Picking the right box is the single easiest way to control the cost of a sea shipment. Choose too small and you pay twice for a second consignment; choose too large and you pay ocean freight for air. The guide below gives the real internal dimensions of each container type — not the external ones printed on the door — because those are the numbers your cargo actually has to fit inside.
Container dimensions at a glance
| Container | Internal L × W × H | Door opening | Capacity | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard DryTare 2,250 kg | 5.90 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m | 2.34 m W × 2.28 m H | 33.2 cbm gross / ~28 cbm usable | up to 28,200 kg |
| 40ft Standard DryTare 3,750 kg | 12.03 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m | 2.34 m W × 2.28 m H | 67.7 cbm gross / ~58 cbm usable | up to 26,700 kg |
| 40ft High CubeTare 3,900 kg | 12.03 m × 2.35 m × 2.69 m | 2.34 m W × 2.58 m H | 76.3 cbm gross / ~67 cbm usable | up to 26,500 kg |
| 45ft High CubeTare 4,800 kg | 13.56 m × 2.35 m × 2.69 m | 2.34 m W × 2.58 m H | 86.0 cbm gross | up to 27,700 kg |
| 20ft Open TopTare 2,350 kg | 5.90 m × 2.35 m × 2.35 m | 2.34 m W × 2.28 m H + open roof | 32.0 cbm | up to 28,100 kg |
| 40ft Flat RackTare 5,000 kg | 12.06 m × 2.40 m deck | Open — side and top loading | Deck load | up to 40,000 kg |
| 20ft ReeferTare 3,000 kg | 5.44 m × 2.29 m × 2.27 m | 2.29 m W × 2.26 m H | 28.3 cbm | up to 27,400 kg |
| 40ft Reefer High CubeTare 4,800 kg | 11.58 m × 2.29 m × 2.50 m | 2.29 m W × 2.49 m H | 67.0 cbm | up to 29,500 kg |
Which container type suits your cargo?
20ft Standard Dry
2–3 bedroom house move, one large vehicle, dense commercial cargo
40ft Standard Dry
4 bedroom house move, two to three cars, palletised export cargo
40ft High Cube
Bulky, light cargo; furniture; stacked vehicles on racking
45ft High Cube
Maximum volume for light cargo on selected trade lanes
20ft Open Top
Cargo loaded by crane from above; over-height machinery
40ft Flat Rack
Out-of-gauge plant, boats, transformers, over-width loads
20ft Reefer
Chilled and frozen foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, flowers
40ft Reefer High Cube
Volume temperature-controlled cargo, −25°C to +25°C
Weight versus volume — which one bites first?
Dense cargo such as tiles, machinery, engines, tinned goods or paper weighs out long before it fills the space, so a 20ft is normally the right call. Furniture, plastics, bedding and packaging cube out first, which is why household removals almost always go in a 40ft or a high cube. If you tell us the approximate weight and the rough volume, we will tell you which limit you will hit and quote the cheaper equipment.
Loading, bracing and access
A standard container needs firm, level ground and around 25 metres of straight approach for the delivery trailer. If your address cannot take an articulated vehicle we can load at our own facility instead, or use a smaller rigid with a tilt-bed. Inside the box, cargo is blocked and braced with timber, airbags and ratchet straps, and vehicles are strapped through their wheels rather than their axles so suspension is not loaded for the length of the voyage.
Vehicles inside containers
One large car or two small cars fit comfortably in a 20ft. A 40ft high cube takes three to four cars using purpose-built racking that lifts one vehicle above another. Bikes, spares and boxed personal effects can be stowed around them provided everything is declared on the packing list. Fuel is drained to a quarter tank, batteries are disconnected where the carrier requires it, and every vehicle is photographed in place before the doors are sealed.