20ft vs 40ft container — which should you choose?
The 40ft has double the volume but costs only 25-40% more. The choice comes down to whether your cargo is heavy or bulky.
- 20ft volume
- 33.2 m³
- 40ft volume
- 67.5 m³
- 20ft payload
- ~25,000 kg
- 40ft payload
- ~26,580 kg
Side-by-side comparison
| 20ft Standard | 40ft Standard | 40ft High Cube | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal length | 5,898 mm | 12,032 mm | 12,032 mm |
| Internal width | 2,352 mm | 2,352 mm | 2,352 mm |
| Internal height | 2,393 mm | 2,393 mm | 2,698 mm |
| Volume | 33.2 m³ | 67.5 m³ | 76.3 m³ |
| Max payload | ~25,000 kg | ~26,580 kg | ~26,280 kg |
| Tare weight | 2,300 kg | 3,750 kg | 4,200 kg |
| Euro pallets (floor) | 10-11 | 25 | 25 |
When to choose a 20ft
Heavy, dense cargo. Steel parts, machinery, bottled liquids, canned goods. You'll hit the 25,000 kg payload limit long before filling 33 cubic metres. Paying for a 40ft would mean paying for empty space.
Smaller shipments. If your cargo is under 30 m³, a 20ft is the natural fit. Half-filling a 40ft wastes money and requires more dunnage to secure the load.
Tighter budgets. A 20ft container is cheaper to ship, store, and handle. It also fits on smaller chassis and in tighter delivery locations.
When to choose a 40ft
Light, voluminous cargo. Furniture, electronics, textiles, plastic goods. These "cube out" before they "weigh out" — you fill the space before hitting the weight limit.
Better cost per cubic metre. A 40ft typically costs 25-40% more than a 20ft but offers 100% more volume. For voluminous cargo, the cost per CBM is significantly lower.
High Cube for tall items. The 40ft HC adds 305 mm of internal height (2,698 mm total), which can be the difference between fitting one or two layers of palletised goods.
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