20ft Open Side Shipping Container (New)

Open side or side door?

Sellers use both names, sometimes for the same container and sometimes not, so check which one a listing describes:

• Open side, like this one: the reinforced side wall opens along its full length, in sections, so you can swing open one part for quick access or fold the whole side back for a clear opening.
• Side door: one or two pairs of cargo doors set into an otherwise solid side wall; on one maker’s two-door model, each opening is about 7′8″ × 7′4″ (2.34 × 2.24 m).

To load pallets with a forklift anywhere along the side, or to open the container up as a shop front, you want the open side. We list the open side only; if you need a side door model, ask for a quote and sellers near you will say whether they have one.

The side opening

• Size: with every section open, the side opens nearly the full length of the box, about 18′9″–19′1″ by 7′1″ at standard height (see the specs table); exact figures vary by manufacturer.
• Height: standard or high cube, depending on depot stock. Say which you’d prefer in your request, and ask each seller for the height and the exact opening.
• Inside: the reinforced frame takes a little width and height, leaving about 1,100–1,175 cu ft (31–33 m³) on a standard-height unit, against about 1,170 cu ft (33.1 m³) in a standard 20ft.
• Weight: about 6,480–7,010 lb (2,940–3,180 kg) empty, against about 4,700–5,200 lb (2,140–2,350 kg) for a standard 20ft, because the side wall is built to open.

The side access adds $4,000 this week over a new standard 20ft ($2,750). For doors at each end instead, a 20ft double door starts at $4,100. Need more length? See the 40ft shipping container with side doors.

Good for: forklift loading of pallets or equipment from the side, a workshop or vendor stand that opens onto the yard, and storage you want to reach from end to end.

The price shown is for a new, one-trip unit, shipped once with cargo before being sold (what one-trip means). Want it used? There’s no weekly price for a used open side, but you can ask for one; before you accept it, fold back every section of the side and check its hinges and seals.

Specs in feet and metric

Sources: ISO 668 (1CC and 1CCC) for the outside size; side opening, inside size and weight from two manufacturer spec sheets and a supplier listing, which differ slightly. Your container’s exact weights are marked on its doors.

Delivery

Away from the seller’s depot, delivery is usually priced by distance, about $4–$6 per mile. Point the open side where you’ll load from, and keep that strip of ground clear for the folding doors and a forklift.

Delivery cost and site checklist · container foundation options

Options & accessories

Add-ons you can order with this container (see all):

• Shipping container lock box ($94)
• Heavy-duty container door lock (from $200)
• Shipping container leveling kit ($195)
• Shipping container vents (from $104)
• Shipping container roll-up door kit (from $617)

Man door, shelving or an installed roll-up door? Ask for a quote. To keep heat and damp out: insulated containers.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a 20ft open side container?

This week a new one starts at $6,750, before delivery and sales tax, against $2,750 for a standard new 20ft. The 38 depot offers we recorded ran from $5,599 to $8,599, and our starting price sits near the middle of them. Compare 20ft containers.

How big is the side opening on a 20ft open side container?

On a standard-height unit, about 18′9″–19′1″ long and 7′1″ high (5.70–5.81 × 2.15 m) with all sections open, while the end doors give about 7′8″ × 7′6″ (2.34 × 2.28 m). Openings vary by manufacturer, so ask each seller for yours.

Do open side containers have doors at both ends?

No. Besides the opening side, they have cargo doors at one end only, and you can use either opening or both. For doors at each end, see the 20ft double door container.

What are the dimensions of a 20ft open side container?

Outside, 19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″ or 9′6″ (6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 or 2.90 m): the same footprint as any 20ft. Inside, a standard-height unit measures about 19′4″ × 7′6″–7′8″ × 7′6½″–7′9½″ (5.90 × 2.29–2.34 × 2.30–2.38 m). 20ft container dimensions.