High Cube
2,896 mm external height on the same 20ft frame and unit class.
20ft Reefer Container: Standard Refrigerated Unit
- Size
- 20ft
- Set point
- −30°C to +30°C
- Capacity
- 28.3 m³, 10 pallets
- Supply
- 32 A 3-phase
Request a Quote for the 20ft Reefer Container
6,058 × 2,438 × 2,591 mm external (high cube 2,896 mm), about 5,460 × 2,292 × 2,310 mm internal, 28.3 m³, 10 CHEP pallets. Aluminium T-section floor, stainless steel lining, 3-phase 380–460 V 32 A 5-pin supply, 240 V single-phase build to order.
Body built to ISO 1496-2:2018, ISO 668 and ISO 1161 with CSC sign-off at the factory. Refrigeration machinery under the OEM's type approval on an ISO 20854 design basis. Site outlet to AS/NZS 3000, stationary plant under AS/NZS 5149, ARCtick-licensed commissioning in Australia.
Site kitchens, camp stores, export yards and remote clinics. Mine, LNG and construction camps run one beside the kitchen block. Seafood and produce exporters stage loads before shipping. Defence field units hold rations and vaccines at set point.
Overview
The core reefer size, built new
The 20ft reefer container is the core size in the SCS reefer container range and the workhorse of the category: an integral reefer on the ISO 1CC footprint with its refrigeration unit in the front bulkhead, holding any set point from −30°C to +30°C. SCS Global builds every 20ft integral reefer new at our factory in Yixing, Jiangsu, to the project brief, never a resold used box, and ships it worldwide as standard freight.
Specifications
20ft Reefer Specifications and Dimensions
A 20ft reefer measures 6,058 × 2,438 × 2,591 mm externally and about 5,460 × 2,292 × 2,310 mm inside, giving 28.3 m³ for 10 CHEP pallets. The external envelope is the ISO 668 1CC footprint. The 20ft reefer container dimensions that catch buyers out are internal: the refrigeration unit sits in the front bulkhead, so internal length runs 5,440 to 5,470 mm, around 600 mm shorter than a dry 20ft. Weights are category reference values until plated figures are confirmed. Full 20ft reefer container specifications follow, and the reefer specifications guide compares every size. Specifications conform to industry standards. Confirm to project requirements.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| External dimensions (L × W × H) | 6,058 × 2,438 × 2,591 mm (20' × 8' × 8'6") |
| External height, high cube variant | 2,896 mm |
| Internal dimensions (reference build) | 5,460 × 2,292 × 2,310 mm |
| Door opening (W × H) | 2,288 × 2,251 mm |
| Internal cubic capacity | 28.3 m³ |
| Floor area | ≈12.3 m² |
| Pallet capacity | 10 CHEP pallets, single turned row |
| Tare weight (category reference) | 2,770 kg new-build |
| Maximum gross weight (category reference) | 36,000 kg ISO 668:2020 rating (plated 22,000–24,000 kg on new-build listings) |
| Floor | Aluminium T-section (T-bar) floor |
| Interior lining | Stainless steel |
| Power supply | 3-phase 380–460 V, 32 A, 50/60 Hz, 5-pin plug |
| Single-phase option | 240 V build, made to order |
| Set-point range | −30°C to +30°C |
Performance
Temperature Range and Performance
The standard integral unit holds any set point from −30°C to +30°C in ambient up to +50°C, with supply and return air logged. Reference cooling capacity is 10.0 kW at +2°C and 5.9 kW at −18°C in 38°C ambient, the ISO 1496-2 test condition. The controller logs set-point events and runs pre-trip self-diagnostics. Fresh-air exchange, 60 to 85% RH humidity control and a controlled atmosphere option suit produce. We build deep-freeze −40°C and super-freezer −60°C to −75°C units to order.
Construction
20ft Refrigerated Container Features
A 20ft refrigerated container from SCS is a foam-cored sandwich body with a stainless steel interior and an aluminium T-section floor, on a Corten steel ISO frame with ISO 1161 corner castings. The T-floor channels supply air under the load. Polyurethane foam sandwich panels carry the insulation, bonded to limit thermal bridging. Storage builds add an internal emergency door release, 220 V LED lighting and strip curtains. Every twenty-foot reefer body shares our range's manufacturing and quality assurance and Corten steel construction.
Delivery
Delivery and Power Requirements
A 20ft refrigerated shipping container ships as a standard ISO box and runs from a dedicated 32 A 3-phase 5-pin outlet, or 240 V on the single-phase build. It lands by crane or tilt tray on a level pad, with tie-down engineering in cyclone regions. An electrician wires the outlet to AS/NZS 3000. Plan for 70 to 100 kWh a day at +4°C, plus 25 to 40% in hot climates. A clip-on genset covers off-grid sites and transit. Factory-to-site logistics covers sea freight from Yixing to your port.
Compliance
Compliance and Certifications
Compliance sits in four layers: body, machinery, site and operator. SCS holds the body layer: built to the ISO series with CSC sign-off at the factory under the International Convention for Safe Containers. AS/NZS 5149 governs a reefer installed as stationary refrigerating plant, and only ARCtick-licensed technicians charge, commission or decommission it in Australia. No reefer is HACCP certified in itself: that belongs to the food business operating it. The container body carries ISO 1496-2:2018, ISO 668, ISO 1161 and the CSC plate, with ATP in export markets only. The refrigeration machinery carries the OEM's type approval on an ISO 20854 design basis. The site installation carries the AS/NZS 3000 reefer outlet. The food business holds FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 and its HACCP plan.
ISO 
Bureau Veritas 
DNV 
Lloyd's Register 
BIC 
ABS Standards & References
Standards we build to
Every 20ft reefer we manufacture is engineered against the standards below. Click through to the source authority for the full text and current revision.
ISO 668 Series 1 freight containers: classification, dimensions and ratings. The 1CC external envelope and the 36,000 kg gross rating. International Organization for Standardization
ISO 1496-2:2018 Thermal containers: specification and testing, including the −18°C / +38°C cooling-capacity test condition. International Organization for Standardization
ISO 1161 Corner fittings for Series 1 freight containers: the castings on the Corten ISO frame. International Organization for Standardization
CSC 1972 International Convention for Safe Containers: the plate that admits the unit as standard container freight. International Maritime Organization
AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules: the dedicated 32 A 3-phase reefer outlet the site electrician installs. Standards Australia
AS/NZS 5149 Refrigerating systems and heat pumps: governs a reefer installed as stationary refrigerating plant. WorkSafe Western Australia
ARCtick Refrigerant Handling Licence: only licensed technicians charge, commission or decommission the unit in Australia. Australian Refrigeration Council
FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices: potentially hazardous food held at 5°C or colder by the operating food business. Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Configuration Options
Configurations and Options
The default 20ft reefer unit is standard height and 3-phase. We build high cube, single-phase, pallet-wide and cold-room fit-out versions to order on the same 20ft frame. You specify the OEM unit and the colour. For more capacity, the 40ft reefer carries 22 CHEP pallets in 67 m³.
Single-Phase 240 V
A 240 V single-phase build for sites without three-phase supply, made to order.
Pallet-Wide Storage Reefer
6,058 × 2,500 × 2,896 mm, 33.5 m³. Two Australian pallets abreast, up to 16 with vertical load bars.
Cold-Room Fit-Out
Personnel door, internal release, alarm, LED lighting and shelving for walk-in site cold storage.
Buyer-Specified OEM Unit
Daikin, Carrier, Thermo King or Star Cool class integral unit fitted at the factory.
Colour
Factory-painted exterior to your colour specification.
Applications
Applications and Industries
20ft reefers hold chilled and frozen stock at site kitchens, camp stores, export yards and remote clinics. Food businesses hold potentially hazardous food at 5°C or colder under FSANZ Standard 3.2.2. Mine, LNG and construction camps run one beside the kitchen block. Seafood and produce exporters stage loads in them before shipping. Defence field units hold rations and vaccines at set point.
Mining & Resources
Mine camps run a 20ft reefer beside the kitchen block as the site food store, on three-phase supply or a genset where the pad has none.
Oil, Gas & Energy
LNG and remote energy camps hold chilled and frozen catering stock at set point, delivered to the laydown as standard freight.
Construction & Infrastructure
Construction catering and project cold storage that relocates by crane or tilt tray when the works move to the next stage.
Military & Defence
Defence field units hold rations and vaccines at set point, and remote clinics keep temperature-controlled stock in the same unit.
Tell us the set point, duty and site power. We quote factory-direct from Yixing.
Request a Quote for the 20ft Reefer Container
Engineering Resources
Engineering Resources and Downloads
A dimensioned drawing, spec sheet and one-page compliance summary are available on request with your quote. Every engineering document published here has a crawlable HTML equivalent elsewhere on the page.
PDFOn request
20ft Reefer Container Spec Sheet
Full specification matrix and configuration options for tender review.
DownloadPDFOn request
20ft Reefer Container Technical Drawing
Dimensioned plan, elevation and section drawings.
DownloadPDFOn request
Compliance Documentation Summary
One-page ISO 1496-2, ISO 668, CSC, AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 5149 and ARCtick scope for the unit.
DownloadRelated Products
Explore the reefer range
Sister pages in the SCS refrigerated container range, built on the same Yixing line against the same four-layer compliance posture.
40ft Reefer Container
High cube 40ft integral reefer: 22 CHEP pallets in around 67 m³, the same −30°C to +30°C set-point range on one 32 A supply.
the 40ft reefer Reefer Container Specifications
Dimensions, temperature tiers and power planning for 10ft, 20ft and 40ft reefers, with the standards each figure comes from.
reefer specifications guide
Reefer Container vs Cold Room
When a containerised cold store beats a built cold room, and when it doesn't: capacity, relocation, compliance and cost drivers.
when a built cold room suits betterFAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Four questions procurement, operations and engineering teams ask most often about the 20ft reefer.
What are the internal dimensions of a 20ft reefer?
About 5,460 × 2,292 × 2,310 mm on the reference build, with a market range of 5,440–5,470 × 2,230–2,290 × 2,260–2,310 mm. The refrigeration unit occupies the front bulkhead, so internal length runs roughly 600 mm shorter than a dry 20ft, giving 28.3 m³.
How much power does a 20ft reefer use?
A 20ft reefer runs from a 32 A 3-phase supply. The reference OEM unit draws up to 13.5 kW and runs at around 3 to 7 kWh an hour. Holding +4°C, a 20ft uses roughly 70 to 100 kWh a day, plus 25 to 40% in hot ambient conditions.
How many pallets fit in a 20ft refrigerated container?
Ten CHEP pallets fit in a 20ft refrigerated container, in a single turned row. The pallet-wide 2,500 mm build takes two Australian pallets abreast, up to 16 with load bars. For 22 CHEP pallets, the 40ft high cube reefer carries 67 m³.
Can a 20ft reefer be used as a walk-in cold room on site?
Yes. The cold-room fit-out adds a personnel door, internal release, alarm, LED lighting, strip curtains and shelving, and AS/NZS 5149 governs the unit as stationary refrigerating plant. Where the site is permanent, read when a built cold room suits better on our comparison page.