240 V Single Phase Unit
For sites with no three phase supply. Set-point range confirmed at quote.
The 40ft reefer container is built as a high cube, 12,192 × 2,438 × 2,896 mm outside. Inside, the reference build measures about 11,580 × 2,290 × 2,550 mm, giving 67.6 m³ and nine Australian pallets on the floor.
It holds any set point from -30°C to +30°C. The reference unit cools at 10.0 kW with a +2°C set point and 5.9 kW at -18°C, tested in 38°C ambient, and peaks at a 13.5 kW draw.
Central cold stores on mine and construction camps, food processors' overflow freezers, exporters staging pallets, and distributors covering seasonal peaks.
40ft high cube
The Largest Unit in the Range
The 40ft high cube is the largest unit in our refrigerated shipping container range . This 40ft reefer holds any set point from -30°C to +30°C, with 67.6 m³ inside and the whole load running from one 32 A three phase outlet. Every 40ft refrigerated container for sale from us is new, from the stainless lining and aluminium T-section floor to the unit in its front wall. It holds well over twice the volume of the 20ft.
Sizes and specs
40ft High Cube Refrigerated Container Specifications
The 40 ft refrigerated container specifications below describe the reference build, and the quote for your unit confirms each figure. Measured in metres, it is a 12m refrigerated container: 12,192 mm long, with an inside height of about 2,550 mm that varies by build from 2,540 to 2,600 mm.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Container type | 40ft high cube integral reefer, ISO 668 1AAA |
| Outside (length × width × height) | 12,192 × 2,438 × 2,896 mm (40' × 8' × 9'6") |
| Inside, reference build (length × width × height) | About 11,580 × 2,290 × 2,550 mm (by build 11,500 to 11,580 × 2,270 to 2,290 × 2,540 to 2,600 mm) |
| Door opening (width × height) | 2,290 × 2,570 mm |
| Internal capacity | 67.6 m³ |
| Floor area | About 26.5 m² |
| Pallets | 9 Australian (CHEP) pallets, one row |
| Tare weight | 4,360 to 4,650 kg |
| Payload | About 29,520 kg against a 34,000 kg plated gross (common builds) |
| Maximum gross weight | ISO 668 rating 36,000 kg, with the plated value confirmed at quote |
| Set point | -30°C to +30°C |
| Power | Three phase 380 to 460 V, 32 A, 50/60 Hz, 5-pin plug, or 240 V single phase to order |
| Cooling (reference unit) | 10.0 kW at +2°C and 5.9 kW at -18°C (38°C ambient), 13.5 kW maximum draw |
| Running use | About 140 to 170 kWh a day at -18°C |
| Fresh-air exchange | Adjustable, 0 to 250 m³/h |
| Humidity control | 60 to 85% RH, on units so equipped |
| Floor | Aluminium T-section |
| Lining | Stainless steel |
| Insulation | Polyurethane foam sandwich panels |
| Frame | Corten steel, ISO 1161 corner castings |
| Doors | Insulated double rear doors, internal release and alarm on storage builds |
| Lighting | 220 V internal LED, strip curtains at the door |
| Condition | New |
| Warranty | 12-month limited warranty from delivery, plus your rights under Australian Consumer Law |
High cube
Why the 40ft Comes as a High Cube
Reefer builders make the 40ft as a high cube: a reefer container 40 feet long and 2,896 mm tall, and fleet suppliers list it in no other form. The extra height matters more in a reefer than in a dry box: cold air leaves the T-section floor, rises through the load and returns to the unit across the top, so a full stack still needs clear space above it. A 40ft high cube refrigerated container gives that space and still holds 67.6 m³. Standard-height 40ft reefers, 2,591 mm tall, survive as older stock. If the goods need no cooling at all, our standard 40ft containers need no power.
Space and weight
Space, Pallets and Weight
Inside, the 40 ft reefer container dimensions give 67.6 m³ of load space on about 26.5 m² of floor. At 2,290 mm wide inside, it takes nine Australian pallets in a single row, while trade tables quote about 22 by counting smaller European pallets. The 40ft high cube weighs 4,360 to 4,650 kg empty, about 460 to 750 kg more than our 40ft high cube dry container, because of the foam walls, the lining and the unit. Common builds are plated at 34,000 kg gross, which leaves about 29,520 kg of payload, and your unit’s plate is confirmed at quote. Our guide has reefer container power and pallets explained for every size.
Running use
Running a 40ft High Cube Reefer
The 40ft carries the same class of refrigeration unit as the 20ft refrigerated container in a body more than twice the size, so it works harder. Held at -18°C it uses about 140 to 170 kWh a day, less at chilled set points and 25 to 40% more through a hot-climate summer. Fresh-air exchange adjusts from 0 to 250 m³/h for produce, and units with humidity control hold 60 to 85% RH. Shade, and about 1.2 m of open air around the unit, shorten its running time. Power comes from one 32 A three phase outlet, or from a 240 V single phase unit specified for the site.
Compliance
Standards That Apply
The body follows the ISO 668 dimensions and ratings for a 1AAA high cube and is tested to ISO 1496-2, the thermal container standard for heat leakage and cooling capacity, the key checks on a body this size. Each 40ft refrigerated shipping container carries a CSC safety approval plate. A licensed electrician wires the site outlet to AS/NZS 3000. Kept in one place as a cold store, a reefer is a refrigerating system under AS/NZS 5149, whose part 3 covers the installation site, and only an ARC-licensed technician may work on its refrigerant circuit.
ISO 
Bureau Veritas 
DNV 
Lloyd's Register 
BIC 
ABS Customisation
Options Chosen at Order
Each option is built in before dispatch, so the 40ft is ready to load on arrival.
Personnel Door with Emergency Release and Alarm
A walk-in door, and a release and siren on the inside.
Strip Curtains and Load Bars
Curtains hold the cold in, and load bars secure stacked stock.
Shelving
Racking for cartons, crates and loose stock.
Remote Temperature Monitoring
Set point and alarms watched from off site.
Applications
Where It's Used
Typical work for a 40 foot reefer container is the main cold store of a site or business.
Mine and Camp Cold Stores
The central fresh and frozen store for a camp kitchen.
Food Processors
An overflow freezer or chiller beside the processing line.
Exporters Staging Loads
Pallets held at set point before they move to port.
Distribution Overflow
Seasonal stock for supermarkets and distributors when the cold store fills.
A 40ft and smaller units for other sites can share one quote.
Request a quote
Documents
Drawings and Spec Sheets
For tenders and site layouts, the dimensioned drawing and full spec sheet come with your quote.
The range
Other Units in the Range
Smaller reefers share the same set-point range, and the insulated box stores without a unit.
20ft Refrigerated Container
Less than half the volume at 28.9 m³, with four Australian pallets.
20ft refrigerated container
10ft Reefer
About 12.7 m³ and two Australian pallets on a 2,991 mm footprint.
10ft reefer
Insulated Shipping Container
The same 40ft length as a new lined box with no unit, for passive storage.
insulated shipping containerFAQ
Questions About the 40ft High Cube
The questions buyers ask most before ordering the 40ft.
What are the dimensions of a 40-foot reefer container?
The 40ft high cube reefer container dimensions are 12,192 × 2,438 × 2,896 mm outside. Inside, the reference build is about 11,580 × 2,290 × 2,550 mm, with 67.6 m³ of space, and the door opening is 2,290 × 2,570 mm. The refrigeration unit sits in the front wall, so the inside is shorter than a dry box.
How heavy is a 40-foot reefer container?
Empty, it weighs about 4,360 to 4,650 kg, depending on the build. ISO 668 rates the body at 36,000 kg gross, while common builds are plated at 34,000 kg. We confirm your unit's plated weights at quote, so you can check them against the truck and the crane.
What is the load capacity of a 40-foot reefer container?
About 29,500 kg on common builds, which are plated at 34,000 kg gross. Payload is the plated gross less the tare, so a heavier build carries a little less. We confirm your unit's plate and tare at quote, so you can check them against your heaviest load.
How many pallets fit in a 40ft high cube reefer?
Nine Australian CHEP pallets (1,165 mm square) on the floor, one row deep, because the inside is too narrow for two abreast. Trade tables often say about 22, which counts European pallets of 1,200 × 800 mm, so check the pallet type before planning a load.
What power does the 40ft high cube need?
One dedicated 32 A three phase outlet at 380 to 460 V, wired by a licensed electrician and live at the pad on delivery day, or a genset off-grid. Single phase sites can order a 240 V unit instead, with its set-point range confirmed at quote.
Get a Delivered Price on a 40ft High Cube Reefer
Send the set point, the power on site, the options you need and the delivery address for a delivered price on the 40ft.