Freight reference
Container types and dimensions
Choosing the right container saves money on freight and avoids problems at the port. Pick a type to see it in 3D with its main figures.
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20' Dry container
The standard closed steel box and the most common container in transit trade. Good for heavy, dense cargo such as tiles, steel parts or bagged goods, which reach the weight limit before the box is full.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m |
| Capacity | 33.2 m³ |
| Tare weight | 2,230 kg |
| Max payload | 28,250 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | 11 Euro / 10 standard |
40' Dry container
Twice the length of a 20-foot box but with a similar weight limit, so it suits lighter general cargo: furniture, appliances, textiles and consumer goods.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m |
| Capacity | 67.7 m³ |
| Tare weight | 3,750 kg |
| Max payload | 26,730 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | 24 Euro / 21 standard |
40' High Cube container
Thirty centimetres taller than a standard 40-foot container, with about 13% more volume. The usual choice for light, bulky goods.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m |
| Capacity | 76.3 m³ |
| Tare weight | 3,900 kg |
| Max payload | 26,580 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | 24 Euro / 21 standard |
20' Reefer container
A refrigerated 20-foot container with its own cooling unit. Needs electric power at the port, on the ship, on rail and on the truck (a generator set).
| Outside (L × W × H) | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 5.44 × 2.29 × 2.27 m |
| Capacity | 28.3 m³ |
| Tare weight | 3,000 kg |
| Max payload | 27,400 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | 10 Euro |
40' HC Reefer container
The main reefer size for fruit, vegetables, meat and medicines. Keeps a set temperature, typically from about −30 °C to +30 °C.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 11.58 × 2.29 × 2.55 m |
| Capacity | 67.6 m³ |
| Tare weight | 4,800 kg |
| Max payload | 29,200 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | 23 Euro |
20' Open Top container
A removable tarpaulin roof lets cranes load tall or heavy pieces from above, such as machinery that cannot go through the doors.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 5.89 × 2.35 × 2.35 m |
| Capacity | 32.5 m³ |
| Tare weight | 2,300 kg |
| Max payload | 28,180 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | 11 Euro |
40' Open Top container
The long open top, used for long machinery, pipes and bundles that must be lifted in.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.35 m |
| Capacity | 66.4 m³ |
| Tare weight | 3,850 kg |
| Max payload | 26,630 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | 24 Euro |
20' Flat Rack container
A platform with folding or fixed end walls and no sides or roof. For heavy, out-of-gauge units: machines, vehicles, cable drums.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 5.62 × 2.24 × 2.23 m |
| Capacity | open platform |
| Tare weight | 2,700 kg |
| Max payload | 31,300 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | — |
40' Flat Rack container
The long flat rack for large pieces such as transformers, boats and steel structures. Cargo wider or taller than the rack is possible but needs planning with the carrier.
| Outside (L × W × H) | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 11.65 × 2.13 × 1.96 m |
| Capacity | open platform |
| Tare weight | 5,000 kg |
| Max payload | 40,000 kg |
| Pallets, one tier (about) | — |
Typical values for ISO steel containers. Exact figures vary by owner and build year; check the CSC plate on the door.
نسخه فارسی: انواع کانتینر و ابعاد · Twistlocks, fittings and lashing →
Reading a container door
Every container door carries the same set of markings: the container number, the ISO size-type code, the weights and the CSC safety plate. Knowing them helps you check documents, plan weights and spot a box that should be refused.
Hover over a part for a moment, or tap it. Sample markings for teaching; real values differ by box.
Container door
Hover over any marking or part of the door, or tap it on a phone, to see what it means. The CSC plate opens in full.
All types compared
| Type | Inside L × W × H (m) | Capacity (m³) | Tare (kg) | Max payload (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' Dry | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 | 33.2 | 2,230 | 28,250 |
| 40' Dry | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 | 67.7 | 3,750 | 26,730 |
| 40' High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 | 76.3 | 3,900 | 26,580 |
| 20' Reefer | 5.44 × 2.29 × 2.27 | 28.3 | 3,000 | 27,400 |
| 40' HC Reefer | 11.58 × 2.29 × 2.55 | 67.6 | 4,800 | 29,200 |
| 20' Open Top | 5.89 × 2.35 × 2.35 | 32.5 | 2,300 | 28,180 |
| 40' Open Top | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.35 | 66.4 | 3,850 | 26,630 |
| 20' Flat Rack | 5.62 × 2.24 × 2.23 | — | 2,700 | 31,300 |
| 40' Flat Rack | 11.65 × 2.13 × 1.96 | — | 5,000 | 40,000 |
Dry and high cube
The standard closed steel box for general cargo. A high cube is 30 cm taller than a standard container, which adds about 13% more volume for light, bulky goods.
Reefer
Refrigerated containers keep a set temperature for food, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. The insulation and cooling unit make the inside smaller than a dry container. On long transit legs, plan for power supply at ports, on rail and on trucks.
Open top
A container with a removable tarpaulin roof, loaded from above by crane. Used for tall machinery and heavy pieces that cannot go through the doors.
Flat rack
A platform with end walls and no sides or roof, for out-of-gauge cargo such as transformers, vehicles and steel structures. Cargo wider or taller than the rack is possible but costs more and needs planning with the carrier.
- 40′ high cube and 20′ dry are the most common types and the easiest to find. Many lines have replaced 40′ standard boxes with high cubes.
- Reefers are available at Bandar Abbas but should be booked early, especially in the fruit and vegetable season. Plan power for every leg of the transit.
- Open tops and flat racks are special equipment. Book them weeks ahead, and expect fewer at Chabahar than at Bandar Abbas.
- Shipper-owned containers (SOC). Many lines limit how far inland their own containers may go, or ask for a high deposit and detention for Afghanistan and Central Asia. For these routes it is often cheaper to ship in your own containers or transload at the port.
General guidance, last reviewed November 2026. Rules change often; ask us to confirm the requirements for your shipment.