Shipping container dimensions and weights
External, internal, door opening, capacity and tare — plus the three numbers that actually decide whether a container fits your site, which are not on this list.
Standard height containers
10 Foot Shipping Containers
- External2.99m × 2.44m × 2.59m
- Internal2.83m × 2.35m × 2.39m
- Door opening2.34m × 2.28m
- Capacity15.9m³
- Tare weightapprox 1,300 kg
20 Foot Shipping Containers
- External6.06m × 2.44m × 2.59m
- Internal5.90m × 2.35m × 2.39m
- Door opening2.34m × 2.28m
- Capacity33.2m³
- Tare weightapprox 2,200 kg
40 Foot Shipping Containers
- External12.19m × 2.44m × 2.59m
- Internal12.03m × 2.35m × 2.39m
- Door opening2.34m × 2.28m
- Capacity67.7m³
- Tare weightapprox 3,800 kg
Dimensions are nominal and vary slightly between manufacturers and build years. Where a dimension is critical — a doorway, a shed bay, a slab already poured — ring and we will measure the specific unit.
High cube
A high cube is 2.89m externally instead of 2.59m, giving roughly 2.69m of internal height against 2.39m. Same footprint, same door width, 300mm more head height.
It costs you clearance on the way in. A gateway, carport or awning a standard container clears comfortably can stop a high cube dead. Measure the lowest thing between the road and the spot before ordering one.
The three numbers that actually matter
The container's dimensions are rarely what stops a delivery. These are:
Run-in length
About 20 metres of straight space behind the spot for a 20ft on a tilt-tray. Roughly 30 metres for a 40ft on a side loader.
Width at the tightest point
Around 4.3 metres of clear width for the vehicle to work — considerably more than the 2.44m width of the container itself.
Clear air above the spot
Wires, limbs, awnings, shade sails. A tilt-tray needs far more headroom mid-delivery than the finished height of the container.
Dimension questions
How much space do I need for a 20ft container?
About 6.1 metres of length plus room to swing the doors, roughly 2.5 metres of width, and — separately — enough room for the delivery vehicle to work. The footprint is the easy part; the delivery is what actually decides it.
What is the difference between a standard and a high cube?
300mm of external height — 2.89m against 2.59m — which gives about 2.69m internally instead of 2.39m. Same footprint, same doors, and a very different container to work inside.
How heavy is an empty shipping container?
A 10ft is around 1,300 kg, a 20ft around 2,200 kg and a 40ft around 3,800 kg. Those are tare weights and they matter for crane truck capacity, for what the ground has to carry, and for anyone working out a tie-down.
Will a container fit through a standard gate?
The container is 2.44m wide, so a 3m gate is not enough on its own — the delivery vehicle needs about 4.3 metres of clear width to work, and that is the measurement that matters. Measure the narrowest point between the road and the spot, not the gate.
Need a dimension confirmed?
Where a measurement is critical we will measure the actual unit rather than quote a nominal figure. Every enquiry answered within one business day.
Or skip the form — 1300 263 976