Container
dimensions
Internal dimensions, door openings, tare and payload for every standard type.
| Type | Internal L × W × H (m) | Door W × H (m) | Tare (kg) | Max payload (kg) | Capacity (m³) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' GP | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 | 2.34 × 2.28 | 2,200 | 28,280 | 33.2 |
| 40' GP | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 | 2.34 × 2.28 | 3,800 | 26,680 | 67.7 |
| 40' HC | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 | 2.34 × 2.58 | 3,900 | 26,580 | 76.4 |
| 45' HC | 13.55 × 2.35 × 2.69 | 2.34 × 2.58 | 4,800 | 25,680 | 86.0 |
| 20' Reefer | 5.44 × 2.29 × 2.27 | 2.29 × 2.26 | 3,000 | 27,480 | 28.3 |
| 40' Reefer HC | 11.58 × 2.29 × 2.55 | 2.29 × 2.50 | 4,800 | 25,680 | 67.6 |
| 20' Open Top | 5.89 × 2.35 × 2.35 | 2.34 × 2.28 | 2,350 | 28,130 | 32.5 |
| 40' Open Top | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.35 | 2.34 × 2.28 | 4,300 | 26,180 | 66.4 |
| 20' Flat Rack | 5.66 × 2.44 × 2.23 | — | 2,750 | 27,730 | — |
| 40' Flat Rack | 12.13 × 2.40 × 2.14 | — | 5,700 | 39,300 | — |
Figures are typical and vary by unit and operator. Confirm actual dimensions and load limits against the equipment specification and markings before loading. Silhouettes are drawn to relative scale.
Internal space and the door opening
Internal length, width and height describe the space inside the container. Door width and height describe the opening through which cargo must pass. A package may fit inside yet be too wide or tall to pass through the doors in its planned loading orientation.
Measure the packed cargo, including its pallet, crate and protrusions. Confirm the actual equipment specification or measurements, all three cargo dimensions and the handling clearance before loading.
A simple fit check
For illustration only, imagine a container with an internal width of 2.40 m and a door opening 2.30 m wide. A rigid crate 2.35 m wide fits within that internal width but cannot pass straight through the opening in the stated orientation.
These are hypothetical measurements, not specifications of a particular PSS container. The example does not establish whether a different orientation or loading method is safe or possible.
Gross mass, tare and payload
Tare is the mass of the empty container. Maximum gross mass is the permitted combined mass of the container and its contents. An indicative maximum payload is maximum gross mass minus actual tare. Cargo, pallets, packing, dunnage and securing materials all contribute to the load.
The CSC safety approval plate gives maximum gross mass. Check the equipment markings or verified specification for tare and payload, and the equipment specification or measurements for internal and door dimensions. Road limits, carrier conditions and weight distribution may impose tighter practical limits.
See BIC container markings and the IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code for the principles behind these checks. These sources explain safe-use principles; the table remains an indicative equipment reference.
A packed container also requires verified gross mass under the applicable SOLAS requirements. This is separate from an indicative payload calculation; see IMO verified gross mass guidance.
Will your cargo fit?
CBM alone does not show how packages fit through the door or stack inside a container. Use the container loading calculator to explore a proposed 3D arrangement from package dimensions, weights and quantities. Confirm the actual container’s dimensions and payload before loading.
Planner presets are examples and may differ from this table. Use the dimensions and payload of the actual container.
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