The idea of loading merchandise onto trucks, then moving onto trains or ships and then loading them back onto trucks came about over 60 years ago. This standardization of shipping container dimensions made a substantial global impact on world trade. It allowed manufacturers to load goods at their factories and ship directly to stores and warehouses without having to unload and transfer their cargo along the way. This meant that manufacturing processes could be located far away from customers but still provide customers with an unimaginable variety of low-cost goods from across the globe. Today, there are 10,000 freighters carrying over 18 million containers to ports all over the world.
Types of containers and their dimensions:
ISO standard containers have been customized to meet the demands of exporters and importers in international trade. With 12 different ocean shipping container types and a variety of sizes to choose from within those types, it’s possible to ship everything from bulk grains and raw materials to perishable commodities.
- 20 ft dry shipping container
- 40 ft dry shipping container
- 40 ft dry high cube shipping container
- 45 ft dry high cube shipping container
- 20 ft flat rack shipping container
- 40 ft flat rack shipping container
- 20 ft open top shipping container
- 40 ft open top shipping container
- 20 ft ventilated shipping container
- 20 ft refrigerated shipping container
- 40 ft refrigerated shipping container
- 20 ft tank shipping container
Standard shipping container dimensions:
20ft Standard shipping container dimensions :
The 20ft standard shipping container and the 40ft standard shipping container are two of the most widely used containers in the world to Ocean freight transport goods.
The 20 ft standard shipping container can hold up to 10 standard pallets or 11 Euro pallets across its floor base.
The standard shipping containers are also known as dry shipping containers or dry vans.
| Inside Length | Inside Width | Inside Height | Door Width | Door Height | Capacity | Tare Weight | Maxi Cargo |
| 19’4″ | 7’8″ | 7’10” | 7’8″ | 7’6″ | 1,172 Cft | 4,916 Lbs | 47,900 Lbs |
| 5.900 m | 2.350 m | 2.393 m | 2.342 m | 2.280 m | 33.2 Cu.m | 2,230 Kgs | 21,770 Kgs |
40 ft standard shipping container dimensions:
The majority of large shipping container homes have utilized these containers. They offer exceptional value for money and considerable interior space.
| Inside Length | Inside Width | Inside Height | Door Width | Door Height | Capacity | Tare Weight | Maxi Cargo |
| 39’5″ | 7’8″ | 7’10” | 7’8″ | 7’6″ | 2,390 Cft | 8,160 Lbs | 59,040 Lbs |
| 12.036 m | 2.350 m | 2.392 m | 2.340 m | 2.280 m | 67.7 Cu.m | 3,700 Kgs | 26,780 Kgs |
One of the biggest points to understand is that your location has a large effect on the availability of different types and sizes on containers.
Dry containers 20′ and 40′ (general purpose) are manufactured from either aluminium or steel. They are suitable for most types of cargo. Aluminium dry containers have a slightly larger payload than steel, and steel dry containers have a slightly larger internal cube.
Reference pages: polestarshipping.com, icontainers.com, dsv.com & Wikipedia.
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