Choose the doors and floor for your daily routine
If goods arrive and leave as palletized batches, a marine reefer with full cargo doors and an aluminum T-floor is one configuration to compare. Its floor channels are part of the air distribution system. Keep the load within the T-floor cargo area and below the marked load line.
For cartons picked throughout the day, consider a stationary cold-storage configuration with an entrance arranged for that work. One 20ft walk-in example has a single door and strip curtain; the portable examples offer several door and floor options. Decide where receiving happens, how cartons are reached and whether pallets must be moved to retrieve the next item.
Describe goods arriving already chilled or frozen separately from warm goods that need cooling or freezing. A temperature setting does not tell you how quickly a warm batch will reach the required product temperature.
Compare dimensions for the actual 20ft configuration
The examples below are separate products. Dimensions are nominal, and the portable floor measurements do not describe the marine or walk-in example.
The two portable examples publish nine positions for US 48 × 40 in pallets, despite their different interior heights. More headroom does not add floor positions. The allowable load height follows the selected unit's loading instructions and load line.
The marine dimensions correspond to about 209.5 × 88 × 88.5 in inside. The walk-in measurements are typical dimensions for that product. Use the offered unit's floor, door arrangement and cooling equipment together when planning your load.
| Configuration example | Outside L × W × H | Inside L × W × H | Door information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable, single phase | 240 × 96 × 102 in | 210 × 88 × 88 in | Several fleet door options; select the layout with the unit |
| Portable, three phase | 240 × 96 × 114 in | 213 × 88 × 100 in | Several fleet door options; select the layout with the unit |
| Marine, standard height | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m | 5.321 × 2.235 × 2.248 m | Cargo opening: 2.235 m wide × 2.248 m high |
| Stationary walk-in | 20 ft × 8 ft × 8 ft 6 in | 18 ft × 7 ft × 7 ft | Typical single opening: 4 ft wide × 6 ft 5 in high |
Reserve retrieval space before filling the floor
A pallet count describes an arrangement. It does not show whether you can reach cartons or remove a pallet during the day.
Consider one row of US 48 × 40 in pallet footprints, rotated with 40 in along the room and 48 in across it. For this geometric comparison, choose a 36 in strip beside the row, 2 in at each sidewall and a 12 in reserve at the assumed rear doors. The same assumptions apply to both portable floors.
A fifth footprint ends at 200 in, leaving 13 in to the assumed doors on the longer floor. On the shorter floor, it would leave only 10 in. Under these assumptions, the extra 3 in allows a fifth footprint to fit.
These geometric counts are not validated operating pallet capacities. The 36 in strip is an illustration, not an aisle standard. The plan reserves no front machinery clearance and does not establish door access, turning room or safe pallet movement. A marine T-floor load needs its own airflow plan; leaving an open strip can conflict with bottom-airflow loading instructions.
| Portable floor length | Length after the assumed 12 in door reserve | Footprints that fit under these assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| 210 in | 198 in | Four footprints, each 40 in long |
| 213 in | 201 in | Five footprints, each 40 in long |
Swipe or scroll to read the diagram.
Match temperature and power within one configuration
These ranges belong to the listed systems. They do not establish the temperature of a particular product or its cooling time in hot weather. Match the required holding temperature, incoming load and door routine to the proposed refrigeration system.
The used-box/new-motor purchase examples below are a different choice: the cooler calls for 208–240 V single phase on dedicated 20 A service; the freezer calls for 208–240 V single phase on dedicated 40 A service. Both require hardwiring by the customer's licensed electrician. Select the required operating temperature with the proposed system rather than borrowing a range from the portable or marine table.
Single phase does not mean an ordinary household outlet. These examples need higher-voltage service. Match the actual unit's voltage, phase, 60 Hz compatibility, circuit and connection before delivery. A transformer offered for 208/230 V three-phase operation still requires three phase.
The amperages above describe connection requirements, not daily electricity use. For a running-cost budget, use metered energy from comparable holding conditions, with the temperature setting, weather, load and door openings recorded.
| Configuration example | Published temperature specification | Published electrical requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Portable, single phase | Selectable setpoint: −40°F to 68°F | 208–230 V single phase, 45 A |
| Portable, three phase | Selectable setpoint: −22°F to 86°F | 208–230 V three phase, 60 A; or 440–480 V three phase, 30 A |
| Marine, standard height | Product-sheet range: −10°F to 70°F | 460 V three phase, 30 A; or 230 V three phase, 60 A. 50/60 Hz listed with the optional dual-voltage configuration |
| Stationary walk-in | Advertised maintained range: 0°F to 40°F | 220 V single phase |
Compare the box, cooling system and purchase scope
These five equipment asking prices were observed on October 9, 2026, within a review of eight 20ft purchase listings from two US sellers. They are examples from two markets, rather than ContainerPick offers or a national price range.
A new cooling motor leaves the shell used. Compare insulation, door seals, floor condition and repairs alongside the replacement system. Have the purchase terms distinguish coverage for the box from coverage for the refrigeration; a general container warranty may exclude refrigerated equipment.
The Georgia used and new examples list optional 208/230 V three-phase transformers at $2,450 and $3,450. Unit plus transformer would therefore be $12,950 for the $10,500 used example or $28,950 for the $25,500 new example. Those are equipment subtotals.
Freight, unloading, taxes and site electrical work were not confirmed included in the listed prices. Price the complete installed arrangement for your ZIP and site, including the connection work required by the chosen system. For used equipment, review the dated test results for the offered unit before accepting its working-condition description.
| 20ft purchase example | Condition and configuration | Market | Asking price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used cargo-door reefer | As-is working; refrigeration dated 2014; cargo doors, T-rail floor and 460 V three phase | Atlanta area / Morrow, Georgia | $10,500 |
| Used box, new cooler motor | New cooling motor in an existing used box; 208–240 V single phase, dedicated 20 A and electrician hardwire | Santa Maria, California pickup variant | $19,500 |
| Used box, new freezer motor | New freezer motor in an existing used box; 208–240 V single phase, dedicated 40 A and electrician hardwire | Santa Maria, California pickup variant | $21,500 |
| New production, one trip | Refrigeration dated December 2025; walk-in door, flat aluminum floor, lights, panic alarm and inside release; 460 V three phase | Atlanta area / Morrow, Georgia | $25,500 |
| New standard-height equipment | Listed as new, with cargo doors and three-phase refrigeration | Santa Maria, California pickup variant | $26,800 |
Choose 20ft when the load and site favor the shorter box
A 20ft portable example occupies a nominal 160 sq ft rectangle, compared with 80 sq ft for the same fleet's 10ft format and 320 sq ft for its 40ft format. That footprint excludes door operation, receiving space, machinery service and the delivery truck.
The same fleet publishes three or four US 48 × 40 in positions for its 10ft door options, nine for its 20ft examples and twenty for its 40ft example. Consider 20ft when the compact format would force your intended arrangement to be too tight, but the longer floor would add space you do not need. Check access and airflow before using the advertised positions in your purchase plan.
Truck approach can decide the size even when the box fits. One gooseneck tilt-bed operator specifies 80 ft of straight approach for 10ft and 20ft delivery and 120 ft for 40ft. These are that operator's requirements; confirm the truck and unloading method for your site. Orient the doors toward receiving and keep the machinery end accessible for service.
Get My Best Price
Keep the required temperature, receiving routine and electrical setup together in your 20ft purchase request.
Add your delivery ZIP, box condition preference, packaged-load dimensions and the way goods will be retrieved. Include the available voltage and phase, and ask for equipment, testing, delivery, unloading and electrical setup as separate items.
Build an editable price request, then copy or download it to share with your chosen supplier.
Buying questions
Can a 20ft refrigerated container plug into a normal outlet?
None of the configurations compared here uses an ordinary 120 V US outlet. The used-box/new-motor examples require 208–240 V single phase, dedicated 20 A cooler or 40 A freezer service and electrician hardwiring. Marine and portable three-phase systems have different requirements. Match the selected unit to the site's voltage, phase, frequency and connection.
Does a new cooler or freezer motor mean the 20ft box is new?
No. The $19,500 cooler and $21,500 freezer examples are used boxes with new cooling motors. Compare shell condition and refrigeration separately, including installation work and the warranty terms for each.