A nested container set is seven containers packed one inside another, like Russian dolls. A 20ft high cube holds two 9ft containers, each 9ft holds an 8ft, and each 8ft holds a 7ft. The whole set travels as one 20ft high cube, and when it arrives you unpack it into seven separate containers in four sizes.
Buying nested sets for resale or for several sites? Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099.
Nested container sizes
The outside sizes below come from Lummid’s specialty equipment page. Metric figures for the small units are conversions, and footprint is outside length times width, rounded.
| Unit | In each set | Outside (L x W x H) | Metric | Footprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft high cube | 1 | 20′ x 8′ x 9′ 6″ | 6,058 x 2,438 x 2,896 mm | about 159 sq ft |
| 9ft container | 2 | 9′ x 7′ 2.61″ x 8′ 4.79″ | 2,743 x 2,200 x 2,560 mm | about 65 sq ft |
| 8ft container | 2 | 8′ x 6′ 6.74″ x 7′ 5.76″ | 2,438 x 2,000 x 2,280 mm | about 52 sq ft |
| 7ft container | 2 | 7′ x 5′ 10.87″ x 6′ 6.74″ | 2,134 x 1,800 x 2,000 mm | about 41 sq ft |
“20 feet” is the trade name for the big box. The ISO 668 standard sets its actual outside length at 19′ 10.5″ (6,058 mm). Set out on the ground, the seven units cover about 477 square feet before you add room for doors and access.
The inner unit in the photo at the top of this page is marked max gross 6,000 kg (about 13,230 lb), tare 880 kg (about 1,940 lb), payload 5,120 kg (about 11,290 lb) and 9.18 cubic meters (about 324 cubic feet). Weights and inside sizes differ by unit size and builder, so ask for the plate figures of each size in your set.
Why the set ships in a 20ft high cube
Height decides it. A 9ft unit stands 8′ 4.79″ tall. Lummid’s equipment specification sheet (Excel file) lists a door opening 7′ 5.8″ (2,280 mm) tall on a standard 8′ 6″ container and 8′ 5.8″ (2,585 mm) tall on a 9′ 6″ high cube. So the 9ft units only go in through high cube doors, with about an inch to spare at a typical door. Width is easier: a high cube door opening is about 7′ 8″ (2,340 mm) wide, and a 9ft unit is 7′ 2.61″ wide.
Length works out too. A 20ft box is about 19′ 4″ long inside, so two 9ft units, 18 feet end to end, fit with roughly 16 inches left over.
On its doors, a 20ft high cube carries the size type code 25G1: 2 for 20 feet long, 5 for 9′ 6″ high, and G1 for general purpose. Our 20ft shipping container buying guide explains how a 20ft high cube compares with a standard 20ft.
How a nested set ships and unpacks
The outer box is a regular 20ft high cube, so a full set moves like any 20ft container: on a 20ft chassis, by rail or by ship. Its CSC safety approval plate gives the maximum gross weight for the box and everything inside it, including the six smaller units. Inside, those units are cargo, and like any cargo they need to be secured for the trip. The CTU Code, a code of practice from the IMO, ILO and UNECE, covers how to load and secure cargo in containers.
Unpacking runs in order. Open the 20ft high cube and pull out the two 9ft units, then take the 8ft out of each 9ft and the 7ft out of each 8ft. That takes a forklift with the capacity and fork length for the job, and a trained operator: OSHA’s forklift rule, 29 CFR 1910.178, requires operator training and evaluation. In the photo you can see fork pockets at the bottom of the door end. Pick the spot for each unit before you start, on firm, level ground, so every container is set down once.
Who buys nested containers
- Resellers and retailers. One 20ft high cube brings in seven units in four sizes, which widens what you can offer customers with small yards, driveways or tight lots.
- Contractors. The 20ft high cube can serve as the main site box while the smaller units go to separate crews, phases or work areas.
- Facilities, campuses and farms. Small units fit where a 20ft won’t: beside a building, behind a shop or at a remote gate or pump house, for tools, grounds equipment and seasonal supplies.
- Anyone moving small units a long way. Seven containers travel as one container move instead of seven.
Nested sets vs BiCons, TriCons and QuadCons
BiCons, TriCons and QuadCons also fit several containers into one 20ft shipping footprint, but they lock together side by side. A BiCon is two 10ft containers locked into one 20ft unit, and TriCons and QuadCons lock three or four smaller units together and are built to order. A nested set packs its units inside each other instead, and the outer 20ft high cube is one of the seven containers you keep. Our guide to types of specialty shipping containers covers all of these.
What to confirm when you order
Wholesale containers are sold from stacks at container depots, so buyers don’t pick individual units. Settle these points up front instead:
- Quantity and availability. How many sets you need, and whether sets are available near you now. Lummid sells from 350+ container depots across the U.S. and Canada, so ask for current availability.
- Pickup or delivery. Most wholesale buyers pick up or unload at their own site. Lummid can put you in touch with local drivers or schedule delivery for you.
- Weights. Ask for the shipping weight of the full set and the plate figures of each size, so your trucker can plan the load.
- Unloading. Line up the forklift, the operator and the set-down spots before the set arrives.
- Doors and locks. Ask how the doors, locking rods and lockboxes are set up on each size.
- Paperwork and payment. Depot pickup runs on a release order. Wholesalers don’t charge sales tax but need a copy of your resale certificate, and most take wire, ACH, check or direct deposit rather than credit cards.
- Condition at pickup. Check the set before it leaves the depot and call right away if something is wrong. Once you leave the depot with it, you have accepted its condition.
FAQ
How many containers are in a nested set?
Seven: one 20ft high cube, two 9ft, two 8ft and two 7ft containers. Each 9ft holds an 8ft, and each 8ft holds a 7ft.
Why can’t a nested set ship in a standard 20ft container?
The 9ft units are 8′ 4.79″ tall, and the door opening on a standard 8′ 6″ container is only about 7′ 5.8″ tall. A 9′ 6″ high cube’s door opening is about 8′ 5.8″, which is just enough.
How do I get the inner containers out?
With a forklift and a trained operator, one unit at a time. The 9ft units come out of the 20ft high cube first, then the 8ft and 7ft units come out of them. Plan where each one will sit before you start.
Get a quote
Need nested sets for your yard, your resale stock or several sites? Request a wholesale quote or call (888) 471-9099. Tell us how many sets you need and your pickup or delivery city. See how Lummid works with the trade on our resellers and bulk buyers page. Only need a container or two? Send us your city and state and we will help you find a trusted retailer near you.
Sources
- ISO 668:2020, Series 1 freight containers: Classification, dimensions and ratings
- BIC: Size type code (ISO 6346 length and height codes)
- IMO: International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC)
- IMO: IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code)
- OSHA: 29 CFR 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks