---
title: "How much does a shipping container weigh?"
description: "A shipping container weighs 1,800–4,800 kg (3,970–10,600 lb). Figures by type, how that compares to other things, and where the number comes from."
url: https://atoneplace.net/weight/shipping-container/
site: "At One Place"
---

# How much does a shipping container weigh?

**Typical weight: 1,800–4,800 kg**

That is 3,970–10,600 lb.

A steel ISO freight box, standardised so it can move between ship, rail and truck without being unpacked.

> Tare weight: 20 ft about 2,230 kg, 40 ft about 3,750 kg, 45 ft high cube about 4,800 kg.

## By type

*Shipping containers vary by type, so a single figure would be misleading.*

| Type | Typical weight |
| --- | --- |
| 20-foot container | 2,100–2,400 kg |
| 40-foot container | 3,600–3,900 kg |
| 40-foot high cube container | 3,800–4,100 kg |

## How that compares

*Shipping container against things of a similar mass.*

- Southern elephant seal: 350–4,000 kg
- Pickup truck: 1,600–3,800 kg
- Shipping container: 1,800–4,800 kg
- Indian rhinoceros: 1,600–2,700 kg
- Minivan: 1,750–2,400 kg
- SUV: 1,450–3,200 kg
- White rhinoceros: 1,400–3,600 kg
- Car: 1,100–2,100 kg

## More about a shipping container

- [How much does a shipping container cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/shipping-container/) — 1,500–7,000 $
- [Shipping container vs Olympic swimming pool](https://atoneplace.net/vs/olympic-swimming-pool-vs-shipping-container/) — Side by side
- [Shipping container vs Forklift](https://atoneplace.net/vs/forklift-vs-shipping-container/) — Side by side
- [Shipping container vs Helicopter](https://atoneplace.net/vs/helicopter-vs-shipping-container/) — Side by side

## Common questions

### How much does a shipping container weigh?

A shipping container weighs 1,800–4,800 kg (3,970–10,600 lb). Tare weight: 20 ft about 2,230 kg, 40 ft about 3,750 kg, 45 ft high cube about 4,800 kg.

### Which type of shipping container is the heaviest?

Of the types listed here, 40-foot high cube container is the largest at 3,800–4,100 kg.

## Related pages

- [How much does a shipping container cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/shipping-container/)
- [How much does a Boeing 747 weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/boeing-747/)
- [How much does a Space Shuttle weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/space-shuttle/)
- [How much does a aircraft carrier weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/aircraft-carrier/)
- [How much does a Airbus A380 weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/airbus-a380/)
- [How much does a cruise ship weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/cruise-ship/)
- [How much does a double-decker bus weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/double-decker-bus/)
- [How much does a Boeing 737 weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/boeing-737/)
- [How much does a helicopter weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/helicopter/)
- [How much does a container ship weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/container-ship/)
- [How much does a forklift weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/forklift/)
- [Shipping container vs Olympic swimming pool](https://atoneplace.net/vs/olympic-swimming-pool-vs-shipping-container/)
- [Shipping container vs Forklift](https://atoneplace.net/vs/forklift-vs-shipping-container/)
- [Shipping container vs Helicopter](https://atoneplace.net/vs/helicopter-vs-shipping-container/)

## Sources

- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]