{"id":6375,"date":"2025-12-18T08:34:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T07:34:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/weight-of-containers-empty-weight-payload-and-total-weight-explained-simply\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T10:32:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:32:26","slug":"shipping-container-weights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/shipping-container-weights\/","title":{"rendered":"Weight of containers &#8211; empty weight, payload and total weight explained simply"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <strong>weight of containers<\/strong> is a key factor in logistics, transportation, construction and international trade. Whether <strong><a href=\"\/?chs_containertypes=standardcontainer\" data-type=\"chs_containertypes\" data-id=\"9\">sea container<\/a><\/strong>, <strong>storage containers<\/strong> or <strong>special containers<\/strong> &#8211; the correct container weight influences <strong>safety<\/strong>, <strong>transport costs<\/strong>, <strong>permits<\/strong> and <strong>compliance with legal regulations<\/strong>.<br>This article clearly explains the <strong>empty weight<\/strong>, <strong>maximum payload<\/strong>, <strong>total weight of containers<\/strong> and relevant regulations such as <strong>SOLAS-VGM<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#weight-of-a-container\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#weight-of-a-container\">What is the weight of a container?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#standard-sea-containers\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#h3-vorteile\">Weight of standard sea containers<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#20ft-container\">20 feet container<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#40ft-container\">40 feet container<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#40ft-high-cube-container\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#40ft-high-cube-container\">40 foot high cube container<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#special-containers\">Special dimensions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#why-weight-is-important\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#h4-kuehlcontainer-mieten\">Why is container weight so important?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#legal-regulations\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#h6-gesetzlich\">Legal regulations on container weight (SOLAS-VGM)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently asked questions &#8211; FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"weight-of-a-container\"><strong>What is the weight of a container?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>refrigerated container<\/strong> (also known as a <strong>reefer container<\/strong>) is a <strong>temperature-controlled special container<\/strong> that can store sensitive goods such as food, drinks or pharmaceutical products at <strong>constantly defined temperatures<\/strong>. In contrast to normal storage containers, a reefer container has a permanently integrated <strong>refrigeration unit<\/strong> that actively regulates the internal temperature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Refrigerated containers are generally available in the standard sizes of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/shop\/seecontainer\/20-fuss-neu-kuehlcontainer-kaufen\/\" data-type=\"product\" data-id=\"4771\">20 feet<\/a> and <a href=\"\/?p=2238\" data-type=\"chs_container\" data-id=\"2238\">40 feet<\/a><\/strong> and are suitable for <strong>stationary use<\/strong>, <strong>temporary storage<\/strong> or <strong>transport-related use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>The weight of a container is made up of three standardized components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Empty weight (tare)<\/strong> &#8211; weight of the empty container without load<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Payload<\/strong> &#8211; Maximum permissible weight of the freight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maximum total weight (gross weight)<\/strong> &#8211; sum of unladen weight and maximum payload<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This information is internationally standardized and is usually noted <strong>directly on the container door<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/20ft-open-side-shipping-container-new-blue-csc-plate-scaled-2-1024x768.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4501\" style=\"width:460px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/20ft-open-side-shipping-container-new-blue-csc-plate-scaled-2-1024x768.webp 1024w, https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/20ft-open-side-shipping-container-new-blue-csc-plate-scaled-2-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/20ft-open-side-shipping-container-new-blue-csc-plate-scaled-2-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/20ft-open-side-shipping-container-new-blue-csc-plate-scaled-2.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"standard-sea-containers\"><strong><strong>Weight of standard sea containers<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"20ft-container\">Weight <a href=\"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/shop\/seecontainer\/20-fuss-neu-seecontainer-kaufen\/\" data-type=\"product\" data-id=\"4761\">20 feet container<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>20-foot sea container<\/strong> is one of the most widely used containers in the world:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Empty weight: approx.  <strong>2,200-2,400 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maximum payload: approx.  <strong>28,000 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maximum total weight: <strong>30,480 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> If you are buying a container, you can find out in our guide, <em><a href=\"\/?page_id=5658\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"5658\">Buying and delivering sea containers: Comprehensive guide for Germany and Europe<\/a><\/em>what is important in addition to weight.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"40ft-container\">Weight <a href=\"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/shop\/seecontainer\/40-fuss-neu-seecontainer-kaufen\/\" data-type=\"product\" data-id=\"4775\">40 feet container<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>40-foot container<\/strong> offers more loading volume with a similar total weight:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Empty weight: approx.  <strong>3,700-4,000 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maximum payload: approx.  <strong>26,000-27,000 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maximum total weight: <strong>30,480 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"40ft-high-cube-container\"><strong>Weight <a href=\"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/shop\/seecontainer\/40-fuss-neu-high-cube-seecontainer-kaufen\/\" data-type=\"product\" data-id=\"4791\">40-foot high cube container<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>High-cube containers are higher than standard containers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Empty weight: approx.  <strong>4,000-4,300 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maximum payload: approx.  <strong>26,000 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advantage: more loading height with almost the same total weight<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"special-containers\">Weight of special containers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Containers with special dimensions have a higher tare weight due to their design:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/shop\/seecontainer\/20-fuss-neu-kuehlcontainer-kaufen\/\" data-type=\"product\" data-id=\"4771\">Refrigerated container (reefer)<\/a>:<\/strong> approx. <strong>4,500-5,000 kg empty weight<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/?product_cat=open-tops\" data-type=\"product_cat\" data-id=\"135\">Open-top container<\/a>:<\/strong> higher weight due to additional reinforcements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-weight-is-important\"><strong>Why is container weight so important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A correctly determined container weight is crucial for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Transport safety<\/strong> on road, rail and sea<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compliance with legal regulations<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Avoidance of overloading and fines<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stability of container structures<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost control<\/strong> for freight and handling costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Overloaded containers represent a considerable safety risk and can lead to exclusion from transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"legal-regulations\"><strong>Legal regulations on container weight (SOLAS-VGM)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In international maritime traffic, the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SOLAS\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SOLAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SOLAS VGM regulation<\/a><\/strong> (&#8220;Safety of Life at Sea &#8211; Verified Gross Mass&#8221;). It obliges shippers to determine and report the <strong>verified gross weight of a container<\/strong> prior to shipment. A container may not be loaded onto a ship without a valid VGM.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently asked questions &#8211; FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How much does an empty container weigh?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>empty weight of a container<\/strong> depends on its size and design. A <g id=\"gid_1\">20-foot container<\/g> weighs around <g id=\"gid_2\">2,200-2,400 kg<\/g> empty, a <g id=\"gid_3\">40-foot container<\/g> around <g id=\"gid_4\">3,700-4,000 kg<\/g>. Refrigerated containers are considerably heavier.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>What is the maximum total weight of a container?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>maximum total weight<\/strong> of a sea container is usually <strong>30,480 kg.<\/strong> It is made up of the unladen weight and the maximum payload and must not be exceeded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>What is the maximum load per container?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>maximum payload<\/strong> is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/?p=2224\" data-type=\"chs_container\" data-id=\"2224\">20-foot container<\/a>: approx. <strong>28,000 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"\/?p=2242\" data-type=\"chs_container\" data-id=\"2242\">40-foot container<\/a>: approx. <strong>26,000-27,000 kg<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Additional restrictions may arise due to truck, rail or national regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where can I find the weight of a container?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>All relevant information such as <strong>tare<\/strong>, <strong>payload<\/strong> and <strong>gross weight<\/strong> is attached directly to the container, usually on the container door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Legal notice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All information in this article is for general information purposes only. Despite careful research, we <strong>cannot guarantee that<\/strong> the information provided <strong>is correct, complete and up-to-date<\/strong>. Technical data, weight specifications and legal requirements may vary depending on the container manufacturer, design, area of application or legal regulations. The specifications of the respective manufacturer and the currently applicable legal regulations are always decisive.   <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The weight of containers is a key factor in logistics, transportation, construction and international trade. Whether sea container, storage containers or special containers &#8211; the correct container weight influences safety, transport costs, permits and compliance with legal regulations.This article clearly explains the empty weight, maximum payload, total weight of containers and relevant regulations such as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_angie_page":false,"page_builder":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[285],"tags":[289],"class_list":["post-6375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knowledge","tag-iso-830"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6375\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chs-containergroup.com\/de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}