If you’ve ever ordered bulk liquids for industrial use, farming, or manufacturing, chances are you’ve crossed paths with a 560L IBC tank—also known as a pallet tank, intermediate bulk container, or simply a cube tank. As a supplier who’s worked with these containers for over a decade, I’ve seen every question new buyers ask, and one of the most common is: “What are the exact dimensions of a 560L IBC tank?” The short answer is that there’s a standard, industry-aligned size that fits most use cases, but the truth is, the answer gets a little more nuanced depending on whether you’re measuring the cube, the pallet, or the entire assembled unit—plus there are small variations for specialized versions. In this post, I’ll break down the numbers, explain why they matter, and share what I’ve learned about how these dimensions play out in real-world use, from fitting through warehouse doors to stacking at a distribution center. 560L IBC Tank
First, let’s start with the core unit most people mean when they talk about an IBC: the outer cube that holds the liquid. For a standard 560L IBC (the 560 liters here is the internal volume of the tank itself, not including the space for fittings or the expansion gap that allows liquids to expand with temperature changes), the inner dimensions of the cube are almost universal across European and North American standard units. I can confirm this because we source tanks from three different manufacturers across the continent, and their inner cube dimensions are identical: 120 centimeters (or 47.2 inches) in length, 100 cm (39.4 inches) in width, and 100 cm (39.4 inches) in height. That adds up perfectly to 560 liters, by the way—calculate it out, and 1.2m x 1m x 1m is 1,200,000 cubic centimeters, which is 1,200 liters, but the cube is slightly smaller to account for the structural ribs that line its interior (the ridges that prevent the thin plastic tank from bulging when full) and the space left for the fill port and discharge valve. The ribs add a few millimeters to the interior walls, so the usable volume drops to exactly 560L. That’s not a random number, either—560L is the sweet spot for bulk transport, heavy enough to reduce the number of trips you need for small to medium liquid orders, but light enough to fit on a standard pallet and lift with a forklift or pallet jack.
Next up is the pallet, the steel or plastic base that turns a plastic cube into a mobile, stackable container. This is where most buyers get confused because pallet dimensions vary a little more, but the standard for a 560L IBC is a 120cm x 100cm (47.2” x 39.4”) steel pallet, which matches the base of the cube perfectly. That alignment is intentional—if the pallet was wider or narrower, the cube wouldn’t sit flat, creating a safety hazard when moving or stacking. The pallet’s height is standard too, at 15 cm (5.9 inches) for a galvanized steel pallet, the most common option we supply. Plastic pallets are slightly lighter, usually around 10 cm (3.9 inches) tall, but we only recommend them for non-corrosive, non-heavy liquids because steel pallets hold up better to frequent forklift use and long-term outdoor storage.
Now, add the cube and the pallet together, and you get the overall dimensions of the complete assembled 560L IBC tank, the number most people care about when planning storage or transport. Let’s make that easy to read in both metric and imperial, since we have customers who work in either system: metric overall dimensions are 115 cm in width (wait, no—let me double that, because the cube is 100cm wide and the pallet extends 7.5 cm on each side for forklift pockets, right? Oh, right, I almost forgot the forklift notches. The pallet has two open notches on the long sides, each 7.5 cm deep, so the total overall width of the assembled unit is 115 cm, total length is 120 cm, and total height (cube + pallet) is 115 cm (that’s 100 cm for the cube plus 15 cm for the pallet). In imperial terms, that’s 45.3 inches wide, 47.2 inches long, and 45.3 inches tall. That’s a key number for anyone trying to fit these through a standard warehouse door or into a shipping container—standard 20-foot shipping containers have an internal width of just under 234 cm (92 inches), so two 560L IBCs fit side by side with a few inches to spare, which is a huge efficiency win for bulk shipments.
But here’s the thing: not all 560L IBC tanks are identical. There are two main types that have slightly different dimensions, and I get calls every week from customers who mix them up. First, there are unrated IBCs, which are only meant for single-use or non-hazardous liquids like water, food-grade oils, or non-corrosive chemicals. Their overall height is a little shorter, around 105 cm total, because they don’t have the heavy structural reinforcement needed for repeated stacking or hazardous material transport. Then there are UN-rated IBCs, which we supply for customers moving hazardous liquids like acids, pesticides, or industrial solvents. UN-rated tanks have thicker plastic walls, a reinforced top frame, and a metal cage around the cube, so their dimensions are a tiny bit larger: overall width goes up to 120 cm, overall height hits 120 cm, and the pallet is thicker steel to handle the weight of hazardous liquids (which are often denser than water, so a full 560L tank can weigh over 700 kg, vs. 560 kg for water). We always make sure to label this difference clearly for buyers—an unrated tank will fit through a standard 120 cm wide warehouse door, but a UN-rated one needs a 125 cm door to accommodate the extra metal frame around the cube.
I’ve seen how small dimension differences cause real headaches for my customers, so let’s walk through a few common scenarios to show why these numbers matter. Last month, a small farm in Illinois ordered 10 560L IBCs to store fertilizer, and they told me their warehouse has 110 cm wide side doors. They’d looked up a generic IBC size online and thought a standard 560L tank was only 100 cm wide, so they didn’t mention the door size until delivery day. When the driver showed up, he couldn’t get the 115 cm wide assembled tanks through the door, so we had to send a team to unbolt each tank from its pallet and carry them through the door one by one, adding an extra day and $800 to their cost. That’s a mistake anyone can make, which is why I always encourage new buyers to measure their entry points before ordering. Another example: a chemical plant in Texas needed to stack 5 layers of IBCs in their outdoor storage yard. They went with a non-UN-rated tank to save $20 each, but after 2 layers, the thinner cube walls bulged, and the stack was unstable—they ended up having to replace them 6 months early because the thin walls couldn’t handle the weight of 2 full tanks on top.
What about specialized 560L IBC versions? We also supply insulated IBCs for temperature-sensitive liquids like wine, yogurt, or medical-grade solutions, and those have slightly different dimensions. The insulated layer adds 5 cm to the cube’s height, so the overall assembled size is 120 cm wide, 120 cm long, and 120 cm tall—exactly the same as a UN-rated tank, but with the extra insulation. We don’t recommend stacking insulated IBCs more than 3 layers, by the way, because the insulation can compress over time. There are also collapsible IBCs, which are designed for return transport to save space, and those have a different cube height when collapsed, around 30 cm, but their assembled dimensions are the same as a standard tank.
It’s worth noting that these standard dimensions are set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), so a 560L IBC from a supplier in Germany will have almost identical dimensions to one from Canada, which means they’re compatible with global transport standards. That’s why they’re such a popular choice for cross-border shipments—you don’t have to worry about custom sizes that don’t fit standard pallets or shipping containers.
As a supplier, I’ve spent years working to make sure I give my customers the exact dimensions they need, no fine print or surprises. I always include a spec sheet with every order that lists not just the overall dimensions, but also the inner cube dimensions, pallet size, forklift pocket dimensions (they’re 7.5 cm wide, by the way, which fits standard forklift tines), and weight when full. That way, customers don’t have to guess if their existing equipment will work with the tank.
If you’re in the market for a 560L IBC tank and you’re not sure which size or type is right for your needs, don’t rely on generic online lists that don’t account for specialized versions or use cases. Whether you need tanks for food-grade liquids, hazardous materials, or temperature-sensitive products, we can walk you through every dimension, answer your questions, and help you pick the right option for your space and application. There’s no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” tank, but with the right dimensions, you’ll save time, money, and avoid the kind of delivery and storage mistakes I’ve seen too many customers make over the years.
To discuss your specific requirements for a 560L IBC tank, please reach out to our team to connect on product details, availability, and tailored solutions.
Stacking Plastic Drum References
ASTM International. Standard Specification for Rigid Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) for Non-hazardous and Hazardous Materials.
International Organization for Standardization. IBCs for Transportation of Dangerous Goods.
National Industrial Packaging Association. Guide to IBC Dimensions and Compatibility.
European Federation of Packaging, Group for IBCs. Standard Sizes and Performance Specifications for 500L to 600L IBCs.
Jiangsu Xinhuasheng Packaging New Materials Co., Ltd.
Jiangsu Xinhuasheng Packaging New Materials Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional 560l ibc tank manufacturers and suppliers in China, featured by quality products and low price. Please rest assured to wholesale durable 560l ibc tank in stock here and get quotation from our factory. Customized orders are welcome.
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