Most standard shipping containers are about 8 ft 6 in tall (around 2.59 m), and the taller “high cube” versions are about 9 ft 6 in tall (around 2.9 m).

Quick Scoop: How tall are shipping containers?

For standard ISO shipping containers (10 ft, 20 ft, 40 ft long):

  • External height: about 8 ft 6 in (≈ 2.59 m).
  • Internal height: usually around 7 ft 10 in to 7 ft 11 in (≈ 2.38–2.39 m), to allow for floor and roof structure.

For high cube containers (often used when extra headroom is needed):

  • External height: about 9 ft 6 in (≈ 2.89–2.90 m).
  • Internal height: roughly 8 ft 10 in (≈ 2.69 m).

Common sizes and heights (HTML table)

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Container type Typical lengths External width External height Approx. internal height
Standard (General Purpose) 10 ft, 20 ft, 40 ft8 ft (≈ 2.44 m)8 ft 6 in (≈ 2.59 m)≈ 7 ft 10 in (≈ 2.38–2.39 m)
High Cube Mostly 40 ft; some 20 ft8 ft (≈ 2.44 m)9 ft 6 in (≈ 2.89–2.90 m)≈ 8 ft 10 in (≈ 2.69 m)

Small “quick example”

If you see a typical 20 ft container on a building site, odds are it is:

  • About 2.6 m tall if standard, or about 2.9 m tall if it’s a high cube with extra headroom.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.