August 6, 2024
A standard shipping container is typically 8′ 6″ (2.59m) high and 8 feet wide, with a door height of 7.5 feet.
High cube containers are 9′ 6″ ( 2.89m) high and 8 feet wide and the door measures at 8.5 feet tall.
Both standard and high-cube containers come in various sizes: 10 foot, 20 foot, 40 foot and 45 foot. The most common sizes available for sale are 20 foot and 40-foot containers.
Take note that the difference between a high cube shipping container and a standard shipping container boils down to height. High cube containers are a foot taller, and this additional foot makes a huge difference for some people.
Next, let’s take a look at their respective weights.
A 40-foot standard container weighs 8000lbs while its 40-foot high cube counterpart weighs 8775lbs.
Despite the slight advantage of high cube containers in terms of storage capacity, it’s interesting to note that both container types have a maximum gross weight of 67,200lbs with cargo shipping. However, if you’re only planning to use your shipping container for storage, this difference is irrelevant.
As for container composition (materials used to build them) between the two, there is no notable difference between a standard container and a high-cube unit.
A quick note on pricing: Majority of transport companies don’t charge more when transporting high cube containers because they have roughly the same length as standard containers (just a foot taller).