A 40ft open side container with 4 side doors, often listed as a 40HCOS 4-door, is a 40ft high cube shipping container with four sets of cargo doors along one long side, plus the usual cargo doors on the end. Instead of walking 40 feet to reach the far end, you open the door closest to what you need. Storage operators, contractors with several crews and resellers stocking specialty units buy it for that reason.
This guide covers how the doors are laid out, real weights read from a unit’s door markings, where the box works best, and what to settle when you order one or a whole row of them.
Buying several units? Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099.
What a 40ft open side container with 4 doors is
Open side containers open on the side in addition to one or both ends. On the Lummid specialty equipment page they are listed in four sizes (20OS, 20HCOS, 40OS and 40HCOS) and in two side styles:
- Full open side. The whole long side opens, usually with folding doors, so you get one long, wide opening.
- Multiple door open side. For example a 4 door open side, with four individual cargo doors on the side.
Inside, a 4-door unit is one open room. The doors do not come with walls between them. If you need four separate spaces, for example for a storage rental row, divider walls have to be added. Lummid can build divider walls in or sell you a moveable divider wall, so ask for them when you order.
If you are still deciding between a full open side and a multi-door box, our open side containers guide walks through both. You can also see both styles in our specialty containers video.
40HCOS 4-door specs
The outside size of a 40ft high cube does not change when doors are added to the side: 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and 9 feet 6 inches tall. What changes is weight and inside space, because every side door brings its own frame, hinges and locking gear. Here is how a standard 40ft high cube compares with a 4-door unit and with full open side builds, using published numbers.
| Spec | Standard 40ft high cube (manufacturer spec sheet) | 40ft high cube, 4 side doors (door markings in photo above) | 40ft high cube, full open side (two builder spec sheets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside (L x W x H) | 40′ x 8′ x 9′ 6″ | 40′ x 8′ x 9′ 6″ (size code 45) | 40′ x 8′ x 9′ 6″ |
| Side access | None | 4 door sets on one long side | One full length opening with folding doors |
| Inside (L x W x H) | 39′ 5-3/4″ x 7′ 8-1/2″ x 8′ 10-1/4″ | Ask for the builder’s drawing | Ask for the builder’s drawing |
| Tare (empty weight) | 8,530 lb (3,870 kg) | 9,830 lb (4,460 kg) | About 12,300 to 12,900 lb (5,600 to 5,850 kg) |
| Max gross (total weight limit) | 67,200 lb (30,480 kg) | 67,200 lb (30,480 kg) | 67,200 lb (30,480 kg) |
| Payload (cargo it can carry) | 58,670 lb (26,610 kg) | 57,370 lb (26,020 kg) | About 54,300 to 54,850 lb (24,630 to 24,880 kg) |
| Cubic capacity | 2,690 cu ft (76.2 m³) | 2,578 cu ft (73 m³) | 2,373 cu ft (67.2 m³) on one build |
Two things stand out. First, the 4-door unit in the photo weighs about 1,300 lb more than the standard high cube on the spec sheet and gives up about 112 cubic feet of space, yet its payload is only about 1,300 lb lower. Second, the full open side builds are heavier still, by roughly 2,500 to 3,100 lb over the 4-door unit, and carry less cargo as a result. Every builder is a little different, so use the numbers on the actual unit’s plates and drawing, not a generic chart.
Reading the code on the doors. The unit in the photo is marked 45G3. Under the ISO size and type code, the 4 means 40 feet long and the 5 means 9 feet 6 inches high (a high cube). G3 is a general purpose container with openings at one or both ends plus partial openings on one or both sides. If the code on the box or the paperwork does not match the configuration you ordered, ask why before you accept it.
Where a 4-door open side container works best
- Storage facilities. Tenants get their own door on the long side. Add divider walls and one 40ft unit becomes four storage spaces of roughly 10 feet each, from one delivery and one footprint.
- Job sites with several crews. Electricians, plumbers and framers can each get their own door, so nobody has to dig past another trade’s materials.
- Bulky goods. Side doors make it easier to load items that are awkward to push through the end doors.
- Organized inventory. Distributors, schools, municipalities and event companies can keep separate stock behind separate doors and reach any of it in seconds.
Storing chemicals, fuel or other hazardous materials is a different job with its own rules. See our side-opening hazmat containers guide for that.
What to confirm when you order
These units are new, and wholesale units are released from depot stacks, so you will not see or pick the exact box before pickup. Settle these points when you order instead:
- The right build. Make sure the order says 4-door open side, not full open side. They are different builds with different weights.
- Door openings. Ask for the builder’s drawing with the clear width and height of each side door. Compare it with your widest pallet, cart or machine.
- Divider walls. The unit comes as one open room. If you need separate spaces, order divider walls with the units, built in or moveable.
- Locks. Ask what locking hardware each side door has. A storage rental row needs a lock point on every door.
- Pickup or delivery. Confirm the release depot, or ask about delivery to your site.
- Your site. Set the box on level, firm ground so the doors stay square, and leave a clear aisle along the door side so every door can swing fully open. Full open side units with folding doors need about 2.5 meters (roughly 8 feet) of clear space along the side.
Buying in volume
If you are fitting out a storage row or several job sites, order matching units: the same door layout, color and lock hardware. Tenants and crews then get the same experience at every door, and spare parts are interchangeable.
Lummid sells wholesale to resellers and bulk buyers and works out of depots across the U.S. and Canada. You can see where Lummid has equipment. Open side and 4-door availability varies by size and area, so ask for current availability near your site. In some markets Lummid also does modifications locally, such as man doors, roll up doors, windows, electrical and insulation, and units built and shipped from Asia can be fully modified at the factory.
FAQ
Is a 4-door open side container the same as a full open side container?
No. A full open side container opens along the whole long side, usually with folding doors, for one wide opening. A 4-door unit has four separate cargo door sets on the side, so you open only the section you need.
Are the four sections separate inside?
No. A 4-door unit is one open room. To split it into separate spaces, divider walls have to be added. Lummid can build them in or sell you a moveable divider wall.
Can a 40ft open side container still be shipped and stacked?
A unit with a valid CSC plate is approved for international transport within the weight, stacking and racking values printed on that plate. Read those values, keep every door closed and locked in transit, and confirm the plate is current.
Get a quote
Need 40ft open side containers with 4 doors for a storage row, a job site or your own resale stock? Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099. Tell us the size, the door layout, how many units and where they need to go.
Sources
- BIC: Size type code (ISO 6346 length and height codes)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: ACE Appendix M, Container and Equipment Codes (July 2024)
- Container Handbook: Container design and types
- Container Handbook: CSC and structural and testing regulations
- BIC: CSC safety approval plate
- Sea Box: 40′ x 9′ 6″ high cube dry freight container spec sheet (SB461.9)
- Container Projects: 40ft specialised access containers
- PT Tradecorp Indonesia: 40′ side opening high cube container