How many cubic metres (m³) does a container hold?
A 20ft standard container holds around 33 m³, a 40ft container around 68 m³ and a 40′ high cube around 76 m³. That is the nominal loading volume — usable volume is normally somewhat lower because of package shape and stackability.
Container volumes at a glance
The volume follows from the internal dimensions (length × width × height). High cube containers are around 30 cm taller and hold noticeably more.
| Container | Internal size (L×W×H) | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| 20′ Standard | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | ≈ 33 m³ |
| 20′ High Cube | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | ≈ 37 m³ |
| 40′ Standard | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | ≈ 68 m³ |
| 40′ High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | ≈ 76 m³ |
| 45′ High Cube | 13.55 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | ≈ 86 m³ |
Working it out yourself
It is one multiplication — but it has to use the internal dimensions, in metres, not the external ones:
For the 20ft standard container: 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 = 33.1 m³. For the 40ft: 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 = 67.6 m³. The rounded "33" and "68" you see everywhere come from exactly that.
Why the external dimensions do not work: a 20ft container measures 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m outside — that would be 38 m³. Inside it is 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m and therefore 33. The five cubic metres in between are steel: walls, floor, roof and the door frame. In length alone that costs 16 centimetres.
Nominal vs. actually usable
The bare volume is an upper bound, not a promise. How much of it you really fill depends on three things:
- Package shape. Rectangular packages rarely tile a container without gaps. Strips are left between rows that are too narrow for another unit.
- Stackability. Anything that cannot take weight on top occupies its footprint all the way to the roof — even if it is only a metre tall.
- Weight. With dense goods the payload is reached long before the container looks full.
In practice, mixed general cargo often reaches 70–85 % volume utilisation; cleanly palletised, stackable goods considerably more. There is no universal figure — it depends on your cargo, which is exactly why the 3D calculator works it out instead of estimating: it actually places your packages in the container and reports the real volume and weight utilisation.
Why a high cube does not automatically mean more cargo
A 40′ high cube has about 13 % more volume than the standard container (76 vs. 68 m³). On paper. Whether any of it reaches your shipment is decided by the height of your pallets — because only whole tiers fit:
| Pallet height | 40′ Standard (239 cm) | 40′ High Cube (270 cm) | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 cm | 2 tiers | 3 tiers | + 50 % |
| 110 cm | 2 tiers | 2 tiers | ± 0 |
| 130 cm | 1 tier | 2 tiers | + 100 % |
At 110 cm build height you pay for the high cube and load not one extra pallet. At 130 cm it doubles the load. The extra 31 centimetres are only worth money when another tier fits — that is the whole trick, and it takes one division to check.
Volume or weight — which runs out first?
Both limits apply at once, and for almost every shipment one of them bites much earlier. Rule of thumb: if your cargo density is above roughly 400 kg/m³, you reach the weight limit before the volume in a 40ft container (26.6 t ÷ 68 m³ ≈ 390 kg/m³). Tiles, beverages, metal parts and paper are above that; textiles, packaging and furniture below.
The calculator shows both bars side by side — and with several containers, one set per container, because each one is placed, weighed and hauled separately.
Frequent questions
How many cubic metres does a 20ft container hold?
Around 33 m³ (5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m). As a high cube, around 37 m³.
How many cubic metres does a 40ft container hold?
Around 68 m³, as a high cube around 76 m³. A 45′ high cube holds around 86 m³.
How many euro pallets is that?
Volume and floor positions are two different questions: a 40ft container takes 25 euro pallets in one tier, a 20ft container 11 — regardless of how high they are loaded.
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