needs to be carefully monitored and controlled. Refrigeration, cooling or heating technology is utilized to maintain the shelf-life of fresh produce and temperature sensitive produce.
The external dimensions of reefer containers are the same as standard enclosed dry cargo boxes.
The internal dimensions, however, are likely to be lower to accommodate wall, floor and ceiling insulation or devices used for temperature control.
The 20 foot reefer and 40 reefer container are by far the most common and practical sizes.
For precise measurements and more information, see reefer container dimensions.
Flat Rack Containers – Dimensions
Flat rack shipping containers are not enclosed and do not have side walls or end doors. Instead, flat racks have fixed or collapsable ends and are used for heavy and bulky cargo.
For precise measurements and dimensions, see flat rack dimensions.
Platform Containers – Dimensions
Platform containers are a type of flat rack container but have no ends. They take their name because they have no walls, doors or corner supports.
For dimensions and sizes, see platform container dimensions.
Container Dimensions & Pallets
Most cargo can be loaded into containers on pallets. Pallets are now available in certain standard sizes which means calculation of how many pallets will fit into a given container is fairly straightforward.
We advise consulting our separate section on international pallet shipping for more information.
Dimensions of Shipping Container Homes
Most shipping container homes comprise a number of used shipping containers of varying dimensions. For multi-storey projects such as Container City in London, standard 20 and 40 foot ISO containers were recommended.
For housing projects consisting of a single solitary container, such as Port-a-Bach in New Zealand, any length can be used depending upon the intended function of the unit.
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