Shipping Container Sizes and Cost Calculator — 20GP, 40GP, 40HQ
Answer: Choose 20GP, 40GP, or 40HQ by cargo volume, weight, door limits, and quote scope; total shipping cost is the entered per-container freight and local charges multiplied by the number of containers.
Nominal internal capacity: 76.3 CBM. Planning capacity is a conservative estimate, not a loading guarantee; confirm the actual container plate, payload, door opening and cargo arrangement before booking.
What size shipping container should you use, and what will it cost?
Choose 20GP, 40GP, or 40HQ by packed volume, weight, door limits, loading method, and route availability; calculate cost from a dated quote with the same charge scope rather than relying on a generic route-free price.
This calculator connects two decisions that are often separated: whether the cargo can realistically use a container’s capacity, and whether the complete quoted cost is competitive. Enter your own ocean and local charges, select the equipment, and optionally add packed CBM to see utilization and cost per conservative planning CBM.
When this calculator fits—and when it does not
Use it to compare FCL quotes for ordinary dry cargo when you already have carton or pallet measurements and candidate 20GP, 40GP, or 40HQ rates. It is useful for importers, Amazon sellers, and procurement teams checking whether a larger container creates real usable value.
Do not use it to approve a loading plan, dangerous-goods acceptance, overweight movement, reefer shipment, open-top or flat-rack cargo, or customs entry. Those decisions require the actual equipment plate, carrier acceptance, inland weight limits, cargo details, and local operating rules.
Inputs required for a useful comparison
- Packed cargo: total CBM, gross weight, carton or pallet dimensions, stackability, and any orientation or handling limits.
- Equipment: 20GP, 40GP, or 40HQ, plus confirmation that the quoted equipment is available on the intended route.
- Quote scope: base ocean freight, origin charges, destination charges, terminal handling, currency, validity, free time, and exclusions.
- Delivery scope: port-to-port, CY-to-CY, or door delivery; customs duty, tax, brokerage, drayage, and appointments must be identified separately.
Use the CBM calculator for packed volume and the freight quote input checker before comparing providers.
20GP vs 40GP vs 40HQ comparison
| Equipment | Carrier-published nominal internal capacity | Conservative planning capacity used here | Reference maximum payload | Usually worth checking when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20GP | 33.2 CBM | 28 CBM | up to 28,200 kg on the referenced OOCL specification | Cargo is dense, heavy, or does not justify a 40ft unit |
| 40GP | 67.7 CBM | 58 CBM | about 26,650 kg on the referenced OOCL specification | General dry cargo can use floor area and standard internal height |
| 40HQ | 76.3 CBM | 68 CBM | about 28,700 kg on the referenced OOCL specification | Cargo is light or bulky and benefits from the extra internal height |
Nominal capacity is a geometric specification, not a promise that the same volume of cartons or pallets will fit. Door openings, packaging shape, voids, bracing, load distribution, payload, and inland limits can reduce usable capacity. Actual containers can also differ, so confirm the assigned equipment before loading.
How to calculate the comparable cost
For each quote, use:
Cost per container = ocean freight + origin charges + destination charges + separately stated terminal charges
Total entered cost = cost per container × container count
Cost per planning CBM = cost per container ÷ conservative planning capacity
The cost-per-CBM result compares available planning space, not actual landed cost per product unit. If your shipment only uses part of the capacity, compare the total cash cost and unused space as well. Do not treat a lower cost per available CBM as proof that the larger container is cheaper for the shipment.
A practical quote-comparison workflow
- Calculate final packed CBM and gross weight from outer cartons or pallets.
- Check whether volume, weight, door opening, or loading method is likely to be the first constraint.
- Request the same route, equipment, Incoterm, delivery scope, free time, and validity from each provider.
- Enter equivalent charge buckets instead of comparing only headline ocean freight.
- Review utilization and total cost for each equipment option.
- Confirm the chosen equipment, actual payload plate, loading feasibility, and inland restrictions before booking.
If the cargo does not use a meaningful share of one container, compare the result with the FCL vs LCL calculator. For destination trucking, use a separate drayage quotation rather than hiding it inside an ocean rate.
What the result includes and excludes
| Cost item | Included when entered? | Common verification point |
|---|---|---|
| Base ocean freight | Yes | Equipment, route, validity, surcharges |
| Origin local charges | Yes | Export handling, documents, origin THC |
| Destination local charges | Yes | Destination THC, release, entry or handling scope |
| Additional terminal charge | Yes | Avoid duplicating an amount already inside local charges |
| Customs duty and import tax | No | Classification, value, origin, importer responsibility |
| Brokerage, drayage and appointments | No | Delivery address, chassis, waiting time, access and free time |
| Demurrage, detention and storage | No | Carrier and terminal terms plus actual event dates |
Frequently asked questions
Is a 40HQ simply a taller 40GP?
For general dry equipment, a 40HQ has the same nominal external length and width class but adds one foot of external height. The referenced OOCL specifications list about 76.3 CBM internal capacity for 40HQ versus 67.7 CBM for 40GP. Confirm the actual unit and door height before loading.
Which container has the lowest cost per CBM?
There is no universal answer. Divide comparable, dated quotes by realistic usable capacity, then check whether your cargo can use that space. A larger unit can show a lower cost per available CBM while still costing more in total.
Why does the calculator use planning capacity below nominal capacity?
Nominal internal cube assumes empty geometric space. Real cargo creates voids and may need pallets, bracing, clearance, safe weight distribution, or non-stackable positions. The planning figures are conservative screening assumptions, not carrier guarantees.
Can I use maximum payload as my booking limit?
Not by itself. Container plate limits, road and rail rules, terminal equipment, axle distribution, verified gross mass requirements, and carrier acceptance can impose lower operational limits. Confirm the complete route.
Does this calculate a live container shipping rate?
No. It calculates from amounts you enter. Container freight changes by origin, destination, equipment, commodity, weight, season, capacity, service, validity, and included charges, so a route-free live rate would be misleading.
Should I compare 20GP with LCL?
Yes when cargo is below practical 20GP utilization. Compare total LCL charges—including minimums and origin/destination handling—with the complete 20GP quote. There is no universal CBM breakpoint.
Are customs duty and final delivery included?
Only if you deliberately place those confirmed amounts inside an input, which is not recommended for quote clarity. Keep duty, tax, brokerage, drayage, appointments, and risk charges separate so proposals remain auditable.
Can the calculator prove my pallets will fit?
No. Use pallet dimensions, loading orientation, stackability, door opening, and a proper load plan. The container load calculator provides an additional utilization check, but physical loading still needs verification.
Evidence and maintenance notes
Checked September 28, 2026 against carrier-published equipment references:
- OOCL general-purpose container specifications list the referenced 20ft and 40ft internal dimensions, capacity, and weight values.
- OOCL high-cube container specifications list the referenced 40ft high-cube internal dimensions, capacity, and weight values.
- Maersk container types and sizes confirms that 20 dry, 40 dry, and 40 high-cube dry are standard offered equipment categories, alongside special equipment.
Carrier specifications are reference values; the pages themselves do not establish availability, a freight rate, loading feasibility, or inland legality for a particular shipment.
Next action
Calculate packed CBM, enter complete like-for-like quotes, and then request a scoped freight quote with the route, cargo, equipment, dates, Incoterm, and delivery responsibility attached. CargoMath will not manufacture a market rate where no live quote exists.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the container shipping cost calculator include?
- It adds your entered ocean freight, origin fees, destination fees, and terminal handling per container, multiplies by container count, and shows cost per conservative planning CBM. It does not invent a live market rate.
- Does this calculator include US customs duty and final delivery?
- No. Import duty, HMF, MPF, customs brokerage, and last-mile trucking to your warehouse or FBA center sit outside this calculator unless you fold them into destination fees manually. Pair it with the US Customs Duty Calculator and a separate drayage quote for a true door-to-door number.
- How much does a 40HQ container cost to ship?
- There is no reliable route-free answer. Enter a dated quote for the exact origin, destination, equipment, validity window, commodity, weight, free time, and service scope; then compare the same charge buckets across providers.
- Why separate origin fees and destination fees from the ocean freight line?
- Many forwarders quote a low headline ocean rate and recover margin in local charges. Breaking the cost into four buckets makes apples-to-apples quote comparison cleaner and reveals where one forwarder is actually cheaper than another.
- Does the largest container always have the lowest cost per CBM?
- Not necessarily. Calculate using actual quotes and realistic loadable volume. A larger container may have a lower cost per available CBM but still waste money when cargo cannot use the space or reaches a weight, door, stacking, or routing limit first.
- What is THC and where does it go in this calculator?
- THC stands for Terminal Handling Charge — the port-side cost of loading or unloading the container. Origin THC goes into origin fees; destination THC goes into destination fees. The dedicated terminal handling input is for additional terminal or wharfage charges that some lanes break out separately.
- What capacities does the calculator use for 20GP, 40GP, and 40HQ?
- It references nominal internal capacities of 33.2, 67.7, and 76.3 CBM from OOCL equipment specifications, then uses conservative planning capacities of 28, 58, and 68 CBM. Actual equipment and loadability must be confirmed before booking.