Sea container
A reefer is an insulated container with a refrigeration unit at the front wall. The unit and the T-floor take space, so it holds less than a dry container of the same length.
A 20 ft reefer container measures 5.46 × 2.29 × 2.27 m inside (17 ft 11 in × 7 ft 6 in × 7 ft 5 in), carries up to 27,470 kg and holds 10 Euro pallets in one layer.
vs 20 ft standard container: +12 cm height, +0.44 m length, +4.7 m³ volume, +710 kg payload. Open the comparison unit
Inside, a 20 ft reefer container is 5.46 m long, 2.29 m wide and 2.27 m high. The rear door opening is 2.29 m wide and 2.26 m high.
| 20 ft reefer container | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Inner length | 5,456 mm | 17 ft 11 in |
| Inner width | 2,294 mm | 7 ft 6 in |
| Inner height | 2,273 mm | 7 ft 5 in |
| Door width | 2,290 mm | 7 ft 6 in |
| Door height | 2,264 mm | 7 ft 5 in |
| Floor area | 12.5 m² | 135 ft² |
| Volume | 28.4 m³ | 1,005 ft³ |
Empty, a 20 ft reefer container weighs 3,010 kg (6,636 lb). Its payload is 27,470 kg (60,561 lb). Builders publish slightly different figures, so check the plate on your own unit.
| 20 ft reefer container | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | 27,470 kg | 60,561 lb |
| Empty weight | 3,010 kg | 6,636 lb |
A 20 ft reefer container holds 10 Euro pallets. Stacking adds none: two pallets of 1.20 m need 2.40 m, and the inside is 2.27 m high.
| Pallet or carton | One layer | Stacked two high |
|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet 1,200 × 800 mm | 10 | 10 |
| Industrial pallet 1,200 × 1,000 mm | 9 | 9 |
| Half pallet 800 × 600 mm | 24 | 48 |
| GMA pallet 1,219 × 1,016 mm | 9 | 9 |
| Carton 600 × 400 × 400 mm | 240Stacked to the roof | |
Assumptions
5.46 × 2.29 × 2.27 m inside (17 ft 11 in × 7 ft 6 in × 7 ft 5 in). The rear door opening is 2.29 × 2.26 m.
10 Euro pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) and 9 industrial pallets (1,200 × 1,000 mm) in one layer. Stacked two high: 10 and 9, at 1.20 m a pallet.
Up to 240 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.