Guide
Sea can sizes and dimensions
Every standard sea can is 8 ft wide. What changes is the length (10, 20, 40 or 45 ft) and the height (8 ft 6 in for standard, 9 ft 6 in for high cube). Here are the outside and inside sizes, door openings, capacity and empty weight for each, then which size suits what.
20 ft standard
- Outside: 20 ft × 8 ft × 8 ft 6 in (6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m)
- Inside: about 19 ft 4 in × 7 ft 8 in × 7 ft 10 in (5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m)
- Door opening: about 7 ft 8 in wide × 7 ft 6 in high (2.34 × 2.28 m)
- Capacity: about 33 m³ (1,170 cu ft)
- Empty weight: about 2,200–2,400 kg (4,850–5,300 lb)
40 ft standard
- Outside: 40 ft × 8 ft × 8 ft 6 in (12.19 × 2.44 × 2.59 m)
- Inside: about 39 ft 5 in × 7 ft 8 in × 7 ft 10 in (12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m)
- Door opening: about 7 ft 8 in × 7 ft 6 in (2.34 × 2.28 m)
- Capacity: about 67 m³ (2,390 cu ft)
- Empty weight: about 3,750–3,850 kg (8,270–8,500 lb)
High cubes: 20 ft, 40 ft and 45 ft
High cubes are one foot taller: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) outside and about 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) inside, with a door opening about 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m) high.
- 20 ft high cube: about 37 m³ (1,320 cu ft), empty weight about 2,350–2,500 kg
- 40 ft high cube: about 76 m³ (2,690 cu ft), empty weight about 3,900–4,000 kg
- 45 ft high cube: 45 ft (13.72 m) long outside, about 44 ft 5 in (13.56 m) inside, about 86 m³ (3,040 cu ft), empty weight about 4,800 kg
10 ft and other small containers
10 ft containers are about 9 ft 9 in × 8 ft × 8 ft 6 in outside (2.99 × 2.44 × 2.59 m), with roughly 15–16 m³ inside, and weigh about 1,300 kg. Most are built new for storage or cut down from 20s, so sizes vary slightly by maker. 8 ft and 9 ft units also exist.
Which size for what
- 10 ft: a garage's worth of tools, a city backyard, a tight cottage lot.
- 20 ft: the contents of a two- or three-bedroom home, about 10 pallets, or a small workshop. Fits most driveways.
- 40 ft: farm and commercial storage, equipment, two-car garage contents, and the base for most offices and shops. The best price per square foot.
- 40 ft high cube: offices, cabins and homes, where the extra foot leaves room for insulation and a ceiling.
- 45 ft and 53 ft: rare in the used market; the 53 ft is a domestic rail container, not a sea can, and is too long for many sites.
Remember the space around it: about 4 ft extra in front to swing the doors, and a long straight run for the delivery truck.
Questions
What are the inside dimensions of a 20 ft sea can?
About 19 ft 4 in long, 7 ft 8 in wide and 7 ft 10 in high (5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m). A 20 ft high cube has about 8 ft 10 in of inside height.
How much does an empty sea can weigh?
About 2,200–2,400 kg for a 20 ft, 3,750–3,850 kg for a 40 ft and 3,900–4,000 kg for a 40 ft high cube. Check the CSC plate or the markings on the doors for the exact tare weight.
How much space do I need to deliver a sea can?
For a tilt-deck truck, roughly 70 ft of straight, clear approach for a 20 ft and 110–120 ft for a 40 ft, about 12 ft of width and 16 ft of height clear of wires and branches.