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 20 ft standard container measures 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m inside (19 ft 4 in × 7 ft 9 in × 7 ft 10 in), carries up to 28,180 kg and holds 11 Euro pallets in one layer.
vs 40 ft standard container: +6.13 m length, +34.5 m³ volume, −1,450 kg payload. Open the comparison unit
Inside, a 20 ft standard container is 5.90 m long, 2.35 m wide and 2.39 m high. The rear door opening is 2.34 m wide and 2.28 m high.
| 20 ft standard container | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Inner length | 5,898 mm | 19 ft 4 in |
| Inner width | 2,352 mm | 7 ft 9 in |
| Inner height | 2,393 mm | 7 ft 10 in |
| Door width | 2,340 mm | 7 ft 8 in |
| Door height | 2,280 mm | 7 ft 6 in |
| Floor area | 13.9 m² | 149 ft² |
| Volume | 33.2 m³ | 1,172 ft³ |
Empty, a 20 ft standard container weighs 2,300 kg (5,071 lb). Its payload is 28,180 kg (62,126 lb). Builders publish slightly different figures, so check the plate on your own unit.
| 20 ft standard container | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | 28,180 kg | 62,126 lb |
| Empty weight | 2,300 kg | 5,071 lb |
A 20 ft standard container holds 11 Euro pallets. Stacking adds none: two pallets of 1.20 m need 2.40 m, and the inside is 2.39 m high.
| Pallet or carton | One layer | Stacked two high |
|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet 1,200 × 800 mm | 11 | 11 |
| Industrial pallet 1,200 × 1,000 mm | 9 | 9 |
| Half pallet 800 × 600 mm | 25 | 50 |
| GMA pallet 1,219 × 1,016 mm | 9 | 9 |
| Carton 600 × 400 × 400 mm | 255Stacked to the roof | |
Assumptions
5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m inside (19 ft 4 in × 7 ft 9 in × 7 ft 10 in). The rear door opening is 2.34 × 2.28 m.
11 Euro pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) and 9 industrial pallets (1,200 × 1,000 mm) in one layer. Stacked two high: 11 and 9, at 1.20 m a pallet.
Up to 255 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.