If you are shipping via a container you need to know how much product you can get into a container or even if your cargo will fit in a container. Often overlooked when purchasing large items such as caravans or vehicles is will it fit in a container and if it doesn’t am I prepared to pay the additional costs associated with break bulk or roll on roll off shipping. Our advice at Rocket Freight is always to check before you buy it can save you a world of headaches and potentially could cost the financial viability of what you set out to achieve in the first place.
A Rocket Freight special tip is to try and negotiate with you supplier to package the goods into boxes that fit perfectly to the door and to the roof maximising the amount of product you can ship in one container reducing your per item freight cost, obviously this is not relevant to all goods types however its worth thinking about and applying it where you can.
Note that the door of a general container is slightly smaller dimensions meaning your cargo has to fit through the doorway of the container so its important to take that into account when shipping large goods, a strengthening crossbar runs across the top of the door drastically reducing the height by 100mm.
20ft General Container
| Door | Internal | Cubic Capacity | Weight |
| Width 2.33 Height 2.26 | Length 5.89 Width 2.35 Height 2.36 | Up to 33m3 depending on your cargo shape and size this can vary quite a lot | 21700kg is the max payload you can load |
40ft General Container
| Door | Internal | Cubic Capacity | Weight |
| Width 2.33 Height 2.26 | Length 12.05 Width 2.35 Height 2.36 | Up to 66m3 depending on your cargo shape and size this can vary quite a lot | 26500kg is the max payload you can load |
40ft High Cube Container
| Door | Internal | Cubic Capacity | Weight |
| Width 2.33 Height 2.59 | Length 12.05 Width 2.35 Height 2.69 | Up to 76m3 depending on your cargo shape and size this can vary quite a lot | 26500kg is the max payload you can load |
These are the 3 most common types of shipping containers and are generally hired out by all shipping lines to and from most destinations around the world.
There are differing types of these containers such as vented, unvented, food grade and they all have the same dimensions.
There are 20ft High Cube versions of 20ft containers however these are not common and likely only available on specialized routes and shipping lines they are commonly used in pacific islands shipping, so check with us before you decide on trying to use one of these containers for your cargo.
20ft High Cube Container
| Door | Internal | Cubic Capacity | Weight |
| Width 2.33 Height 2.59 | Length 5.89 Width 2.35 Height 2.69 | Up to 37m3 depending on your cargo shape and size this can vary quite a lot | 21700kg is the max payload you can load |
There are also Flat Rack Containers for goods that don’t fit in containers basically they are a steel base of a container however much thicker with no sides or roof so essentially a plinth that you can strap a large out of gauge piece of cargo to for shipping at the top of a container stack on a container ship these types of containers can be extremely expensive to ship and are open to the elements on the open sea however amazing shrink wrapping can limit this exposure to just about zero. These units come in 4 different varieties 20ft and 40ft with or with end walls. Get in touch with one of our shipping specialists today if you think a flat rack would suit your shipping requirements.
20ft Flat Rack Container
| Length | Width | Height | Weight |
| 6.00 | 2.35 | 0.23 | 26500kg is the max payload you can load in most cases |
40ft Flat Rack Container
| Length | Width | Height | Weight |
| 12.20 | 2.35 | 0.65 | 39000kg is the max payload you can load |
Open Top Containers are another option a container with a tarp roof allows you to load goods that are to high for closed in containers but still have the safety of steel surrounds and the weatherproofness of a tarp over the top however these are not infallible to the elements and additional plastic packaging is always recommended. These come in both 20ft and 40ft varieties get in touch today if you think this might suit your shipping requirement, they are the same dimensions as normal containers however without a roof.
Finally we have reefer containers they come in both 40ft and 20ft Varieties and are for chilled or frozen cargo normally however any type of temperature sensitive may suit to be loaded in a reefer container. Also from some destinations your cargo maybe loaded into NOR or non operating reefers this often comes at a reduced shipping rate due to the reduced volume of cargo you can put in a Non operating reefer container always good to check with us a rocket if you think this type of shipping method would suit you and your cargo.
20ft Reefer Container
| Door | Internal | Cubic Capacity | Weight |
| Width 2.26 Height 2.20 | Length 5.44 Width 2.26 Height 2.24 | Up to 27m3 depending on your cargo shape and size this can vary quite a lot | 21700kg Is the max payload you can load |
40ft General Container
| Door | Internal | Cubic Capacity | Weight |
| Width 2.26 Height 2.20 | Length 11.55 Width 2.26 Height 2.24 | Up to 58m3 depending on your cargo shape and size this can vary quite a lot | 25000kg Is the max payload you can load |
