Enter the 40-foot shipping container load dimensions and the available space to check clearances, orientation, and tight-fit risks.
A 40 ft container doubles the length to about 39 ft 5 in (~2,350 cu ft) — but it shares the 20 ft container’s 7 ft 6 in door height, so tall loads are limited the same way.
Your tallest and widest item vs. the 7 ft 8 in × 7 ft 6 in door opening; length is rarely the limit at 39 ft 5 in.
Item: Measure each item L × W × H, including pallets, crating, and protruding hardware.
Space: 40 ft interior: 39 ft 5 in × 7 ft 8 in × 7 ft 10 in (~2,350 cu ft, ~300 sq ft floor). Door opening 7 ft 8 in W × 7 ft 6 in H.
Actual clear openings are usually 1–2″ smaller than the labeled size.
| Spec | 20 ft container | 40 ft container |
|---|---|---|
| Interior length | 19 ft 4 in | 39 ft 5 in |
| Interior width | 7 ft 8 in | 7 ft 8 in |
| Interior height | 7 ft 10 in | 7 ft 10 in |
| Door opening | 7 ft 8 in W × 7 ft 6 in H | 7 ft 8 in W × 7 ft 6 in H |
| Floor area | ~150 sq ft | ~300 sq ft |
| Volume | ~1,170 cu ft | ~2,350 cu ft |
ISO standard dry containers. The door opening is ~4 in shorter than the interior ceiling because of the header beam above the doors — measure tall items against the door height.
Your exact dimensions probably aren't "standard." Small measurement errors cause big problems — 1 inch can be the difference between fitting and getting stuck.
Verdicts are calculated by comparing all 6 item orientations against the space dimensions using verified building code standards. See our methodology
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Frequently asked
A standard 40 ft dry container is about 39 ft 5 in long × 7 ft 8 in wide × 7 ft 10 in high inside — roughly 2,350 cubic feet and about 300 square feet of floor. The door opening is 7 ft 8 in wide × 7 ft 6 in high.
01About double the volume — ~2,350 cubic feet versus ~1,170 — for roughly twice the length. Width and height are identical, so a 40 ft holds about 20–21 pallets in a single layer versus 10–11.
02The door opening is 7 ft 8 in wide × 7 ft 6 in high on both 20 ft and 40 ft containers — 4 inches lower than the interior. Measure tall items against 7 ft 6 in, and use the fit calculator above for an exact check.
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