Containers & Trailers·4 min read·Verified 2026-10-06

20ft Shipping Container Dimensions & Loading Capacity

A deep dive into 20-foot standard dry container specifications, practical packing limits, pallet capacities, and highway weight restrictions.

20ft Container Interior Dimensions

* Internal Length: 5,896 mm (19 ft 4 in) * Internal Width: 2,350 mm (7 ft 8.5 in) * Internal Height: 2,393 mm (7 ft 10 in) * Door Opening: 2,340 mm (W) × 2,274 mm (H) * Nominal Volume: 33.2 CBM (1,172 cu ft) * Approximate Maximum Payload: 28,200 kg (62,170 lb)

Practical Usable CBM Capacity

While theoretical interior volume is 33.2 CBM, practical carton packing achieves approximately 25 to 28 CBM due to ceiling clearance and carton shape irregularities. When shipping palletized cargo, a 20ft container accommodates 10 GMA pallets (48×40 in) or 11 Euro pallets (1200×800 mm).

Heavy Cargo Considerations

20ft containers are the equipment of choice for heavy, dense commodities (metals, machinery, grains, liquids in flexitanks) because they maximize permissible weight without wasting empty volume.
Authoritative Basis

Standards & References

Ocean container lines (reference: Maersk dry container specifications)Verified: 2026-10-06

Dry container reference specifications — 20 ft, 40 ft and 40 ft high cube ↗

Internal dimensions, door openings and approximate payloads were taken as representative planning figures. Carriers publish slightly different values per equipment type and manufacturer.

Interactive Calculators

Calculate This Topic

Containers & TrailersContainer Loading Calculator →Plan 3D box packing into 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft High Cube containers with payload and volume utilization.Containers & TrailersPallets Per Container Calculator →Calculate how many standard Euro or GMA pallets fit on the floor of 20ft and 40ft containers.
Further Reading

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