Container sizes and capacities, a CBM & weight calculator, and a global seaport lookup - everything you need to plan a shipment, in one place.
Enter the 17-character VIN of any US-market vehicle to see the basic details on record. Useful when buying a car at auction or from a seller, to confirm the vehicle matches what is being advertised.
This information comes from the US NHTSA vPIC public database. It shows what was on record at manufacture and is provided for general reference only - it may be incomplete or inaccurate, and it does not confirm a vehicle's current condition, mileage, accident history, title status, or ownership. Always perform your own due diligence and verify the vehicle independently before purchasing. Cassandra Logistics does not guarantee the accuracy of this data.
Standard internal measurements, door openings, volume and maximum payload for the most common containers. Figures are typical industry values and vary slightly by manufacturer and carrier.
| Container | Internal L × W × H | Door opening (W × H) | Capacity (CBM) | Max payload | Tare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m19'4" × 7'8" × 7'10" | 2.34 × 2.28 m | ~33 m³ | ~28,200 kg | ~2,300 kg |
| 40ft Standard | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m39'5" × 7'8" × 7'10" | 2.34 × 2.28 m | ~67 m³ | ~26,700 kg | ~3,800 kg |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m39'5" × 7'8" × 8'10" | 2.34 × 2.58 m | ~76 m³ | ~26,500 kg | ~3,900 kg |
| 45ft High Cube | 13.56 × 2.35 × 2.69 m44'6" × 7'8" × 8'10" | 2.34 × 2.58 m | ~86 m³ | ~25,600 kg | ~4,800 kg |
| 20ft Open Top | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.35 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | ~32 m³ | ~28,100 kg | ~2,400 kg |
| 40ft Open Top | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.35 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | ~65 m³ | ~26,600 kg | ~4,300 kg |
| 20ft Flat Rack | 5.94 × 2.35 × 2.35 mcollapsible ends | - | - | ~31,000 kg | ~2,800 kg |
| 40ft Flat Rack | 12.07 × 2.35 × 2.04 mcollapsible ends | - | - | ~40,000 kg | ~5,500 kg |
| 20ft Refrigerated | 5.45 × 2.29 × 2.27 m | 2.29 × 2.24 m | ~28 m³ | ~27,400 kg | ~3,000 kg |
| 40ft Refrigerated (HC) | 11.58 × 2.29 × 2.50 m | 2.29 × 2.49 m | ~66 m³ | ~29,000 kg | ~4,800 kg |
Work out cubic metres (CBM), volumetric weight, and convert between common shipping units.
Choose a country to see its recognised seaports (source: UN/LOCODE). Useful for naming a destination or origin port on your booking.
The measurements and definitions people most often need before booking.
A standard 20ft container has internal dimensions of roughly 5.90m long, 2.35m wide and 2.39m high, giving about 33 cubic metres of capacity. The door opening is slightly narrower than the interior at around 2.34m wide by 2.28m high, which is the measurement that actually decides whether a vehicle or machine will go in. Always check the door opening rather than the internal height.
A 40ft high cube holds roughly 76 cubic metres, against about 67 for a standard 40ft. The extra comes from the additional height, around 2.69m internally rather than 2.39m. That extra 30cm is often what allows a taller vehicle, an SUV on a rack, or a machine with the cab left on to travel without dismantling.
Volumetric weight prices cargo on the space it occupies rather than what it weighs, so that light bulky freight pays fairly for the room it takes. Carriers charge on whichever is greater, actual or volumetric. It matters most for cargo that is large but light. Dense cargo like an engine block or a compact machine is normally charged on actual weight instead.
Typically three or four, depending on the vehicles. Sedans and compact SUVs load efficiently, while full-size American pickup trucks take considerably more room and often reduce the count to two or three. Racking systems can increase this. Because ocean freight is charged on the container rather than per car, each extra vehicle lowers your cost per unit substantially.
For a single vehicle a 20ft is usually cheaper, since the smaller box costs less and one car does not need the length. From two vehicles upward the 40ft normally wins on cost per unit. For machinery the decision is driven by dimensions rather than count, so send us the make and model and we will tell you which container fits.
A flat-rack is an open container platform with no sides or roof, used for cargo too large for a standard box. You need one when a machine cannot be reduced to container dimensions but is still within crane and vessel limits. It is priced on the space the load occupies, so an over-width machine costs more than an over-length one of similar weight.
Use the seaport lookup above, which draws on the United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations, known as UN/LOCODE. Naming the port correctly on your booking avoids delays and misrouting. Bear in mind that not every listed location handles every cargo type, so confirm the routing with us before booking.
The VIN decoder above uses the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database to return the make, model, year, body type and specifications from the seventeen-character number. That matters for shipping because the model year decides eligibility in many destination countries, and the body type determines how much container space the vehicle will need.
Import rules differ sharply by country. Check yours before you buy.
