Types and Sizes of Shipping Containers

Dry Container

Dry containers are the most common type of container and come in two sizes: 20-foot and 40-foot. Among 40-foot dry containers, there is a type known as a high-cube container, which has a greater height and is the mainstream choice for maritime transport (*). While the outer walls are made of steel, the floor consists of plywood laid over a framework of cross members. For this reason, extreme caution is required when handling these containers with heavy machinery or transporting heavy cargo.

*Although 45-foot containers do exist, they are not permitted on public roads in Japan under current traffic laws.

Specialized Containers

(a) Refrigerated Containers (Reefer Container)
Designed for the transport of refrigerated cargo (such as fresh produce—including fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood—as well as chemical products like film), these containers are equipped with built-in refrigeration units that maintain a specified temperature. Some refrigerated containers also feature additional freshness-preservation functions, such as dehumidification and Controlled Atmosphere (CA) systems.

Refrigerated containers come in two sizes: 20-foot and 40-foot high-cube.

(b) Open Top Container
Designed for transporting bulky or heavy cargo, these containers feature an openable roof section, allowing for loading and unloading from above.

Open-top containers come in two sizes: 20-foot and 40-foot.

(c) Flat Rack Container
Designed for long, heavy, or oversized cargo that cannot be loaded into standard containers, these containers lack a roof, side walls, and doors, allowing for loading and unloading from the sides and top. They feature numerous lashing rings on the bottom side rails, corner posts, and floor, ensuring secure fastening of large cargo.

Flat rack containers come in two sizes: 20-foot and 40-foot.

(d) Tank Container
Designed for liquid cargo such as malt (unblended spirits), soy sauce, food products, and liquid chemicals, this container features a structure in which a tank is housed within a steel frame.

When transporting dangerous goods in tank containers, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code stipulates that the filling rate must generally be between 80% and 95%.

Furthermore, in accordance with the CSC Convention (*), all maritime shipping containers must be fitted with a CSC safety approval plate (CSC Plate) so that the container’s owner, type, size, and container number are clearly identifiable at a glance. Without this CSC safety approval plate (within its validity period), the container cannot be used for maritime transport.

*CSC Convention: The International Convention for Safe Containers (1972), adopted at the United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva in 1972.

Type		20’ Dry	40’ Dry	40’ High Cube
External Dim	Long	6,058mm	12,192mm	12,192mm
	Width	2,438mm	2,438mm	2,438mm
	Height	2,591mm	2,591mm	2,896mm
Internal Dim	Long	5,898mm	12,032mm	12,032mm
	Width	2,350mm	2,350mm	2,350mm
	Height	2,390mm	2,390mm	2,695mm
Interior Cap		33.1m³	67.6m³	76.2m³
Door Open	Width	2,340mm	2,340mm	2,340mm
Door Open	Height	2,280mm	2,280mm	2,585mm
Tare Weigh		2,200kg	3,740kg	3,830kg
Payload		28,280kg	26,740kg	26,650kg/28,670kg
Gross Weight		30,480kg	30,480kg	30,480kg/32,500kg

The dimensions and weight of the containers listed above are for reference only and may vary slightly depending on the container manufacturer or shipping line. Please verify the details on a case-by-case basis.

Type		20’ Reefer	40’High Cube Reefer
External Dim	Long	6,058mm	12,192mm
	Width	2,438mm	2,438mm
	Height	2,591mm	2,896mm
Internal Dim	Long	5,456mm	11,590mm
	Width	2,288mm	2,284mm
	Height	2,263mm	2,544mm
Interior Cap		28.2m³	67.5m³
Door Open	Width	2,290mm	2,290mm
Door Open	Height	2,221mm	2,502mm
Tare Weight		2,910kg	4,520kg
Payload		27,570kg	29,480kg
Gross Weight		38,480kg	34,000kg

Types and Sizes of Shipping Containers

Types of Containers

Dry Container

Specialized Containers

Container size

Dry Container Sizes

Sizes of Refrigerated Container

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