Shipping containers come in a range of sizes to meet your needs. 20ft and 40ft shipping containers are the most commonly used, however 10ft containers are available if you have or need less space. Almost all basic containers have the same width, but it is their height and of course their length where the key differences are.

Let’s take a look at the key shipping container dimensions.

General Purpose Container

  • These containers are of a standard size with an external height of 2.6m
  • A 20ft general purpose container is usually a cheaper option when compared to the same size in a high cube container

General purpose containers, depending on their quality rating, are waterproof and perfect for shipping and storing a range of goods. These containers are the most commonly used ones for the transport of normal goods.

High Cube Container

  • Slightly larger external height of 2.9m
  • More common in the 40ft size, although certainly available in 20ft
  • Generally more expensive than the same size in a general purpose container

Dimensions of 20ft General Purpose Container

Below, we’ve outlined the dimensions of your typical 20ft general purpose container. These containers will generally comfortably fit a 2 bedroom apartment or a small 3 bedroom house.

Inside Cubic: 32.8m3
Capacity: (1,158 cubic ft)
Cargo Capacity: 21,640 kg (47,716 lbs.)
Tare Weight: 2,360 kgs (5,200lbs)
Internal Measurements:
Length: 5.90 m (19.35 ft)
Width: 2.35 m (7.71 ft)
Height: 2.38 m (7.80 ft)
Door Size:
Height: 2.28 m (7.48 ft)
Width: 2.33 m (7.64 ft)

Dimensions of 40ft General Purpose Container

Below, we’ve outlined the dimensions of your typical 40ft general purpose container. These containers will generally comfortably fit a standard size 3 bedroom home through to a 5 bedroom home.

Inside Cubic: 67.2 m3
Capacity: (2,372 cu.ft)
Cargo Capacity: 26,500 kg (58,433 lbs.)
Tare Weight: 3,980 kgs (8,776 lbs)
Internal Measurements:
Length: 12.01 m (39.39 ft)
Width: 2.35 m (7.71 ft)
Height: 2.38 m (7.80 ft)
Door Size:
Height: 2.28 m (7.48 ft)
Width: 2.33 m (7.64 ft)

Container Weights – What to Consider

Container weights are important to consider. There are three key weights you need to keep in mind when purchasing or hiring a shipping container:

Tare weight: Weight of shipping container without any cargo present.
Gross weight: Weight of the container plus the overall payload.
Payload: The net weight that can be held by the shipping container.
If you need to know more about shipping container dimensions, or you are quite sure which shipping container to choose, contact the friendly team at Shipping Containers Sydney who will be more than happy to give you a hand.