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CONTAINERPARK

12G1

10ft Shipping Containers for Sale

Half the length of a 20ft box and the easiest ISO container to place on a constrained site — 2.99 m external length, 15.9 m³ of usable volume.

External length
2 991 mm
Internal height
2 393 mm
Cubic capacity
15.9 m³
Payload
8 860 kg
10ft Shipping Container

The 10ft container is the smallest ISO-format box in regular trade. At 2 991 mm long it fits where a 20ft unit will not: rear yards, courtyards, roof terraces reached by crane, narrow construction sites and depots with a single parking bay to spare.

Two things matter when buying one. First, 10ft is no longer part of the ISO 668 series-1 length range, so build quality and plating vary more than on 20ft and 40ft units. Second, some 10ft boxes are purpose-built and CSC-plated for sea carriage while others are shortened from 20ft units and are only suitable for static storage. We state which you are being offered on every quotation.

Technical specifications

Unit system
Technical specifications
Property10ft Standard12G1
External dimensions
Length2 991 mm9 ft 9.8 in
Width2 438 mm8 ft
Height2 591 mm8 ft 6.0 in
Internal dimensions
Length2 831 mm9 ft 3.5 in
Width2 352 mm7 ft 8.6 in
Height2 393 mm7 ft 10.2 in
Door opening
Width2 340 mm7 ft 8.1 in
Height2 280 mm7 ft 5.8 in
Weights
Tare weight1 300 kg2 870 lb
Maximum gross mass10 160 kg22 400 lb
Payload8 860 kg19 530 lb
Capacity
Cubic capacity15.9 m³560 cu ft
Indicative — varies by builder

Nominal figures for current production. The CSC safety approval plate on the individual unit is the governing document. 10ft units vary more between builders than any other size. Treat this table as nominal and confirm against the unit offered.

Construction & fittings

Construction
Corrugated weathering steel (Corten) on a welded steel frame
Floor
28 mm marine-grade plywood on steel cross-members
Doors
Double doors at one end, cam-operated locking bars
Corner castings
ISO 1161 castings on purpose-built units
Forklift pockets
Sometimes fitted — confirm per unit
CSC status
Purpose-built units plated; shortened units usually not

Purpose-built or cut down — and why it changes the price

A purpose-built 10ft container leaves the factory as a 10ft unit with its own corner castings, its own CSC safety approval plate and a full-height door end. It can be shipped as freight, stacked and handled by standard equipment.

A shortened 10ft container is a 20ft unit cut and re-ended in a workshop. It is usually cheaper, often perfectly sound for storage, and normally has no valid CSC approval for sea carriage. If you intend to ship the unit as cargo equipment rather than only use it on the ground, say so on the RFQ and we will quote purpose-built stock only. See the CSC plate guide for what that approval actually covers.

Access and delivery

A 10ft unit weighs roughly 1 300 kg empty, so it can be handled by a small crane truck (HIAB) or a tilt-bed trailer. This is the size most likely to be deliverable to an address that a 20ft delivery vehicle cannot reach — but the vehicle still needs a straight run and firm ground.

Two 10ft containers do not equal one 20ft container in either volume or price. If the site can take a 20ft box, a 20ft unit is almost always the better value per cubic metre.

Typical uses

  • Constrained sites

    Yards, courtyards and inner-city plots where a 20ft delivery vehicle cannot manoeuvre.

  • Tool and plant stores

    Secure lock-up for hand tools, small plant and materials on short-duration works.

  • Crane-placed storage

    Light enough to lift onto podiums, roofs and platforms where access is from above.

  • Small-volume export

    Purpose-built, CSC-plated units used as freight for part-load shipments.

Multiple units and container lots

Single units, multiple units and full lots are all quoted. Consolidating units from one depot usually reduces the transport component noticeably, so state the quantity on the enquiry even when it is provisional.

A heavy container handler lifting a shipping container at a depot, with rows of containers behind

Delivery

Road delivery across Europe from whichever depot suits your destination, and named-port quotations on agreed Incoterms overseas.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 10ft container an ISO standard size?
Not any more. A 10ft length (designation 1D) was part of earlier ISO 668 editions and has since been withdrawn from the series-1 range. 10ft boxes are still built and traded, and purpose-built units are still CSC-plated, but they are outside the current standard length series — which is why specifications vary more than on 20ft and 40ft units.
How much space do I need to take delivery?
As a guide, a tilt-bed or crane-truck delivery needs a firm, level, straight approach of roughly 20 m and about 3.5 m of width, with no low cables or branches. Ground conditions matter more than the numbers: soft ground stops more deliveries than tight corners do.
Can I ship goods overseas in a 10ft container?
Only in a purpose-built unit with a valid CSC safety approval plate, and only where the carrier accepts 10ft equipment on the intended service — many do not. Tell us the route on your RFQ and we will confirm before quoting.
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