​container, is one of the most widely used standard shipping containers for ocean freight.

Everybody knows sea freight is the most common used shipping type.

In fact, over 90% of the world’s trade is carried by sea and containerization.

To speed up your inquiry and booking, here are 5 important things you should be pay attention to when using 20 ft container:

• Dimension
• Weight
• Volume
• Pallets
• Price

1. 20 ft container dimensions

20ft container dimensionsThe meaning of accurate 20′ shipping container dimensions is to help confirm whether cargo can be put into the container.

The 20-foot container’s dimensions are usually measured using the imperial system (feet) and specifies both the exterior dimensions and the interior (usable) dimensions.

Anyway, 20′ container dimensions are:

• Exterior Dimensions (in feet): 20’ long x 8’ wide x 8’ 6” high
• Exterior Dimensions (in meters): 6.10m long x 2.44m wide x 2.59m high
• Interior Dimensions (in feet): 19’ 4” long x 7’ 9” wide x 7’ 10” high
• Internal Dimensions (in meters): 5.898m long x 2.352m wide x 2.393m high

Why need to know the internal dimension ?

Next time, when your supplier told cargo packing dimension is oversize ( Exceed any above data ), you should know you can’t use 20’ft container.

2. 20ft container weight

How much does a 20ft shipping container weigh ?

When we talked about how much does a 20 foot shipping container weigh, there are 2 concepts.

Tare Weight

Means 20 footer container weight itself.

Tare Weight ：2300kg    5,071.5 lbs

Payload of 20ft container

Means the legal weight limit for a 20 foot container.

Max Payload”：28130kg 62016 lbs

You may want load as much as possible, but shipping line need to protect the shipping safety, that’s why VGM are required.

So you can see, a 20 foot shipping container’s tare weight is 2,300 kg.

And in theory, the maximum cargo weight ( payload ) that can be safely and legally loaded is 28130 KG.

But pay attention that it is just a theoretical data, you definitely can’t load 28 TON in practice.

Why ? The following 3 factors matters :

   • restrictions and limitations of the shipping line
   • requirements of different shipping routes.
   • the nature, and size of the cargo.

How much weight is allowed in 20ft container ?

According to my experience, I would say maximum 22 Ton. Within 18 Ton is recommended.

3. 20ft container volume

20ft container volumeHow many cbm in 20ft container ？

As we already learn the internal dimension of 20ft shipping container : 5.9 x 2.3 x 2.4 M

So we can easily calculate the theoretical data of the capacity is 32-33 CBM

But just like the weight limitation, you can’t load 32 CBM for a 20ft shipping container in most of the time.

If you know cargo is about 30 CBM, be note 20ft container may not be enough.

The cargo packing size can’t perfectly match the container size, unless you customize the packing or what you ship is water or air:)

In some cases, like consolidated shipments of vairous cargo in different packing materials, it really test the loading level and abilities of warehouse workers.

Then how many CBM does a 20ft container hold?

Again, it depends on the cargo nature, packing as well as shipper’s loading abilities.

In most cases, volume under 25 CBM is recommended to use a 20ft container.

4. How many pallets fit in a 20 foot container ?

How many pallets can you fit in a 20ft containerAs we talked that 20ft can load 32 CBM in theory, but only about 25-28 CBM in most real practice situation.

Loading with cartons with uniform size can make full use of the container space.

If loaded with pallets, it be more safety for shipping, but the downside is more space will be wasted.

For dimension for standard shipping pallets, normally it is 1.2 M X 1 M. ( Length x Width ) . So you have the calculation :

   • Length : 4 Pallets （ 1.2 x 4 = 4.8 M, 5 pallets can’t be loaded as 1.2 X 5 = 6 M , exceed internal length 5.9 M )
 • Width : 2 pallets ( 1 x 2 =2 M , 3 pallets can’t be allowed as 1 x 3 =3 M, exceed internal width 2.35 M )
   • Height : 2 pallets . As long as height of the pallet less than 1.2 M, pallets can be piled up for 2 floors ( Won’t exceed internal height 2.4 M )

So total 4 x 2 x 2 = 16 standard pallets can be fit in 20ft container.

Or just 8 pallets when palleting height exceed 1.2 M or pallets can’t be piled up.

Now, it is time to talk 40 foot container : another common used standard container type.

The dimension comes from 20ft to 40ft, does that mean 40ft container load 2 times cargo than 20ft ?

or shipping price double increased ?

With this question, let’s dive right in.

1.40ft container dimension

Same as 20’ft container, forget the exterior Dimensions, just pay attention to Internal Dimensions.

2.40FT container volume

So length doubled, what about the volume ?

Back to the question in the beginning , whether a 40ft container can load 2 times than 20ft container ?

When you mean shipping volume, yes, one 40ft container can load 64-68 CBM. If you remember a 20ft can load 32-33 CBM

But again, pay attention that the shipping capacity is just a theoretical data based on the calculation of the container interior dimension.

For consolidated shipments with various cargo in different packing dimensions, you can just load about 55 CBM at most.

3.How many pallets fit in a 40ft container ?

You have figured out the 40 foot container container volume as above.

To know how many pallets can be loaded by a 40ft container, the next step is to learn the pallet types and dimensions.

International pallet shipping comes in 3 commen used pallets :

The fit pallet quantities can be vary when using different pallet types.

4.40FT container weight

Compared with a 20ft container,

It’s indeed that the shipping capacity for 40ft container is double increased.

But that doesn’t mean the weight is also 2 times.

In fact, the weight allowed is not too much.

A 40-foot container’s tare weight ( empty weight ) is about 3,750kg.

And it can load to a maximum overall weight ( payload ) of 29 tons (26,300kg).

Same as loading 20ft container, you can’t load close to above weight.

3 factors effect how much amount of cargo you can load :

   • restrictions and limitations of the shipping line,
   • the nature of the cargo
   • specific details of the shipment.

Then how much weight can be allowed to load by 40ft container ?

Based on the VGM regulation,

I would say maximum 25-27 Ton ( Additional heavy container cost required ),

Within 20 Ton is recommended.

As one of the standard shipping container types, 40 high cube shipping container is very common used.

Compared with 20ft container, 40 high cubic container can load 2 times more cargo.

Despite its capacity is more than 40 foot container , the container shipping cost is the same.

Certainly, shipping price for one 40 hc is cheaper than two 20 foot containers.

With the benefits, 40 hc become the most economic choice.

Then, how to make full use of its advantages ?

Let’s start from the specificications.

1.40′ high cube container dimensions

Specific Internal dimension of 40hc containers may vary depending on the container manufacturer.

The specifications supplied here are, however, representative for the majority of 40ft high cube containers.

2.High cubic container capacity

How many cubic meters can a 40hq container load ?

Based on the interior dimension, the shipping capacity of a 40 hc can be calculated by 12.03 x 2.35 x 2.70 = 76.3 CBM.

But just pay attention that it is a theoretical data, you can’t perfectly load such volume in real practice.

If all the cargo are the same and packed in unique cartons or pallets, a 40 hc container can generally load 55-60 CBM.

For consolidated shipments with various cargo in different packing dimensions, you can just load about 55 CBM at most.

When comes to standard pallet, the most common used type which dimensions are 1.2 x 1 ( M ),

The base of the 40 high cube container can hold up to 40 standard pallets.

But need to meet 2 requirements :

1.The pallets can be stack . If one palleting cargo is too heavy, cargo may be damaged when piled up
2.The height less than 1.3 M, otherwise pallets can’t be piled up since total height for 2 pallets will be exceed 2.7 M.

The specific loading plan is :

Length : 10 pallets ; Width : 2 pallets ; Height : 2 floor ;

4.What’s the maximum load for a 40 high cube shipping container?

A 40hc container’s empty weight ( Tare weight ) is about 3950 kg.

It can be loaded to a maximum cargo weight ( Payload ) of 28550 kg.

i.e the max. gross weight by a 40hc container is 32500 kg.

That’s all you need to know when need to book 20 foot container 40ft container 40hc container for shipping.The dimension, weight and volume effect your decision to use container.

Now I want to turn it over to you.

If you plan to ship from China, now or in the future, please contact me, and I will provide you with a solution subsequently.