Equipment guide
40hc
40ft High Cube Container (40' HC)
One extra foot of height — 76 m³, today's most shipped box
The 40ft High Cube is a 40ft dry container that stands 9'6" tall instead of 8'6", adding roughly 30 cm of internal height and lifting capacity to about 76.4 m³. It has overtaken the standard 40ft as the most common box in global fleets — for light, voluminous cargo the extra height is effectively free space.
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External dimensions
| Length | 12,192 mm | 40' |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 2,438 mm | 8' |
| Height | 2,896 mm | 9'6" |
Internal dimensions
| Length | 12,032 mm | 39'6" |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 2,352 mm | 7'9" |
| Height | 2,698 mm | 8'10" |
| Door opening (W × H) | 2,340 × 2,585 mm | 7'8" × 8'6" |
Weights & capacity
| Tare weight | 3,900 kg | 8,598 lb |
|---|---|---|
| Max payload | 26,460 kg | 58,334 lb |
| Max gross weight | 30,360 kg | 66,932 lb |
| Cubic capacity | 76.4 m³ | 2,698 ft³ |
Pallet capacity (single tier)
25
Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm)
21
Standard pallets (1200 × 1000 mm)
Typical cargo & use cases
- Light, bulky cargo: furniture, foam, garments on hangers
- Tall machinery or crates up to ~2.58 m door height
- E-commerce and consolidation loads that cube out
Loading tips
- Door height is 2.58 m — confirm your tallest piece passes the aperture, not just the interior.
- Use the extra height for a third carton tier before adding floor area.
- HC often prices the same as a standard 40ft — ask for it by default on light cargo.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between 40ft HC and 40ft GP?
- Only the height: 2.90 m external (2.70 m internal) vs 2.59 m (2.39 m). Length, width and max gross are the same; the HC gives ~8.7 m³ more volume.
- How many CBM is a 40ft High Cube?
- 76.4 m³ published; plan for roughly 60–65 m³ of real cargo.
- Does a High Cube cost more to ship?
- On most lanes HC and standard 40ft are priced identically or within a small premium, because fleets are now HC-dominated.