Shipping Container Guide
The container types we ship with, their typical inside dimensions, and what usually fits in each.
Dimensions and weight limits are typical figures. They vary by carrier and by container, and road weight limits in Canada can be lower than a container's maximum payload. We confirm the exact figures for your shipment when we quote.
20ft Standard
- Inside length
- 5.90 m (19'4")
- Inside width
- 2.35 m (7'8")
- Inside height
- 2.39 m (7'10")
- Volume
- about 33 m³ (1,170 ft³)
What typically fits
- 1 car
- About 10 standard pallets (120 × 100 cm)
Best for: Heavy, dense cargo and single vehicles.
40ft Standard
- Inside length
- 12.03 m (39'5")
- Inside width
- 2.35 m (7'8")
- Inside height
- 2.39 m (7'10")
- Volume
- about 67 m³ (2,390 ft³)
What typically fits
- 2 to 3 cars, depending on size and loading
- About 20 standard pallets (120 × 100 cm)
Best for: Larger loads of general cargo and several vehicles.
40ft High Cube
- Inside length
- 12.03 m (39'5")
- Inside width
- 2.35 m (7'8")
- Inside height
- 2.69 m (8'10")
- Volume
- about 76 m³ (2,690 ft³)
What typically fits
- Taller cargo that won't fit a standard 40ft
- Vehicles loaded on racking systems
Best for: Bulky, lighter cargo and anything that needs the extra 30 cm of height.
Reefer (refrigerated)
- Sizes
- 20ft and 40ft (40ft High Cube is the most common)
- Inside length (40ft HC)
- about 11.6 m (38')
- Inside height (40ft HC)
- about 2.55 m (8'4")
- Temperature
- typically set between about -30 °C and +30 °C
What typically fits
- Frozen and chilled food
- Other temperature-sensitive goods
Best for: Anything that must stay at a set temperature for the whole voyage.
Flat Rack
- Sizes
- 20ft and 40ft footprints
- Walls and roof
- None: only a floor and two end walls
- Oversized cargo
- Can extend beyond the sides or height (out of gauge)
What typically fits
- Excavators, loaders and other heavy machinery
- Boats, industrial equipment, oversized loads
Best for: Cargo too wide, tall or heavy for a closed container.
Open Top
- Sizes
- 20ft and 40ft
- Roof
- Removable tarpaulin instead of a steel roof
- Inside dimensions
- About the same as a standard container
What typically fits
- Tall machinery
- Cargo loaded from above by crane
Best for: Cargo too tall to go through the doors, or that must be craned in.
Not enough for a full container?
With LCL (less than container load), your cargo shares a container with other shipments, so you only pay for the space you use.
FCL vs LCL: which one do you need?Not sure which container you need?
Choose "By commodity" on the quote form and describe your cargo. We'll recommend the right container.
Get a Freight QuoteReady to ship?
Know your container? Get a quote
Tell us about your shipment and we'll follow up with the best available options.
- Ships from anywhere in Canada
- Vehicles, machinery, refrigerated and oversized cargo
- Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America
- One point of contact, from pickup to departure
Prefer to talk to someone?
Our freight specialists can answer your questions and walk you through your options.