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40 ft Shipping Container Dimensions

All You Need to Know About 40ft Shipping Containers

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If you plan on moving items internationally, you’ll likely use a 40-foot shipping container. This widely used standard offers ample space to move furniture and other household goods. In this article, you’ll learn about 40 ft shipping container width, dimensions, measurements, and capacity.

40 ft Container Size Dimensions

The 40 ft container size dimensions are globally consistent, so they can fit seamlessly on any shipping vessels, trucks, and trains. Because of the shipping container walls, the 40 ft container’s inner dimensions are slightly smaller. Below are the different measurements for 40 ft containers.

External dimensions of a 40 ft storage container:

  • Shipping container length: 40 feet (12.19 meters)
  • Shipping container width: 8 feet (2.44 meters)
  • Shipping container height: 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 meters)

Internal measurements of a 40 ft container:

  • Length: 39 feet 6 inches (12.03 meters)
  • Width: 7 feet 9 inches (2.35 meters)
  • Height: 7 feet 10 inches (2.39 meters)

Door dimensions of a 40 ft shipping container:

  • Door shipping container width: 7 feet 8 inches (2.34 meters)
  • Door shipping container height: 7 feet 5 inches (2.28 meters)

High cube containers add an extra foot of weight. This additional space makes them ideal for transporting taller items or maximizing volume.

  • External height: 9 feet 6 inches (2.89 meters)

  • Internal height: 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 meters)

  • Door opening: 8 feet 5 inches (2.57 meters)

Capacity of a 40 ft Shipping Container

A 40 ft shipping container has substantial storage capacity, which can hold anything from furniture to vehicles and industrial materials. The maximum 40-foot container capacity in tons is roughly 27 metric tons (59,524 pounds) of cargo. Understanding the volume of a 40 ft container makes it easier to plan your move.

40 ft container volume

The total internal volume of a standard 40 ft container is approximately 67.7 cubic meters (cbm) or 2,350 cubic feet. It can easily fit the contents of a typical 3-4 bedroom house, making it ideal for relocations or bulk shipments.

For a high cube (HC) variant, the internal volume increases to about 76.4 cbm or 2,698 cubic feet. This extra space is perfect for bulkier or taller items.

40 ft container maximum weight

A 40 ft shipping container has a tare weight (meaning, empty container) of around 3,750-4,200 kilograms (8,267-9,259 pounds), depending on the manufacturer and type. The maximum payload is approximately 29 tons (26,300 kg).

How many cbm fit in a 40 ft container?

With plenty of usable volume in a standard 40-foot shipping container, you can fit around 200 standard moving boxes, 8,000 shoe boxes, or large pieces of furniture combined with packed boxes.

  • Standard 40 ft container: 67.7 cbm of internal space
  • High cube 40 ft container: 76.4 cbm of internal space

What Can Fit in a 40 ft Container?

A 40 ft storage container can house anything from cars and commercial equipment to household goods. Its internal volume of 67.7 cubic meters (cbm) makes it a suitable option for relocations.

For an international move, expect to fit around 200 standard moving boxes in a 40 ft shipping container. This is generally the content of a two to three-bedroom apartment with a living room, dining room, den, and kitchen. The exact volume of how much furniture can fit in a 40 ft container depends on the packaging and stacking method.

Businesses often use the shipping container width for bulk shipments of retail inventory, industrial equipment, cars, cement, or small machinery. In a 40 ft container, you can fit up to 25 Euro pallets (1.2m x 0.8m) or 21 American pallets (1.016m x 1.219m). A 40-feet shipping container can also transport 2 to 4 cars.

Standard vs. 40 ft High Cube Container Dimensions

When choosing a 40-foot shipping container, you need to understand the difference between standard 40-foot container dimensions and high cube (HC) containers. Both are used for international shipping and storage, but they vary in shipping container dimensions and volume.

A standard 40 ft container’s external dimensions are:

  • Height: 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 meters)
  • Width: 8 feet (2.44 meters)
  • Length: 40 feet (12.19 meters)

As for the 40 ft HC container dimensions, the shipping container has an external height of 9 feet 6 inches (2.89 meters) and an internal height of 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 meters). This extra height on the 40 ft HC shipping container is great for transporting taller items or industrial machinery.

Frequently asked questions

What Are the Dimensions of a 40 ft Shipping Container?

How Much Does a 40 ft Shipping Container Weigh?

How Many Cbm is in a 40 ft Container?