# Refrigerated container dimensions: usable cold space

Specify actual reefer dimensions, pallet layout, airflow and electrical requirements.

Specify cold storage · Canada guide

Reviewed: 2026-09-30

[Read this guide on ContainerFox Canada](https://containerfox.com/ca/guides/refrigerated-container-dimensions)

Insulation, machinery and the floor system change a reefer’s usable interior. Obtain the model drawing and loading instructions.

## Use the exact model specification

Request external and clear internal dimensions, door opening, floor height and equipment position. Confirm standard height or High Cube. Dry-container reference dimensions are not a reefer specification.

Compare pallets using their loaded footprint. A 48 × 40 in pallet is common in Canada, but confirm the actual base, overhang and handling equipment. The pallet size does not establish its load rating.

## Keep four different limits on the drawing

Ask the supplier to identify the proposed model and mark its usable loading envelope. Physical space above a load line is not spare storage capacity. A drawing should also show the refrigeration equipment and the clearances needed to operate and service it.

| Dimension | What it helps check | What it does not establish |
| --- | --- | --- |
| External dimensions | Delivery, final position and surrounding space | Usable cold-storage volume |
| Clear internal dimensions | Potential positions for goods and shelving | A permitted loading arrangement |
| Clear door opening | Packed load and equipment entry | Maximum loading height or airflow |
| Manufacturer's loading limits | Usable height and required airflow paths | Cooling performance for an unspecified duty |

## Compare physical height with the load line

These two identified Hapag-Lloyd series illustrate the distinction. Dimensions vary across a fleet; confirm the offered unit and its loading instructions. The interactive comparison also shows their exterior dimensions and reference masses, without treating them as Canadian stock.

| Reference series | Physical interior (L × W × H) | Door (W × H) | Maximum stowage height |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Hapag-Lloyd HLXU 374050–375049 | 17 ft 10.6 in (5450 mm) × 7 ft 5.8 in (2280 mm) × 7 ft 4.9 in (2259 mm) | 7 ft 6.2 in (2290 mm) × 7 ft 5.1 in (2264 mm) | 7 ft 1 in (2159 mm) |
| Hapag-Lloyd HLXU 877530–880529 | 38 ft 0.7 in (11599 mm) × 7 ft 6.2 in (2290 mm) × 8 ft 4.2 in (2545 mm) | 7 ft 6.2 in (2290 mm) × 8 ft 4.7 in (2557 mm) | 7 ft 11.5 in (2425 mm) |

## Keep the airflow route usable

Follow the manufacturer’s load-height limits and airflow instructions. Shelving and dense packaging can alter circulation. A geometric maximum pallet count is not a temperature-controlled loading plan.

State product type, incoming temperature, target range, loading frequency and ambient conditions. Holding chilled goods and cooling a warm load are different duties.

## Passing the door is not the final test

In an illustrative example, a loaded pallet is 7 ft 4.6 in (2,250 mm) high, the opening is 7 ft 6.6 in (2,300 mm) high and the permitted loading height is 7 ft 0.6 in (2,150 mm). The load clears the opening by 2 in (50 mm) before handling allowances but exceeds the loading limit by 3.9 in (100 mm). It is not an acceptable arrangement on those assumptions. These are example figures, not a model specification.

Include the pallet and packaging in the measured load. Confirm wheel loads and the proposed pallet jack or forklift with the supplier: a reefer floor and its airflow channels need the right handling arrangement. Check the threshold, ramp, turning space and ability to retrieve goods without blocking the air path.

## Check power and commissioning

Obtain voltage, frequency, phases, current, connector and protection requirements from the actual specification and nameplate. Have a qualified electrician confirm compatibility with the site supply. Do not adapt a connector based only on advertised size. Confirm that the equipment approval and electrical permits or inspections required in the jurisdiction are addressed; an international refrigeration specification alone does not establish acceptance for a Canadian stationary installation.

Include ground support, access, commissioning, alarm monitoring and breakdown response in the written scope. Preserve the manufacturer’s access and ventilation clearances.

## Send dimensions with the operating brief

Give suppliers the same packed-load schedule and proposed layout, then ask them to confirm the model for that duty. Use the refrigerated-container brief to keep unresolved points visible; a dry-container dimension result should not be carried over to a reefer.

- Model reference, clear dimensions, opening and marked loading limits.
- Loaded pallet sizes, overhang, quantities and retrieval routine.
- Goods, incoming temperature, target range in Celsius and loading frequency.
- Available supply details, installation boundary and commissioning responsibility.
- Alarm response, maintenance access and breakdown arrangements.

## Questions before you choose

### Is the interior the same as a dry container?

No. Insulation, refrigeration equipment, floor construction and model details change the clear space and usable loading capacity.

### Can I calculate a pallet count from floor dimensions alone?

That is only a geometric starting point. The loaded footprint, handling equipment, airflow paths, loading limits and access routine still need a model-specific arrangement.

### Does a taller door permit a taller stack?

Not by itself. The manufacturer's loading-height and airflow requirements can be more restrictive than the physical opening.

## Turn the checks into a clear quote request

Compare the equipment, delivery and services for your project. ContainerFox helps prepare your request; a directory listing does not mean that a business is a partner or will receive it.

[Prepare my quote request](https://containerfox.com/ca/request-a-quote?produit=frigorifique&mode=location&source=guide-conteneur&resumeGuide=Guide+brief%3A+Refrigerated+container+dimensions%3A+usable+cold+space.+Please+confirm+my+requirements+and+the+full+delivered+scope.)

You can edit the details before sending.

## Continue planning

- [Reefer checklist](https://containerfox.com/ca/guides/refrigerated-container-checklist)
- [Electricity calculator](https://containerfox.com/ca/guides/refrigerated-container-electricity-cost)
- [All container guides](https://containerfox.com/ca/guides)

Interactive tools and project forms, where available, are on the web guide. This export contains the editorial text and its labelled examples; it does not contain calculations from visitor inputs.