An HC container, or High Cube container, is a shipping container that is one foot taller than a standard container, usually measuring 9 feet 6 inches high instead of 8 feet 6 inches. The extra height provides more internal volume, making high cube containers useful for light, bulky, tall, or high-volume cargo. Common sizes include 40-foot high cube and 45-foot high cube containers. They are often used for furniture, machinery, ecommerce goods, packaging materials, and other freight that needs more cubic capacity.
A High Cube (HC) container is a standard ISO shipping container with extra height: 9 feet 6 inches externally versus the standard 8 feet 6 inches. The extra foot of internal height is valuable for lightweight, bulky cargo.
- 40-foot HC holds approximately 67 to 72 CBM versus 55 to 58 CBM for a standard 40-foot
- Commonly used for light consumer goods, textiles, furniture, and e-commerce cargo
- Some inland locations have height restrictions that prevent delivery of HC containers
- Most major U.S. ports and terminals can handle high-cube containers
If volumetric capacity is more limiting than weight, request a high-cube container to maximize cargo per container and reduce per-unit freight cost.
For related logistics context, see Dedola’s ocean freight shipping services and glossary entries on Container, FCL, FEU, and TEU.
