Sea container
The standard dry container is the closed steel box of sea freight. ISO 668 fixes its outside size, and the inside differs by a few millimetres between builders.
A 10 ft standard container measures 2.83 × 2.35 × 2.40 m inside (9 ft 3 in × 7 ft 9 in × 7 ft 10 in), carries up to 10,640 kg and holds 5 Euro pallets in one layer.
vs 20 ft standard container: −0.4 cm height, +3.07 m length, +17.2 m³ volume, +17,540 kg payload. Open the comparison unit
Inside, a 10 ft standard container is 2.83 m long, 2.35 m wide and 2.40 m high. The rear door opening is 2.34 m wide and 2.29 m high.
| 10 ft standard container | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Inner length | 2,831 mm | 9 ft 3 in |
| Inner width | 2,350 mm | 7 ft 9 in |
| Inner height | 2,397 mm | 7 ft 10 in |
| Door width | 2,340 mm | 7 ft 8 in |
| Door height | 2,287 mm | 7 ft 6 in |
| Floor area | 6.7 m² | 72 ft² |
| Volume | 15.9 m³ | 563 ft³ |
Empty, a 10 ft standard container weighs 1,360 kg (2,998 lb). Its payload is 10,640 kg (23,457 lb). Builders publish slightly different figures, so check the plate on your own unit.
| 10 ft standard container | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | 10,640 kg | 23,457 lb |
| Empty weight | 1,360 kg | 2,998 lb |
A 10 ft standard container holds 5 Euro pallets. Stacking adds none: two pallets of 1.20 m need 2.40 m, and the inside is 2.40 m high.
| Pallet or carton | One layer | Stacked two high |
|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet 1,200 × 800 mm | 5 | 5 |
| Industrial pallet 1,200 × 1,000 mm | 4 | 4 |
| Half pallet 800 × 600 mm | 11 | 22 |
| GMA pallet 1,219 × 1,016 mm | 4 | 4 |
| Carton 600 × 400 × 400 mm | 125Stacked to the roof | |
Assumptions
2.83 × 2.35 × 2.40 m inside (9 ft 3 in × 7 ft 9 in × 7 ft 10 in). The rear door opening is 2.34 × 2.29 m.
5 Euro pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) and 4 industrial pallets (1,200 × 1,000 mm) in one layer. Stacked two high: 5 and 4, at 1.20 m a pallet.
Up to 125 cartons of 600 × 400 × 400 mm at 15 kg each, stacked to the roof.
They are typical values. Builders differ by a few millimetres and kilograms. In Cargo Marshal you can add your own equipment type with your exact numbers and use it in a load plan like a built-in one.
Yes. Pick it in a load plan, add your cargo and press Calculate. Cargo Marshal places every piece, checks the payload and gives the warehouse a loading checklist. The 14-day trial needs no card.
Sources, as of October 2026:
Paste your packing list, press Calculate and see how every piece goes in.