Quick answer
What are the dimensions of a shipping container?
A standard 20 ft container has an interior of 19'4" × 7'8.5" × 7'10" (~1,172 cu ft / 33.2 m³); a 40 ft container is 39'5" × 7'8.5" × 7'10" (~2,366 cu ft / 67.7 m³). Interior width and height are identical across both — only the length changes.
Size reference
ISO shipping container dimensions
| Container | Exterior (L×W×H) | Interior (L×W×H) | Door Opening (W×H) | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft Standard | 20' × 8' × 8'6" | 19'4" × 7'8.5" × 7'10" | 7'8" × 7'6" | ~1,172 cu ft (33.2 m³) |
| 40 ft Standard | 40' × 8' × 8'6" | 39'5" × 7'8.5" × 7'10" | 7'8" × 7'6" | ~2,366 cu ft (67.7 m³) |
| 40 ft High Cube | 40' × 8' × 9'6" | 39'5" × 7'8.5" × 8'10" | 7'8" × 8'5" | ~2,694 cu ft (76.3 m³) |
Door openings are narrower and a few inches shorter than the interior — a load that fits the cube can still be blocked at the doors.
Quick lookups
Quick fit-check examples.
20 ft vs 40 ft shipping container
A 20 ft container holds roughly 1,172 cu ft and a 40 ft holds about 2,366 cu ft — double the length for double the volume. Because the interior width (7 ft 8.5 in) and height (7 ft 10 in) are identical, anything that fits width-wise or height-wise in one fits in the other; only the length and total capacity change.
The door opening is the real constraint
The door opening on a standard container is about 7 ft 8 in wide by 7 ft 6 in tall — narrower and a few inches shorter than the interior. A pallet, vehicle, or machine that fits the interior cube can still be blocked at the doors, so check the opening first. A High Cube container adds about a foot of height if you need extra vertical clearance.
Measure smart
What to measure.
Four numbers decide nearly every fit check. Get these right and the rest follows.
- 01Width, depth, and height of the item, taken at the widest points, including any feet, handles, or protrusions.
- 02The clear opening of every space the item passes through, measured at the tightest point rather than the nominal size.
- 03The item's smallest dimension, which decides whether tilting or turning it on edge gets it through.
- 04Diagonal clearance at turns, landings, and openings, where the real bottleneck usually is.
Don't make these
Common mistakes.
Most “it didn't fit” stories trace back to one of these oversights.
- ⚠Trusting the printed or nominal size instead of measuring the item and the space yourself.
- ⚠Measuring the frame or outer edge instead of the actual clear opening.
- ⚠Forgetting that a long item can sometimes clear a tight space only when tilted or turned.
- ⚠Planning one space and overlooking the next one in the path.
Go deeper
Guides and reference tables.
Frequently asked
Questions we keep getting.
What are the interior dimensions of a 20 ft shipping container?
A standard 20 ft container has an interior of about 19'4" long × 7'8.5" wide × 7'10" tall, for roughly 1,172 cu ft (33.2 m³) of usable space.
01What are the interior dimensions of a 40 ft shipping container?
A standard 40 ft container has an interior of about 39'5" long × 7'8.5" wide × 7'10" tall, for roughly 2,366 cu ft (67.7 m³). Width and height match the 20 ft — only the length differs.
02How wide is a shipping container door opening?
The door opening on a standard container is about 7 ft 8 in wide by 7 ft 6 in tall — slightly narrower and shorter than the interior. A High Cube container raises the door height to about 8 ft 5 in.
03What is the difference between a standard and High Cube container?
A High Cube container is one foot taller than a standard container — 9'6" exterior vs 8'6", giving about 8'10" of interior height instead of 7'10". Length and width are unchanged.
04
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