Home / Logistics Knowledge / Container Types & Sizes / 40ft Open Top Container (40OT)
The 40OT is the 20OT stretched to full length, for long over-height equipment and larger crane-loaded lots. The whole top opens, so a crane can work several pieces along the length, faster than a 20ft.
The 40OT is the 20OT stretched to full length, for long over-height equipment and larger crane-loaded lots. The whole top opens, so a crane can work several pieces along the length, faster than a 20ft.
It keeps full side and end walls, closed on top by removable roof bows and a tarpaulin. Steel coils, pipes and long equipment — heavy, roll-prone cargo — must be secured with chocks, wire rope and lashing rings. For a trading company, the split from a flat rack is: slightly over-height or crane-needed cargo uses an open top; over-width or severely over-dimension cargo needs a flat rack.
Full name: 40-foot Open Top Container
A single piece must be no longer than the 12,032 mm internal length and no wider than 2,352 mm; height may slightly exceed the top rail (about 2.348 m), but the overhang must be covered by the tarpaulin and secured. Much taller cargo needs a flat rack.
| Dimension | mm | cm | m | ft & in | in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 12032 | 1203.2 | 12.032 | 39 ft 5.7 in | 473.7 |
| Width | 2352 | 235.2 | 2.352 | 7 ft 8.6 in | 92.6 |
| Height | 2348 | 234.8 | 2.348 | 7 ft 8.4 in | 92.4 |
| Door opening width | 2340 | 234.0 | 2.340 | 7 ft 8.1 in | 92.1 |
| Door opening height | 2280 | 228.0 | 2.280 | 7 ft 5.8 in | 89.8 |
| Dimension | mm | cm | m | ft & in | in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 12192 | 1219.2 | 12.192 | 40 ft 0.0 in | 480.0 |
| Width | 2438 | 243.8 | 2.438 | 7 ft 12.0 in | 96.0 |
| Height | 2591 | 259.1 | 2.591 | 8 ft 6.0 in | 102.0 |
| Door opening width | 2340 | 234.0 | 2.340 | 7 ft 8.1 in | 92.1 |
| Door opening height | 2280 | 228.0 | 2.280 | 7 ft 5.8 in | 89.8 |
| Item | Tonnes (t) | Kilograms (kg) | Pounds (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tare weight (empty) | 3.80 – 4.20 | 3,800 – 4,200 | 8,378 – 9,259 |
| Maximum payload (net cargo) | 26.50 | 26,500 | 58,422 |
| Maximum gross weight (box + cargo) | 30.48 | 30,480 | 67,197 |
New (one-trip) 40OT containers have just left the factory or carried a single load: flat panels, tight door seals and no corrosion, which makes them the right choice for food, precision goods and long-term leasing. Used (multi-trip) 40OT boxes have years of ocean service behind them and may show dents, light rust and worn flooring, but a structurally sound unit that passes a cargo-worthy survey still ships perfectly normally.
On an open-top the consumables are the tarpaulin, the roof bows and the roof coaming, and they are often the first things to fail. Confirm the tarp is intact and the correct size, and check that the roof bow sockets are not distorted before you plan a crane lift.
For a 40OT, most exporters simply take the carrier’s “cargo worthy” unit, because the shipping line is responsible for the box being fit for carriage at the moment it is picked up. If you buy your own container instead, pricing is graded by age and condition: CW (cargo worthy), WWT (wind and water tight) and AS-IS (sold as seen).
New / one-trip units about USD 5,000–8,500.
Cargo-worthy used units about USD 2,500–5,000; supply is limited — confirm live.
Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, OOCL, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE and Evergreen all build to the same ISO standards, so the external dimensions of a 40OT match the standard exactly and the box can be stacked and interchanged on board and on the chassis without adaptation.
Across carriers, the practical differences for a 40OT are in box age and condition (new units are assigned to the mainline services), the builder (CIMC, Singamas, CXIC, Maersk Container Industry and others), small variations in the tare and payload figures stamped on the plate, and the configuration of special equipment — reefer unit brand, tarpaulin type on an open-top, folding versus fixed end walls on a flat-rack. Mention heavy, over-height or specialised cargo at booking so the carrier allocates the right unit.
Open-top availability depends on the trade: few lines carry them on feeder services, so book the special equipment first and the sailing second.
A 40OT holds about 66 CBM. Long steel pipe, section steel, long equipment, bulk grain, logs and scrap metal — cargo that is craned from above and long — suit it best.
Crane heavy items in from the top and set them on dunnage to spread the pressure, spread the load along the length. Lay steel coils axis across the box and chock them hard so they cannot roll at sea.
Fix large pieces to the lashing rings with wire rope and chocks; lash the tarpaulin around the body against rain; never load bulk above the top rail, or the bows will deform.
The 40OT suits long over-height and crane-loaded cargo: steel coils, steel pipe, section steel, long equipment, generator sets, moulds, bulk grain, logs and scrap metal.
Steel coils and pipes are heavy and roll-prone — secure them with chocks, wire rope and lashing rings, never by stacking alone. Keep bulk cargo rain-tight under the tarpaulin and confirm destination crane gear and over-dimension permits.
A steel-coil order to the Middle East, 15 tonnes per coil, is craned into a 40OT, chocked and wire-lashed before sailing. A dry box could neither take them through the door nor hold them.
External dimensions are 12,192 x 2,438 x 2,591 mm, the same envelope as a dry 40ft. Internal dimensions are about 12,032 x 2,352 x 2,348 mm and the door opening is 2,340 mm wide by 2,280 mm high, with the roof open for crane loading.
Nominal volume is 66.4 CBM against 67.7 CBM for a dry 40ft, with about 58-62 CBM usable in practice.
Tare weight is about 3,800-4,200 kg. Maximum payload is about 26,500 kg and maximum gross mass 30,480 kg.
Long or over-height pieces are craned in from above and stacked along the floor, then secured to the floor rings and corner castings. The roof bows and tarpaulin are replaced for the voyage, and the cargo is normally surveyed before the cover goes on.
No. The tarpaulin is a weather cover, not a watertight roof. For moisture-sensitive cargo add shrink wrap, crating or a moisture barrier, and check the tarp for tears before departure.
When the cargo is over-height but still fits within the 2,352 mm internal width and the 12 m floor: steel structures, long pipes, machinery on frames or large crates. Cargo wider than the box, or heavier than the open-top payload, needs a flat-rack.
Yes, and the carrier will usually ask for it in advance. Over-height cargo also has to respect the stow plan, so discuss the piece dimensions with the carrier before booking rather than after the box is packed.
Out of Gauge cargo exceeds the container's standard dimensions. Carriers charge for the space the piece occupies, not just the container slot, and may add approvals, surveys and special stowage. Budget for it from the start.
New and one-trip units run about USD 5,000-8,500, and cargo-worthy used units about USD 2,500-5,000. Open-tops are scarce equipment, so lead times matter as much as price.
Long and over-height pieces: pipes and tube bundles, steel frames, machinery on skids, glass racks, boats and large crates. It is the standard choice when a piece is too tall or too long for a dry box but not wide enough to need a flat-rack.
Some carriers offer a hard-top version with removable steel roof panels, which gives better protection than a tarpaulin. Ask whether a hard top is available on your lane if weather protection matters.
42U1: 42 identifies a 40-foot container, U an open-top and 1 a door opening at one end. The 20ft equivalent is 22U1.
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