A new 40ft high cube container has the same footprint as a standard forty but stands 9 ft 6 in tall instead of 8 ft 6 in. That extra foot gives you about 8.6 m³ more space inside, and in practice it is the difference between pallets that clear the door frame and pallets that don’t. Prime Cargo Box sells this unit new, wind and watertight, CSC plated and ready to load or place on site.
If you are comparing sizes before buying a new 40ft high cube container, ordering for export or planning a conversion, the details below cover the dimensions, build, weights and what to check before delivery.
Why Order a New 40ft High Cube Container?
The high cube is now the most common 40ft box on the world’s shipping lanes, and for good reason. You pay a little more than for a standard 40ft, but you get roughly 12% more volume on exactly the same ground space and the same delivery truck. For light, bulky cargo like furniture, cotton, packaged goods or machinery with tall components, that extra height often means fewer containers per shipment.
For storage and conversions the gain is just as useful. The internal height of about 2.70 m lets you add shelving above head height, stack pallets two high in many cases, or fit insulation and a ceiling in a site office or workshop without the room feeling cramped. Buying a new 40ft high cube container also means clean, straight walls to work with, which makes cutting openings and fitting linings far easier than on a dented used box.
New 40ft High Cube Container Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Container type | 40ft high cube dry container (40′ HC) |
| Condition | New |
| External length | 40 ft (12.19 m) |
| External width | 8 ft (2.44 m) |
| External height | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) |
| Internal length | Approx. 39 ft 5 in (12.03 m) |
| Internal width | Approx. 7 ft 8 in (2.35 m) |
| Internal height | Approx. 8 ft 10 in (2.70 m) |
| Door opening width | Approx. 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) |
| Door opening height | Approx. 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) |
| Cubic capacity | Approx. 2,694 cu ft (76.3 m³) |
| Tare weight | Approx. 8,600 lbs (3,900 kg) |
| Maximum gross weight | 67,200 lbs (30,480 kg) or 71,650 lbs (32,500 kg), depending on the build rating |
| Payload | Approx. 58,600 to 63,000 lbs (26,580 to 28,600 kg), depending on the gross rating |
| Construction | Corten weathering steel, corrugated side walls and roof |
| Floor | Marine-grade plywood on steel cross members |
| Doors | Double cargo doors at one end with four locking bars |
| Other | Gooseneck tunnel, ISO corner castings, CSC safety approval plate |
Exact weights differ slightly between factories. The ratings for your unit are printed on the CSC plate and door markings, and we confirm them when we quote. For comparison, carriers publish similar figures for the high cubes in their own fleets, such as this 40ft high cube specification from Hapag-Lloyd.
Standard 40ft vs High Cube: What Actually Changes
| 40ft standard | 40ft high cube | |
|---|---|---|
| External height | 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) |
| Internal height | Approx. 2.39 m | Approx. 2.70 m |
| Door opening height | Approx. 2.29 m | Approx. 2.59 m |
| Volume | Approx. 67.7 m³ | Approx. 76.3 m³ |
| Footprint | Same | Same |
Length, width and floor area stay the same, so a high cube takes the same number of pallets on the floor. What you gain is height. If your goods are short and heavy, such as steel, tiles or bagged cement, you will hit the weight limit long before you use the extra space, and our new 40ft shipping container in standard height is the better value.
How a New 40ft High Cube Container Is Built
The roof, walls, end panel and door frame of a new 40ft high cube container are all Corten steel. Corten, also known as weathering steel, forms a dense surface oxide that slows rust compared with plain steel, and the container is then painted with a marine coating on top. The corrugated profile is what gives the walls their strength without adding unnecessary weight.
Inside, a marine plywood floor sits on steel cross members and is rated for forklift traffic. Lashing rings along the bottom rails let you tie cargo down for shipping. At the door end, two full-height doors close onto rubber gaskets, and four locking bars hold them shut. Like every 40ft box, the high cube has no forklift pockets and is lifted from its corner castings.
Popular Uses
Here is what buyers most often do with a new 40ft high cube container:
- Export shipments of light or bulky goods where volume matters more than weight
- Storing pallet racking, machinery and tall equipment that won’t fit in a standard box
- Workshops, site offices and storage rooms that need insulation and a lining
- Farm and agricultural storage for hay bales, equipment and feed
- Retail and warehouse overflow where stock is stacked high
If you plan to fit doors, windows, power or insulation, our custom container modifications team can do the work before the unit leaves the depot.
Delivery and Site Preparation
A new 40ft high cube container sits a foot taller on the truck than a standard container, so check overhead clearance along the delivery route: gateways, tree branches, power lines and carports are the usual trouble spots. The delivery vehicle also needs a long, straight approach and firm ground to unload a 12.2 m unit.
On site, prepare a level base about 12.5 m by 2.5 m. A concrete pad, compacted gravel or solid blocks under the corner castings all work. Keep the container level end to end and side to side, otherwise the doors can bind and the seals lose contact. Our shipping and delivery policy explains how we schedule and hand over each container.
New, One-Trip or Used High Cube?
We carry the 40ft high cube in three grades. This page is the new 40ft high cube container, which arrives with unmarked paint and full seal life. The 40ft high cube one trip shipping container has carried a single load from the factory and is nearly identical in condition. The used 40ft high cube container is the budget option, with visible wear from years in service.
Need full side access instead? See the 40ft high cube full open side container. You can compare everything in our 40ft high cube containers category, or look at the smaller new 20ft high cube container if a forty is too long for your site.
Ordering Your New 40ft High Cube Container
- Send your details. How many units, the delivery address or port and what the container is for.
- Receive a written quote. Unit price, delivery cost and the tare and gross ratings of the stock we will supply.
- Confirm access. We go over route height, ground conditions and the unloading method with you.
- Delivery. The container arrives with its CSC plate fitted, ready to use.
On delivery day, open both doors fully, check that the locking bars engage, look along the roof line and inspect the floor. A new 40ft high cube container should have no dents, no rust spots and no daylight showing through when the doors are closed.
Planning a Conversion in a New 40ft High Cube Container
Most container offices, workshops and storage rooms are built in high cubes now, because insulation and a ceiling eat into headroom quickly. In a standard 40ft, 75 mm of insulation plus a lining leaves you with a low ceiling. In a new 40ft high cube container you still have well over 2.4 m clear height after insulating, which feels like a normal room.
A few points to plan early: decide where windows and personnel doors go before ordering so the cuts can be framed properly, keep openings away from the corner posts, and allow for ventilation if the space will be occupied or used to store anything that can sweat. Electrical and plumbing runs are easier to plan while the walls are still bare.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is a new 40ft high cube container?
9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) on the outside and about 8 ft 10 in (2.70 m) inside.
Does a high cube cost more to ship than a standard 40ft?
Ocean freight for a 40ft high cube is often priced the same as or very close to a standard 40ft, which is why so many shippers choose it. Road delivery can differ where height limits apply.
Is a new 40ft high cube container suitable for international shipping?
Yes. It is built to ISO dimensions and carries a CSC safety approval plate, so shipping lines will accept it for cargo.
Can I stack goods two pallets high?
Often yes. With 2.70 m of internal height, two standard pallets of around 1.2 m each will usually fit, provided the total weight stays within the payload.
Do you deliver worldwide?
Yes. Contact Prime Cargo Box with your location and we will quote delivery of your new 40ft high cube container.
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