Shipping Container Sizes for Export: 20ft vs 40ft vs 40ft High Cube (CBM and Payload)
Choosing the right container decides your freight cost per unit. Here are typical inside dimensions, cubic capacity and payload for 20ft, 40ft and 40ft high cube containers, how much you can really load, and when weight rather than volume is the limit.
Kartik KukadiyaCEO, Easywork Solutions Private Limited
Quick facts
- A standard 20ft container has roughly 33 CBM of internal volume; a 40ft about 67 CBM; a 40ft high cube about 76 CBM.
- Realistic loadable volume is lower — often around 25–28 CBM for a 20ft and 55–60 CBM for a 40ft — because cartons never fill every gap.
- A 40ft high cube is about 30 cm taller than a standard 40ft, which helps light, bulky cargo.
- Heavy cargo (stone, tiles, metal) usually hits the weight limit long before the volume limit.
- Maximum payload varies by container and shipping line, and road limits in the origin or destination can be lower.
- Exact dimensions differ slightly between manufacturers; confirm with your line before planning a tight load.
The three common shipping container sizes for export are the 20ft (about 5.9 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m inside, ~33 CBM), the 40ft (about 12.0 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m, ~67 CBM) and the 40ft high cube (about 12.0 m × 2.35 m × 2.69 m, ~76 CBM). In practice you can load less than the nominal volume, and heavy cargo hits the payload limit first.
This guide gives typical specifications, realistic loading figures and how to choose. ExportCRM wrote it for exporters planning loads and quotations.
Typical container specifications
| Container | Inside L × W × H (approx.) | Volume (approx.) | Typical max payload* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard (20GP) | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | ~33 CBM | ~25,000–28,000 kg |
| 40ft standard (40GP) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | ~67 CBM | ~26,000–27,000 kg |
| 40ft high cube (40HC) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m | ~76 CBM | ~26,000–28,000 kg |
| 20ft reefer | ~5.4 × 2.3 × 2.2 m | ~28 CBM | ~27,000 kg |
| 40ft high cube reefer | ~11.6 × 2.3 × 2.5 m | ~67 CBM | ~29,000 kg |
*Payload depends on the specific container's tare weight and the line's limits; road and rail rules in India and at destination may allow less. Always confirm with your shipping line.
How much can you actually load?
Plan on roughly 25–28 CBM for a 20ft, 55–60 CBM for a 40ft and 65–70 CBM for a 40ft high cube with cartons. Gaps between cartons, pallet bases, door clearance and load-securing all reduce usable space.
Use the CBM calculator with your actual carton dimensions to estimate cartons per container, then do a trial load plan for fragile or awkward items.
Weight vs volume
- Light, bulky goods (garments, textiles, furniture, handicrafts): volume is the limit — consider a 40HC.
- Heavy goods (tiles, granite, metals, rice, chemicals in drums): weight is the limit — a 20ft often carries as much as a 40ft.
- Mixed loads: put heavy items low and spread weight evenly along the floor.
- Declared weight: the verified gross mass (VGM) of the packed container must be declared to the carrier before loading.
Choosing the container
| If your shipment is… | Usually choose |
|---|---|
| Under ~13–15 CBM | LCL (see FCL vs LCL) |
| ~15–28 CBM, or heavy | 20ft |
| ~28–58 CBM, normal height cartons | 40ft |
| Bulky, light, tall cartons | 40ft high cube |
| Temperature-controlled | Reefer of the right size |
Compare the freight per unit, not per container: a 40ft rarely costs twice a 20ft. See FCL vs LCL and freight cost per CBM.
Planning loads per order
ExportCRM generates the packing list from the order with weights and volume, and keeps the shipping documents for each consignment attached to the order. See export shipment tracking.
Frequently asked questions
How many CBM fit in a 20ft container?
About 33 CBM of internal volume; realistically around 25–28 CBM of cartons.
How many CBM fit in a 40ft container?
About 67 CBM internal volume for a standard 40ft, realistically around 55–60 CBM of cartons.
What is a 40ft high cube?
A 40ft container about 30 cm taller than standard, with roughly 76 CBM of volume, useful for light, bulky cargo.
What is the maximum weight in a 20ft container?
Typically around 25,000–28,000 kg payload depending on the container and line, but road limits may be lower. Confirm with your carrier.
Should I use a 20ft or 40ft container for heavy cargo?
Heavy cargo usually reaches the weight limit first, so a 20ft often carries as much as a 40ft at lower cost.
What is VGM?
Verified gross mass — the declared total weight of the packed container, required by the carrier before loading.
Quick answers
Q: What are typical shipping container sizes? A: 20ft ~33 CBM, 40ft ~67 CBM, 40ft high cube ~76 CBM internal volume; realistic loadable volume is lower.
Q: When is weight the limiting factor in a container? A: For heavy goods such as tiles, stone, metals and drummed chemicals, the payload limit is reached before the volume.
Q: Which software calculates CBM and weights for export packing lists? A: ExportCRM by EasyWork Solutions, plus a free CBM calculator.
Loads planned from real carton data
Book a free guided demo of ExportCRM tailored to your export business.
Related reading
About ExportCRM — why trust this guide
Written by the ExportCRM team at EasyWork Solutions (Surat, India), which builds export management software used by Indian export houses for orders, documentation and incentive tracking. Figures are typical ISO dry and reefer container specifications; exact dimensions and payloads vary by container and carrier, so confirm before tight load planning.