Container loading calculator: how many cartons fit?
Enter the size and weight of one carton or pallet and the quantity. You see how many fit in each container type and whether weight or volume is the limit.
How the calculator counts cartons
The calculator takes the outer size of one carton or pallet and tries every way of turning it. There are six, because any of the three sides can run along the length of the container. For each position it divides the container’s internal length, width and height by the matching carton side and rounds down to whole cartons, since half a carton does not fit. The three counts multiplied give the cartons per container, and the position that fits the most wins.
Then it checks weight against the payload, the maximum weight of cargo a container may carry. If the load is too heavy, the count is cut back to what the payload allows. The result shows which limit you hit first, volume or weight. Containers needed is your quantity divided by cartons per container, rounded up.
A worked example
Take a carton of 60 x 40 x 50 cm weighing 15 kg. The calculator finds 180 cartons in a 20GP, 400 in a 40GP and 500 in a 40HC. The weight stays well below the payload (2,700 kg in the 20GP against a payload of about 28,000 kg), so volume is the limit. An order of 1,000 cartons would need six 20GP, three 40GP or two 40HC.
Internal dimensions of the common containers
Length x width x height, rounded.
- 20GP (20 ft standard)
- About 5.90 x 2.35 x 2.39 m
- 40GP (40 ft standard)
- About 12.03 x 2.35 x 2.39 m
- 40HC (40 ft high cube)
- About 12.03 x 2.35 x 2.69 m
Why real loading is lower
The number on screen is a ceiling, not a loading plan. Cartons in a real order are rarely all the same size, so the pack is looser than the sums assume. Pallets add their own height and footprint. Dunnage, meaning the airbags, boards and straps used to fill gaps and stop the load shifting, takes up room, and loaders leave a little clearance at the doors.
Typical payload and pallet counts
General reference figures only.
- Typical maximum payload, 20GP
- About 28,000 kg
- Typical maximum payload, 40GP and 40HC
- About 26,500 kg
- Euro pallets (120 x 80 cm) on the floor of a 20GP
- About 11
- Euro pallets (120 x 80 cm) on the floor of a 40 ft container
- About 23
Weight limits and who decides
Heavy cargo such as tiles or liquids in drums usually hits the weight limit first, which is why it often goes in a 20GP. Light, bulky cartons fill the space first, and the extra height of a 40HC helps there.
The figures above are typical. The carrier or the terminal sets the final limit. Stacking pallets on top of the floor layer depends on pallet height and weight. If you send us the packing list, TradeRoute EU can check the numbers against the container type. For volume, the CBM calculator gives cubic metres, and sea freight from Asia to Hamburg explains FCL and LCL.
Common questions about container loading
How many cartons fit in a 40 ft container?
It depends on the carton size, so enter yours above. On paper a 40GP holds about 67 m³ and a 40HC about 76 m³, and real loads usually come in below that.
Which container suits light, bulky cartons?
Usually the 40HC. It is about 30 cm taller than the 40GP, and light cargo tends to run out of space long before it reaches the payload.
Can I use the calculator for pallets?
Yes. Enter the outer size of the loaded pallet, including the pallet itself and the height of the goods, and its total weight. Remember that a Euro pallet is 120 x 80 cm, which affects how many fit on the floor.
Why is my real load smaller than the result?
Uneven cartons, pallets, dunnage and door clearance all take space, and stack height limits can leave room unused. Treat the result as an upper figure.
Can I mix different carton sizes?
Not in this calculator, which handles one size at a time. Add up the volume of each size with the CBM calculator, or send us the packing list and we will check the fit.
More free tools
Check your load with a forwarder
Send us your carton sizes, weights and quantities, and the port of loading. We reply within 24 business hours with an itemised quote.
