Container Load Calculator
This container load calculator works out how many pallets or cartons fit in a 20 ft, 40 ft, or 40 ft high cube shipping container. Enter the size of one unit and its weight, and the container load calculator returns the number that fit by space, the limit set by payload weight, the cargo volume, and how full the container is.
Results
The Container Load Calculator is part of our Shipping collection. Browse more shipping to size, convert, and check your work alongside this tool.
What the container load calculator does
A container fills up by floor, by height, or by weight. The container load calculator lays the units out in columns along the container, mixing two orientations across the width when that fits more, stacks them to the roof if they can be stacked, and then checks the payload limit. That mixed layout is why 11 euro pallets fit in a 20 ft container, not 8.
Container loading calculator method
The calculator uses inside sizes and typical maximum payloads:
Across the 2,352 mm width it tries every mix of units placed lengthwise and crosswise, keeps the layout that fits the most, and multiplies by the number of layers.
Container load calculator example
Euro pallets, 1,200 × 800 mm, 1,500 mm tall, not stacked, in a 20 ft container:
They take 15.84 m³, 47.7% of the 33.2 m³ space. A 40 ft container holds 25 euro pallets. Cartons of 600 × 400 × 300 mm at 12 kg in a 40 ft high cube come to 920 cartons, 11,040 kg, using 86.8% of the volume.
How to use the container load calculator
Choose the container and whether you are loading pallets or cartons. Enter the length, width, and height of one unit in millimeters; for pallets, use the height of the loaded pallet. Choose whether pallets can be stacked, and enter the weight per unit to check the payload. Cartons are turned to the best orientation and stacked automatically. Press Calculate.
Reading pallets in a container
The limiting factor tells you what to change. If space limits the load, stacking or a high cube container may add more; if payload weight limits it, the container will ship with empty space and you may save by switching to a 20 ft unit, which carries more weight per cubic meter. Road weight limits at origin and destination can be lower than the container payload, so check them for heavy cargo. Real loads lose a little to pallet overhang and bracing, so treat the result as the maximum.
When to use a container pallet calculator
- Quoting a full container load for export
- Choosing between 20 ft, 40 ft, and high cube
- Planning carton sizes to fill a container
- Checking whether heavy goods exceed the payload
- Building a simple container load plan
Common container load calculator mistakes
- Using outside container sizes. The calculator already uses inside sizes.
- Ignoring door opening. The door is slightly smaller than the inside height.
- Stacking fragile pallets. Only stack loads rated for it.
- Forgetting road limits. Heavy containers may exceed local truck limits.
Tips for a container load plan
- Design carton sizes around the container width.
- Load heavy pallets first and spread them evenly.
- Use airbags or bracing to fill gaps.
How many pallets in a 40ft container and why
The inside width of a standard container is about 2,352 mm, a little less than two pallet lengths of 1,200 mm laid side by side with room to spare, and too narrow for three widths of 800 mm. The best layouts mix orientations: one column of pallets with the 1,200 mm side across the container and another with the 800 mm side across fills 2,000 mm of width. Along a 12,032 mm floor that gives 15 plus 10 pallets, which is the familiar figure of 25 euro pallets. US 48 × 40 in pallets are wider, so they fit 20. Size your cartons first with the pallet calculator, then bring the pallet height and weight here.
Container CBM calculator and weight limits
Volume is only half the story. A 20 ft container holds 33.2 m³ but can take nearly as much weight as a 40 ft, so dense goods such as tiles, steel, or paper ship in 20 ft units and light goods such as furniture or foam ship in 40 ft high cubes. Spread weight evenly along the floor, keep the center of gravity low, and brace the load so it cannot shift. Work out the total cargo volume with the CBM calculator to compare quotes priced per cubic meter.
Container pallet calculator chart
Single layer floor capacity by pallet size, from the container load calculator:
| Container | Euro 1,200 × 800 | Standard 1,200 × 1,000 | US 48 × 40 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft standard | 11 | 9 | 9 |
| 40 ft standard | 25 | 22 | 20 |
| 40 ft high cube | 25 | 22 | 20 |
Container Load Calculator FAQ
How many pallets fit in a 20 ft container?
About 11 euro pallets or 9 standard 1,200 × 1,000 mm or US 48 × 40 in pallets in a single layer. Stacking doubles that if the goods and height allow.
How many pallets fit in a 40 ft container?
About 25 euro pallets, 22 standard 1,200 × 1,000 mm pallets, or 20 US 48 × 40 in pallets in one layer.
What is the payload of a 20 ft container?
Typically about 28,000 kg, though it varies by container and road limits. A 40 ft container carries about 26,500 to 26,700 kg.
Does a high cube fit more pallets?
Not on the floor; the footprint is the same as a 40 ft standard. The extra 305 mm of height helps with stacked pallets and cartons.