Shipping container and trailer dimensions.
This table compares the most common loading equipment: eight shipping containers (20ft, 40ft, 40ft HC, 45ft HC, 20ft and 40ft reefer, open top and flat rack) and three semi-trailers (curtainsider, mega trailer and reefer trailer). For each one you see the interior dimensions, the payload, the volume and the pallets that usually fit, with a link to its sheet and its sources.
Typical values: every manufacturer and every unit varies. The plate or technical sheet of your own equipment takes precedence.
Shipping containers
| Equipment | Interior (L × W × H) | Payload | Volume | EUR pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' Dry Van | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 28,100–30,200 kg | 33 m³ | 11 |
| 40' Dry Van | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 26,500–28,800 kg | 67–68 m³ | 23–25 |
| 40' High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69–2.70 m | 26,300–28,800 kg | 76 m³ | 23–25 |
| 45' High Cube | 13.56 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | 25,600–27,900 kg | 85–86 m³ | — |
| 20' Reefer | 5.45 × 2.29 × 2.26 m | 27,400–29,100 kg | 28 m³ | — |
| 40' Reefer | 11.59 × 2.29 × 2.54 m | 29,200–29,700 kg | 67–68 m³ | — |
| 20' Open Top | 5.89 × 2.35 × 2.34 m | 28,100–30,200 kg | 32–33 m³ | — |
| 40' Flat Rack | 11.65 × 2.2–2.4 × 1.96 m | 38,800–40,100 kg | — | — |
Validate your load in them: Validate a container load.
Semi-trailers
| Equipment | Interior (L × W × H) | Payload | Volume | EUR pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtainsider | 13.62 × 2.48 × 2.60–2.70 m | Depends on maximum authorised weight and tare | — | 33–34 |
| Mega trailer | 13.62 × 2.48 × 3.0 m | Depends on maximum authorised weight and tare | up to 100 m³ | 33–34 |
| Reefer trailer | 13.4 × 2.46 × 2.65 m | Depends on maximum authorised weight and tare | — | 33 |
Validate your load in them: Validate a truck load.
Pallets: calculated with the shipping lines' interior dimensions and the pallet dimensions of EN 13698-1 and ISO 6780; the real figure depends on clearance, the door and the cargo. Validate your load with its dimensions.
Which one to book for your pallets, your volume and your weight, in which container do I need; and what each type is for, in shipping container types and when to use each one.
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