40ft High Cube Container
Dimensions, capacity, payload and real pallet counts — computed with our loading engine.
Typical figures for a APL 40' Standard High Cube. Every carrier differs — see the comparison table below.
A 40ft High Cube is a standard 40ft with roughly 30 cm of extra internal height. That single foot buys a whole extra layer for many cargoes — which is why HC has quietly become the default 40ft box on most trades.
How many pallets fit in a 40ft high cube container?
These are not rules of thumb. Each number is the result of running our bin-packing engine — the same one behind the product — against the real internal dimensions, with the pallet free to turn in plan but not to tip.
| Pallet | Footprint | Fits on floor |
|---|---|---|
| EUR / EPAL | 120 × 80 cm | 25pallets |
| Industrial / ISO | 120 × 100 cm | 22pallets |
Floor positions, single layer. Stackable cargo multiplies this — how far depends on your cargo height and stack weight. Not shipping standard pallets? Drop your own cargo list into the free Excel loading calculator and the same engine will work it out for your boxes.
Internal dimensions
| Internal length | 1203.3 cm |
| Internal width | 235.2 cm |
| Internal height | 269.8 cm |
| Internal volume | 76.4 m³ |
| Door width | 234 cm |
| Door height | 258.5 cm |
| Tare weight | 3,730 kg |
| Max payload | 26,750 kg |
The extra height is internal height only — the footprint is identical to a standard 40ft. It buys layers, not floor positions, so the pallet counts below match the standard 40ft.
High Cube road transport can exceed height limits in some countries. Confirm the road leg before committing to HC.
Specifications by carrier
"A 40ft high cube container" is not one box. Across the 11 carriers below, payload ranges from 26,280 kg to 28,680 kg — a spread of 2,400 kg. If you plan a heavy load against the wrong figure, you find out at the weighbridge.
| Carrier / type | L × W × H (cm) | Door W × H | Volume | Tare | Payload | EUR / EPAL | Industrial / ISO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APL 40' Standard High Cube | 1203.3 × 235.2 × 269.8 | 234 × 258.5 | 76.4 m³ | 3,730 kg | 26,750 kg | 25 | 22 |
| Cosco 40' standard High Cube | 1203 × 235 × 269 | 234 × 257.9 | 76 m³ | 3,930 kg | 28,570 kg | 25 | 22 |
| CSCL 40' Standard High Cube | 1203.2 × 235.2 × 269.8 | 234 × 258.5 | 76.4 m³ | 4,170 kg | 26,310 kg | 25 | 22 |
| Default 40 High Cube | 1203 × 235 × 269.7 | 234 × 257.7 | 76.2 m³ | 3,880 kg | 28,620 kg | 25 | 22 |
| Evergreen 40' Hi-Cube Steel Dry Cargo Container | 1203.2 × 235.2 × 269 | 234.3 × 258.5 | 76.1 m³ | 4,200 kg | 26,280 kg | 25 | 22 |
| Hanjin 40ft High Cube Dry Container | 1203.2 × 235.2 × 269.8 | 233.8 × 258.5 | 76.4 m³ | 3,820 kg | 28,680 kg | 25 | 22 |
| Happag-Lloyd 40' standard High Cube | 1203.2 × 235 × 270 | 234 × 259.7 | 76.3 m³ | 4,010 kg | 28,490 kg | 25 | 22 |
| Maersk 40 high | 1203 × 235 × 269.7 | 234 × 257.7 | 76.2 m³ | 3,880 kg | 28,620 kg | 25 | 22 |
| MOL 40ft High Cube Dry Container | 1203.3 × 235.2 × 269.1 | 234 × 257.7 | 76.2 m³ | 3,920 kg | 26,560 kg | 25 | 22 |
| MSC High Cube 40' | 1203.6 × 235 × 269.7 | 233.8 × 258.5 | 76.3 m³ | 3,970 kg | 26,510 kg | 25 | 22 |
| NYK 40' Dry Container High Cube | 1203 × 235 × 268.8 | 233.8 × 257.7 | 76 m³ | 3,712 kg | 26,330 kg | 25 | 22 |
Pallet columns are floor positions computed by the LoadCargo.in bin-packing engine (best of its packing modes), not estimates. Data generated 2026-07-14.
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