45G1
40ft High Cube Containers for Sale
The most widely traded container in the world: 12.19 m long, 2 698 mm internal height, 76.4 m³ — the default choice for volume cargo and conversions.
- External length
- 12 192 mm
- Internal height
- 2 698 mm
- Cubic capacity
- 76.4 m³
- Payload
- 26 530 kg
The 40ft High Cube (ISO type 45G1) is the box the modern container fleet is built around. It is a 40ft container at the 9 ft 6 in external height, giving 2 698 mm of clear internal height and 76.4 m³ of volume — about 13% more than a standard 40ft for a marginal difference in cost.
Because it dominates newbuild production and off-hire flows, it is also the easiest large container to source in quantity, in any condition grade, at almost any European depot. If you have no specific reason to buy a standard-height 40ft, this is usually the better box.
Technical specifications
| Property | 40ft High Cube45G1 |
|---|---|
| External dimensions | |
| Length | 12 192 mm40 ft |
| Width | 2 438 mm8 ft |
| Height | 2 896 mm9 ft 6.0 in |
| Internal dimensions | |
| Length | 12 032 mm39 ft 5.7 in |
| Width | 2 352 mm7 ft 8.6 in |
| Height | 2 698 mm8 ft 10.2 in |
| Door opening | |
| Width | 2 340 mm7 ft 8.1 in |
| Height | 2 585 mm8 ft 5.8 in |
| Weights | |
| Tare weight | 3 950 kg8 710 lb |
| Maximum gross mass | 30 480 kg67 200 lb |
| Payload | 26 530 kg58 490 lb |
| Capacity | |
| Cubic capacity | 76.4 m³2 700 cu ft |
Construction & fittings
- ISO type code
- 45G1
- External height
- 2 896 mm (9 ft 6 in)
- Internal height
- 2 698 mm
- Door opening height
- 2 585 mm
- Gooseneck tunnel
- Normally fitted at the door end
- Floor
- 28 mm marine-grade plywood on steel cross-members
- Forklift pockets
- Not fitted
- Availability
- The most widely available large container in Europe
Why High Cube became the default
Volume, availability and resale. The extra 305 mm of height costs very little to build and adds nearly nine cubic metres, so shipping lines standardised on it; today the majority of newbuild 40ft production is High Cube. That flows through to the second-hand market: more units come off-hire, in more places, at more predictable prices.
For conversion buyers the case is stronger still. After a raised floor and an insulated ceiling, a High Cube still leaves roughly 2.5 m of finished internal height — the difference between a room and a crawl space.
The gooseneck tunnel
Most 40ft High Cube containers have a recess in the underside of the floor at the door end, called a gooseneck tunnel. It exists so the container can sit low on a gooseneck chassis and stay under road height limits.
It matters on the ground too: the tunnel means the container is not fully flat underneath, so it must be set down on level bearers or a level slab rather than bridged across uneven blocks. Point this out to whoever prepares the base.
Height on the road
A High Cube on a standard chassis is about 300 mm taller than a standard container and can approach 4.3 m overall vehicle height on some combinations. In much of Europe that is legal but not universal, and site entrances, low bridges and car park decks are the real constraint. Confirm the lowest clearance on the final approach before booking delivery.
Typical uses
Volume ocean freight
Conversions
Warehouse overflow
Export of tall plant
