Freight container has standard capacity suitable for transportation by different modes. It is used as cargo additional packing, storage and transportation unit for multiple use for carriage by road, rail, sea, river, air. It is adjusted for mechanized handling and reloading from one transport mode to another.
Independently on the purpose of use, all the containers are standardized for grossed weight, dimensions, and fastening means for reloading on rail platforms, road vehicles and forklifts. It allows to effect multimodal transport on “door to door” conditions at minimum expense of funds and time.
Standard unit for describing a ship's cargo carrying capacity, or a shipping terminal's cargo handling capacity is twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU). It is an equivalent to 20' container. A standard forty-foot container equals two TEUs
Dimensions of freight containers
The main thing in containers independently on their construction, material and use are unified dimensions allowing to standardize transportation and storage. The standard width and height of large-capacity containers are the same and measure to 2438 mm. High cube containers are widely used high containers, they are 2896 mm high.
The length of a standard container is 12192 mm (40 feet) and for smaller containers there is a repetition factor equal to 0.75, 0.5 and 0.25 of the length of the longest containers. There are also enlarged 45' containers. The door dimensions as well as fittings to fasten the containers to transport unit and to each other are also unified. The containers are defined by the length in feet. The most frequently used are 20' and 40' containers.
20' standard container
Loading capacity , tons |
24 |
Container weight, tons |
2,08 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
21,92 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
5,93 × 2,33 × 2,38 |
Door dimensions, м (width × height) |
2,33 × 2,29 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
33,9 |
40' standard container
Loading capacity , tons |
30,48 |
Container weight, tons |
3,9 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
26,58 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
12,02 × 2,35 × 2,39 |
Door dimensions, м (width × height) |
2,34 × 2,28 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
67,7 |
40' high cube container
Loading capacity , tons |
30,48 |
Container weight, tons |
4,15 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
26,33 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
12,02 × 2,35 × 2,70 |
Door dimensions, м (width × height) |
2,34 × 2,58 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
76,4 |
20' refrigerated container
Loading capacity , tons |
27 |
Container weight, tons |
3,05 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
23,95 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
5,45 × 2,26 × 2,27 |
Door dimensions, м (width × height) |
2,23 × 2,26 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
28 |
40' refrigerated container
Loading capacity , tons |
30,48 |
Container weight, tons |
4,37 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
26,11 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
11,55 × 2,28 × 2,28 |
Door dimensions, м (width × height) |
2,28 × 2,24 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
60,2 |
20' Open Top container
Loading capacity , tons |
24 |
Container weight, tons |
2,44 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
21,56 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
5,90 × 2,24 × 2,35 |
Door dimensions, м (width × height) |
2,33 × 2,24 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
32 |
40' Open Top container
Loading capacity , tons |
36 |
Container weight, tons |
4,43 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
31,57 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
12,02 × 2,35 × 2,33 |
Door dimensions, м (width × height) |
2,33 × 2,23 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
66,7 |
20' Flatrack container
Loading capacity , tons |
30,48 |
Container weight, tons |
2,95 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
27,53 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
5,72 × 2,24 × 0,42 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
27,9 |
40' Flatrack container
Loading capacity , tons |
45 |
Container weight, tons |
5,53 |
Maximum payload of the container, tons |
39,47 |
Internal dimensions of the container , м (length × width × height) |
12,03 × 2,24 × 0,57 |
Internal volume of the container, м3 |
54,8 |