High cube vs standard container: the same length, width and door width, but one foot taller outside (9′6″ vs 8′6″), giving a 40′ about 8.6 m³ more capacity for a slightly heavier tare.
What is a high cube container?
A high cube (HC) container is a general-purpose container built one foot taller than the standard box: 9′6″ (2,896 mm) outside instead of 8′6″ (2,591 mm), the heights standardized in ISO 668. Length, width and door width are the same, so the extra height is all the difference. The common sizes are the 40′ high cube (ISO type 45G1) and the 45′ high cube (L5G1).
40′ standard, 40′ high cube and 45′ high cube
| Figure | 40′ standard | 40′ high cube | 45′ high cube |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside length | 12,032 mm | 12,032 mm | 13,556 mm |
| Inside height | 2,393 mm | 2,698 mm | 2,698 mm |
| Door height | 2,280 mm | 2,585 mm | 2,585 mm |
| Capacity | 67.7 m³ | 76.3 m³ | 86.0 m³ |
| Tare | 3,750 kg | 3,940 kg | 4,800 kg |
| Maximum gross | 30,480 kg | 30,480 kg | 32,500 kg |
| Payload | 26,730 kg | 26,540 kg | 27,700 kg |
Inside width is 2,352 mm and door width 2,340 mm in all three. These are typical figures cross-checked against carrier equipment guides; the binding figures for any unit are on its CSC safety-approval plate.
When to book a high cube
- Light, bulky cargo such as furniture, garments, home textiles and cartoned consumer goods: the extra 30 cm often fits one more tier of cartons
- Tall pieces that clear a 2,585 mm door but not a 2,280 mm one
- Not for dense cargo: stone, tiles and metal reach the weight limit long before the box is full, so they go in 20′ containers; a high cube's payload is slightly lower than a standard 40′ because the box weighs more
The 45′ high cube holds roughly 13% more than a 40′ high cube, but fewer services offer it and some inland routings restrict it, so check it at quote. For TEU counting, a 40′ high cube is 2 TEU like any 40′ box, and a 45′ is 2.25 TEU.
High cube versions of special equipment
The extra height also appears in special containers: Hapag-Lloyd lists its 40′ reefers as 9′6″ high cubes, and 40′ flat racks and open tops come in high cube versions too. On the road a 40′ high cube rides on a standard chassis.
The container dimensions page lists the same figures in metric and imperial, and the container load calculator estimates how many of your cartons fit in a 40′ against a 40′ high cube before you book FCL ocean freight.
Related terms
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