How tall are shipping containers?
Many of you may have acknowledged how tall they are in standard type. But, how tall are shipping containers in half-height type? Are they really half of the standard ones?
From mining and construction to waste management and offshore operations,half-height containers have proven to be indispensable when handling heavy, bulky, or irregularly shaped goods.
Depending on your specific industry needs, you might opt for half-height containers made from different grades of steel or those with added reinforcements for extreme environments.
Therefore, knowing the height of a half-height container is important for several practical and safety-related reasons.. Here is the answer to “how tall are shipping containers in the half-height model?”!
Contents
Why You Should Know the Height of a Half-Height Container
1. Efficient Space Planning and Loading
Half-height containers can carry heavy or dense cargo such as minerals, scrap metal, or machinery components. Because of their reduced height, they allow for better weight distribution and stacking flexibility.
Knowing the exact height helps logistics planners determine how many containers can be stacked safely and how they fit within available storage or cargo spaces, such as on ships, trucks, or in warehouses.
It also ensures compatibility with loading equipment and clearance limits during transport. Proper planning prevents inefficient use of space, reduces transportation costs, and enhances operational safety.
2. Equipment Compatibility
A container’s height affects its fit within transport systems, such as ships’ holds, rail wagons, and storage racks. Ensuring compatibility minimizes delays and promotes efficient movement of goods through the supply chain.
Since half-height containers are shorter than standard containers, they require equipment such as cranes, forklifts, and truck chassis that can safely lift, carry, and secure them.
3. Weight Distribution and Safety
Half-height containers are shorter but often carry heavier loads since they are designed for dense cargo.
Accurate knowledge of the container’s height allows operators to calculate load balance more effectively, preventing tipping, uneven stacking, or overloading. It also helps in complying with safety regulations related to lifting limits and securing cargo during transit.
4. Design and Construction Uses
Accurate knowledge of the container’s height also ensures it fits correctly within transport systems such as ships’ holds, rail wagons, and storage areas. This prevents operational issues like misalignment, damage to equipment, or delays during handling.
If used for modular structures, you need the height for architectural design, stacking, and spatial layout.
5. Compliance and Standards
Containers must meet ISO standards for dimensions and capacity. Knowing the height ensures compliance with transport regulations, especially for rail and road clearance limits.
How Tall is a Half-Height Shipping Container
A half-height shipping container is designed to be half the height of a standard container.
These are commonly used for heavy or dense cargo where volume isn’t needed but strength and easy loading are important.
The lower center of gravity of a half-height container offers greater stability.
This container type is best for:
- Heavy loads like rocks, coal, ores, scrap metal, or mining materials
- Cargo that’s dense and heavy, not tall
- Open-top variants make loading from above easier
The specific width of a half-height container is:
| Specification | Feet | Meters |
| External Height | 4.3’ | 1.3m |
| Internal Height | 3.10’ | 1.17 |
Recommendation of Half Height Container
10′ Half Height DNV
The 10’ Half Height DNV Container has a lower center of gravity. It is often used in mining, construction, and industrial sectors where dense, heavy materials need to be stored and transported efficiently. This container is equipped with an open top for easy loading and unloading. Therefore, it is capable of holding heavy and dense bulk goods compared to taller containers.
It has Pad eyes on each corner, making it easy to lift this container with a crane. It also has multiple tie-down points that can help secure your cargo safely. Moreover, the half-height size makes it more sturdy and strong so that it can be relied on to transport goods with heavy weights.
20′ Half Height Containers
Perfect for labor-heavy industries like construction, energy, and mining, our latest 20’ Half-Height Container with exacting specifications is ideal for carrying copious amounts of raw materials thanks to its lack of upper top covering.
This container’s design enables a lower gravity center, meaning it can create a better balance when carrying raw materials like cement and ore. Since there is no upper top covering by default, users can load their materials from above using cranes, excavators, or loaders with ease.
20′ Half Height 1.8 M Open Top
Unlike most half-height containers, the 20’ Half Height 1.8 OT Container is slightly taller and has an overall height of 1.8 meters. You can use this container to transport heavy loads with small volumes.
With the open-top feature, you can easily load cargo through the top of the container using a crane, excavator, or loader. In addition, this container is equipped with a hatch as an opening to facilitate the loading and unloading process.
Its design has a low Center of Gravity (CG) so that this container has better balance. Therefore, most mining industries use this container to transport and store mining equipment or products.
20′ Half Height No Door Container
With a full focus on carrying bulky materials that other shipping container types cannot, the 20’ Half Height No-Door Container is our best solution for helping customers working in industries like construction and mining move their materials in large quantities.
Since Tradecorp designed this container to carry bulky materials, this 20’ Half Height No-Door Container uses a design that enables a lower gravity center to make carrying it easier and more balanced.
Furthermore, the lack of doors in this container makes loading materials into it using cranes or excavators more efficient. Considering the nature of the materials this container can carry, this steel box uses steel flooring to better support the process.
20′ Half Height Container with Steel Floor and Hard Top
Our 20’ Half Height Container is perfect if you need to move your cargo in large amounts with low volume easily in labor-heavy industries like construction, energy, and mining, which involve bulky raw materials.
This half-height container uses a design that enables a lower gravity center to create an improved balance when carrying bulky materials.
Furthermore, unlike regular shipping containers, the open-top accessibility of our 20’ Half Height Container makes loading materials into the container easier.
In addition, this container relies on steel flooring instead of a wooden-based one, making it possible to carry heavier materials with better support. The hard top also protects the container’s cargo from any external damage that may incur losses.
20′ Half Height DNV Offshore Shipping Containers
The 20′ Half Height DNV Offshore Shipping Container is typically used to transport heavy and dense cargo requiring a lower center of gravity for the offshore oil and gas industry. it can be used to transport drilling equipment, pipes, and other heavy items.
It is designed with a lower height, making it easier to load and unload cargo, especially those too heavy or too dense to be loaded through the standard height containers.
The half-height design of the container makes it ideal for shipping goods such as machinery, tools, and equipment that need to be transported securely and safely offshore.
Meanwhile, the DNV certification ensures that it is built to the highest safety and quality standards for use in harsh offshore environments.
Conclusion
Knowing the height of a shipping container helps avoid costly mistakes, ensures safety and compliance, and allows for smarter planning in shipping goods, storing equipment, or building a container home.
Buy or rent shipping containers with side doors from Tradecorp, a reliable container sales, purchase, rental, and modification service company.
Tradecorp provides modification and custom shipping container services by adding windows, doors, walls, and roof insulation.
Our experienced staff is ready to help you arrange the shipping of your container to your requested location. Fill out our quote form to buy or rent from us!
