When shipping internationally by sea, and having enough goods to fill up a whole container, a FCL shipment will be your most indicated option. The most commonly used type of shipping container is named “Dry Storage Container”. They come in different dimensions, standardized by ISO, For food products, usually use two main sizes: 20ft GP container and 40ft HQ container.
Also known as general-purpose containers, they can store almost any kind of cargo from boxes, barrels, and pallets, to vehicles and heavy equipment.
20ft GP container and 40ft HQ container not only differ in terms of size, but maximum loading weight, usage, and cost. Depending on what your shipping requirements are, you will also find various other types of containers, from refrigerated to specialty containers, available in different shapes and sizes.
That is why you must pay special attention to the type and size of container selected for your shipment, as it not only helps ensure the safety of your freight but can also impact your budget.
Understanding Standard 20ft GP container vs 40ft HQ container
For most food products, we usually choose 20GP and 40HQ containers. So, let’s first take a closer look at these two sizes of containers, how they are used, and how much cargo can fit in.
40ft HQ containers are also called Forty-foot Equivalent Units (or FEUs for short) and 20ft GP containers are Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs). While their dimensions or size greatly differ, they offer the same level of strength.
20 feet GP Container Dimensions
Length: 19’4″ / 5.89m.
Width: 7’9″ / 2.35m.
Height: 7’10” / 2.39m.
Tare weight: 4,894 lbs / 2,220 kg.
Payload capacity: 48,171 lbs / 21,850 kg.
Cubic capacity: 1,170 ft³ / 33.2 m³.
40 feet HQ Container Dimensions
Length: 39’6″ / 12.0m.
Width: 7’9″ / 2.35m.
Height: 2.69m.
Tare weight: 8,420 lbs / 3,820 kg.
Payload capacity: 63,230 lbs / 28,680 kg.
Cubic capacity: 2,700 ft³ / 76.4 m³.
20ft GP vs 40ft HQ Container? What About Other Options?
According to our experience, a 40ft HQ container is almost always a better option as it offers more space, but that is not the only benefit. Sometimes, a 40-foot GP container is more suitable for your cargo.
40 feet GP Container Dimensions
Length: 39’6″ / 12.03m.
Width: 7’9″ / 2.35m.
Height: 7’10” / 2.39m.
Tare weight: 8,245 lbs / 3,740 kg
Payload capacity: 58,996 lbs / 26,760 kg.
Cubic capacity: 2,391 ft³ / 67.7 m³.
NRL FOOD is located in Tianjin, China, 30km from the Tianjin port. The total investment of the company is more than 20 million RMB. The existing staff is more than 50 people, all of which the core technicians have more than 5 years of snack products production experience. We have 8 advanced freeze dried production line, 20 vacuum fried production lines, 60 kinds of different fruit and vegetable chips, 1500 Ton fruit and vegetable chips annual. The products we supplied are certificated by HACCP, KOSHER......[ read more>>]
