TrimLoad

40ft container dimensions

Inside a 40ft container: 12,029 × 2,350 × 2,385 mm (1,202.9 × 235 × 238.5 cm) — 67.4 m³ (2,381 cu ft), up to 26,480 kg (26.5 t) of cargo.

40ft standard. These are the smallest inside sizes among the mainstream carriers we read, and the lowest weight rating — a load planned on them also fits the bigger ones. The volume 67.4 m³ is length × width × height of the numbers below; Evergreen Line prints 67.5 m³. How many tons: 26.5 t (58,378 lb) of cargo is the payload limit we plan to — the box's own rating; road limits where it travels can be lower.

Every number and where it comes from

WhatValueSources
Inside length12,029 mm (473.6 in)

Hapag-Lloyd (Container Specification, 2016-03)MSCOcean Network ExpressEvergreen LineMaersk (dry equipment, South Africa)

Inside width2,350 mm (92.5 in)

Ocean Network ExpressMSCMaersk (dry equipment, South Africa)

Inside height2,385 mm (93.9 in)

Evergreen Line

Door width2,340 mm (92.1 in)

Hapag-LloydOcean Network ExpressMSCMaersk (equipment flyer, Italy)Maersk (dry equipment, South Africa)

Door height2,274 mm (89.5 in)

Maersk (dry equipment, South Africa)Ocean Network ExpressMSCEvergreen LineMaersk (equipment flyer, Italy)

Payload26,480 kg (58,378 lb)

Evergreen Line

Max gross weight30,480 kg (67,197 lb)

Ocean Network ExpressEvergreen Line

Empty weight (tare)4,000 kg (8,818 lb)

Evergreen Line

US road cargo weight (on a chassis)19,958 kg (44,000 lb)

Atlantic Container LineMaersk USA (OCEMA inland weight table)

Each number was read twice, independently, and the two readings compared. “Typical” = not every source is a maker, carrier or regulator. Spec table 2026-10-24.

How many fit in a 40ft