Container types and sizes
Home — Container types and sizes
Which box your cargo fits, and what it costs you to pick the wrong one.
The box is the first price you agree
A container is a fixed volume with a fixed weight limit, and a shipment that misses either one is paying for air or paying for a second box. Cargo that cubes out — fills the space before it reaches the weight limit — wants height. Cargo that weighs out wants a smaller box and a heavier payload allowance.
Four boxes cover almost everything that moves through a Malaysian port. The rest of the range exists for cargo that will not go through a door.
What actually fits,
External dimensions are the box on the quay. Internal dimensions are what you can load, and they are what matters when you plan a stow.
20GP
20-foot general purpose
External
6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m
Internal
5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m
Cubic capacity
33.2 m³
Max gross weight
30,480 kg
Pallets
10 standard
Best for
Small shipments, heavy cargo, or when space at the other end is limited.
40GP
40-foot general purpose
External
12.19 × 2.44 × 2.59 m
Internal
12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m
Cubic capacity
67.7 m³
Max gross weight
30,480 kg
Pallets
20 standard
Best for
Large shipments, bulky items and general cargo. Twice the volume of a 20GP for nowhere near twice the freight.
40HC
40-foot high cube
External
12.19 × 2.44 × 2.90 m
Internal
12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m
Cubic capacity
76.4 m³
Max gross weight
30,480 kg
Pallets
22 standard
Best for
Light but bulky cargo. The extra 30 cm of height is nearly 9 m³ more space at the same payload.
40 Reefer
40-foot refrigerated
External
12.19 × 2.44 × 2.90 m
Internal
11.56 × 2.29 × 2.54 m
Cubic capacity
67.5 m³
Max gross weight
30,480 kg
Pallets
21 standard
Best for
Temperature-sensitive cargo — food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals. The refrigeration unit and insulation take the space.
For cargo that will not go through a door
Availability and rates for these are booked case by case, not off a standard tariff.
45′ high cube
External 13.72 × 2.44 × 2.90 m. More cubic space again for voluminous, lighter cargo. Not accepted everywhere — check the road permit at both ends.
20′ reefer
External 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m. The same temperature control in a half-length box, for smaller perishable consignments.
Open top
Available in 20′ and 40′, the same width and height as a dry box. The roof comes off so cargo can be craned in from above rather than pushed through the door.
Flat rack
Available in 20′ and 40′ with 8′ end walls and no sides or roof. For heavy, oversized and machinery cargo; the ends collapse for easier loading.
Tank container
Usually a tank inside a 20′ frame — 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m. For liquids, gases and certain bulk products.
Heavy-tested boxes
Some 20′ boxes are plated to 32,500 kg gross rather than 30,480. The plate on the door is the only figure that counts.
The figures on the door beat the figures on any chart
Where the numbers come from
Maximum gross weight = whatever the CSC plate on that container says
It depends on the box’s CSC rating, its tare weight, the shipping line, vessel and port restrictions, and the road regulations at both ends. Charts like this one are for planning; the door markings and the carrier’s own specification are for booking. Malaysian road limits, not the container, are often what caps a heavy 20′ load.
Container types and sizes — the one-page version
The whole guide on a single sheet, sized for WhatsApp and for A4. Ours to give away.