What is the standard height of a standard shipping container?

The standard height of a standard shipping container is 8 feet 6 inches.

This measurement refers to the common ISO intermodal container used for ocean, rail, and truck freight. Its external dimensions are typically 8 feet 6 inches high and 8 feet wide, with common lengths of 20 or 40 feet.

The main mix-up is with high-cube containers, which are generally 9 feet 6 inches high. Internal height is also lower than the external measurement because of the steel roof, floor, and structural framing.

Container dimensions are designed around intermodal handling. Corner castings let cranes, chassis, railcars, and ship fittings move the box without unloading its contents. The standard height also allows containers to be stacked efficiently in terminals and aboard ships.