{"id":1834,"date":"2024-01-22T16:24:13","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T09:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tradecorp-usa.com\/blog\/?p=1834"},"modified":"2025-06-04T03:41:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T20:41:56","slug":"12-types-of-shipping-containers-and-their-dimensions-a-comprehensive-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tradecorp-usa.com\/blog\/12-types-of-shipping-containers-and-their-dimensions-a-comprehensive-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Types of Shipping Containers and Their Dimensions: A Comprehensive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
Shipping containers are a crucial component of global trade and commerce. They are made of sturdy corten steel and are designed to be loaded onto cargo ships, trains, and trucks to transport goods around the world. The standard sizes of shipping containers like 20ft and 40ft are the most common and are used for general cargo, such as furniture, clothing, and electronics. There are also the 45ft, 48ft, and 53ft sizes.<\/p>\n
There are many other sizes and types of containers that are used for specific purposes which are available in both new and used conditions and can be modified to meet specific needs. In this article, we’ll discuss 12 different types of shipping containers, including their size, usage, and benefits.<\/p>\n
Shipping containers come in a variety of types and sizes to accommodate different needs and requirements for the transport of goods. The most common types of containers include standard dry containers, refrigerated containers, open-top containers, flat-rack containers, and others. These containers can also come in different heights, such as high cube containers, which are taller than the standard containers, providing additional storage space.<\/p>\n
Understanding the different types of containers and their dimensions is essential for selecting the right container for a particular shipment and ensuring efficient and effective transportation of goods.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at the various container types and understand which type of cargo they\u2019re most suitable for.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Shipping containers are widely used for international trade and are an essential component of global supply chains. They provide a secure and standardized method for transporting goods and can be easily loaded and unloaded with cranes or other cargo-handling equipment. Additionally, shipping containers can be easily modified to suit a variety of purposes, including temporary housing, storage, and even retail spaces.<\/p>\n
One of the popular kinds of containers on the market is a standard container. The two most common sizes are 20ft and 40ft containers. This type of container is available in both new and used conditions and can be modified to meet specific needs.<\/p>\n
| Measurements<\/td>\n | 20ft<\/td>\n | 40ft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Internal length<\/td>\n | 5.9m \/ 19.4ft<\/td>\n | 12.03m \/ 39.5ft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Internal width<\/td>\n | 2.35m \/ 7.8ft<\/td>\n | 2.4m \/ 7.9ft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Internal height<\/td>\n | 2.39m \/ 7.9ft<\/td>\n | 2.39m \/ 7.9ft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tare weight<\/td>\n | 2,300kg \/ 5,071.5 lbs<\/td>\n | 3,750kg \/ 8,268.8 lbs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payload capacity<\/td>\n | 25,000 kg \/ 55,126.9 lbs<\/td>\n | 27,600kg \/ 61,200 lbs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cubic capacity<\/td>\n | 33.2 m3 \/ 1,172 cu ft<\/td>\n | 67.7 m3 \/ 2,389 cu ft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nHigh Cube Containers<\/h3>\n
The high cube shipping container is a foot taller than the standard ones, with the same width and length. This extra height provides additional storage space and is often used to transport oversized items or to create extra storage space. This enables them to meet more cargo demands.<\/p>\n High cube containers are available in 20\u2019, 40\u2019, and 45\u2019. High cube containers are ideal for the transportation of bulky goods and items that require more vertical space. Typical loads that are transported using high cubes are for instance, electrical and electronic equipment, textiles, machinery, or even raw materials for production and bulk commodities.<\/p>\n 20\u2019 HC Dimensions<\/strong><\/p>\n 40\u2019 HC Dimensions<\/strong><\/p>\n 45\u2019 HC Dimensions<\/strong><\/p>\n An open-top container is similar to a standard container but has an open top instead of a solid roof. This makes it easier to load and unload items that are too tall to fit in a standard container. Open-top containers come in various sizes, with the most common being 20 feet and 40 feet-long types. They are made of corten steel and are designed to be durable, stackable, and secure, with features such as corner casting, locking devices, and secure lashing points to secure the load.<\/p>\n This type of container is commonly used for the transportation of heavy machinery, building materials, and oversized items that cannot be loaded through the doors of a standard shipping container, such as pipes, steel plates, logs, cranes, and so on. They can also be used for temporary storage on construction sites, mining operations, or other industries where large equipment needs to be stored temporarily.<\/p>\n Flat rack containers<\/a> are the type of containers that have two end walls and a flat deck, with no side walls or roof. Flat rack containers only have walls on the short ends of the container. This type of container is intended to deliver oversized and bulky cargo that is too large to fit in a standard container, such as vehicles, pipes, or heavy machinery.<\/p>\n A half-height shipping container is a specialized type of container that is half the height of a standard shipping container, typically 20 feet in length. The height of a standard 20ft container is 8ft 6 inches (2.59 meters), while a half-height container is around 4ft 3 inches (1.29 meters) in height.<\/p>\n Half-height containers are often used for the transportation of heavy or dense cargo that requires a lower center of gravity for stability and safety during transport. These types of heavy low volume items, such as metal rods, pipes and many other things<\/p>\n Due to their smaller size, half-height containers may also be used for storage purposes, particularly in situations where vertical space is limited. They can be stacked on top of each other for efficient use of space, and they are often designed with features such as reinforced corner castings and lashing rings for secure stacking and transportation.<\/p>\n The double-door shipping container is a standard container with two sets of doors on opposite ends. This provides greater flexibility for loading and unloading cargo while offering additional access points for workers. Double-door containers are particularly useful for shipping and storing bulky items that cannot be easily loaded through a single door. They are also used for applications where cargo needs to be loaded and unloaded quickly and efficiently, such as in the case of perishable goods.<\/p>\n The dimensions of a double-door container are similar to those of a standard shipping container, typically 20ft in length, and 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 meters) in height. The doors on each end are usually about half the width of the container, which allows forklifts and other equipment to access the interior of the container from either end.<\/p>\n Double-door shipping containers provide a flexible and convenient solution for transporting and storing a wide range of cargo, and they are often used in a variety of industries, including shipping, logistics, construction, and agriculture.<\/p>\n The custom shipping container is a container that has been modified to meet specific needs. This can include adding additional doors, windows, insulation, and electrical systems or into specific purposes such as site office or cafe containers.<\/p>\n Tradecorp has a wide range of types of shipping containers for sale. We will help you find the perfect container solution for your business or project needs. Find a variety of types and sizes of shipping containers, from standard ones to tanks, and customizable ones. We will have them ready for you at a reasonable price. Fill out the contact form on our page and we will respond to your inquiry promptly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Shipping containers are a crucial component of global trade and commerce. They are made of sturdy corten steel and are designed to be loaded onto … <\/p>\n |