Free calculator

Container load calculator

Enter one carton size, its weight and the quantity, or switch to pallets. The calculator estimates how many fit in a 20ft, 40ft and 40ft High Cube, whether space or weight runs out first, and how full each container is. It is a planning estimate: real stuffing depends on packing and should be confirmed with us.

Length (cm)Width (cm)Height (cm)Weight each (kg)Cartons to ship

Allow cartons to be turned on their side

20ft standard

225 cartons per box

Space runs out first

By floor and layer packing: 225
By volume (upper bound): 345
By max payload: 1,568
Boxes for 500: 3
Volume used: 65.1%
Payload used: 14.3%

9 along × 5 across × 5 high, carton placed 60 × 40 × 40 cm.

40ft standard

500 cartons per box

Space runs out first

By floor and layer packing: 500
By volume (upper bound): 705
By max payload: 1,485
Boxes for 500: 1
Volume used: 70.9%
Payload used: 33.7%

20 along × 5 across × 5 high, carton placed 60 × 40 × 40 cm.

40ft High Cube

600 cartons per box

Space runs out first

By floor and layer packing: 600
By volume (upper bound): 794
By max payload: 1,474
Boxes for 500: 1
Volume used: 62.9%
Payload used: 33.9%

20 along × 5 across × 6 high, carton placed 60 × 40 × 40 cm.

An estimate from typical container sizes, with no allowance for dunnage, bracing or mixed orientations. Real stuffing depends on how the cargo is packed, so confirm the plan with us before you book.

How it is calculated

How the estimate is calculated

The calculator stacks your cartons in a regular block, all the same way round, and divides the container's inside length, width and height by the carton's, rounding each down to whole cartons.

Cartons by packing = ⌊container L ÷ carton l⌋ × ⌊container W ÷ carton w⌋ × ⌊container H ÷ carton h⌋Cartons by volume = ⌊nominal capacity (m³) ÷ carton volume (m³)⌋ (an upper bound that ignores shape)Cartons by weight = ⌊max payload (kg) ÷ carton gross weight (kg)⌋Cartons per container = the lower of packing and weight

With rotation allowed it tries all six ways a carton can sit square to the walls and keeps the best. With rotation off, the carton stays the way up you entered it and only turns on the floor. "This side up" cartons should stay upright.

Example: a 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton gives 9 × 5 × 5 = 225 cartons in a 20ft, 20 × 5 × 5 = 500 in a 40ft, and 20 × 5 × 6 = 600 in a 40ft High Cube, where the extra height adds a sixth tier.

The estimate leaves out dunnage, airbags, bracing, mixed orientations and the uneven last row at the door. Real stuffing plans often come in a little lower, so confirm the plan with us before you book.

Good to know

Pallets per container

A container is about 2.35 m wide inside, so pallets go two abreast: usually one column lengthwise and one column turned. The calculator tries every mix of lengthwise and turned columns and keeps the plan with the most floor positions.

On that basis a 20ft takes 9 pallets of either 120 × 100 cm or 48 × 40 in on the floor. A 40ft or 40ft High Cube takes 20 of the 48 × 40 in pallets and 22 of the 120 × 100 cm on paper, but the 22nd leaves only a few centimeters of slack, so plan for one fewer.

Double stacking only works when two loaded pallets clear the inside height (about 2.39 m standard, 2.70 m High Cube) and the bottom pallet can carry the top one.

Good to know

Container sizes used

The calculator uses typical published figures for standard dry containers. They vary a little by carrier, builder and year, and the binding tare and maximum gross weight are on each box's CSC safety plate.

Typical dry container figures
Container	Inside L × W × H	Door W × H	Capacity	Tare	Max payload
20ft standard 22G1	5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m	2.34 × 2.28 m	33.2 m³	2,250 kg	28,230 kg
40ft standard 42G1	12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 m	2.34 × 2.28 m	67.7 m³	3,750 kg	26,730 kg
40ft High Cube 45G1	12.032 × 2.352 × 2.698 m	2.34 × 2.585 m	76.3 m³	3,940 kg	26,540 kg

Source: ISO 668 series 1 container sizes, cross-checked against carrier equipment guides (Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd); reviewed 3 Sep 2026. Typical values: each container's own figures vary by carrier and box and are stamped on its CSC plate.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How many cartons fit in a 20ft container?

It depends on the carton. A 20ft has about 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m of inside space. A 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton fits 225 times by regular block packing (9 along, 5 across, 5 high), against 500 in a 40ft and 600 in a 40ft High Cube. Enter your own carton above to get your count.

What are the inside dimensions of 20ft, 40ft and 40ft High Cube containers?

Typically 5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m for a 20ft (33.2 m³), 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 m for a 40ft (67.7 m³) and 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.698 m for a 40ft High Cube (76.3 m³). The door opening is smaller than the inside, about 2.34 m wide and 2.28 m high on a standard box and 2.585 m high on a High Cube.

How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?

Single stacked, 20 pallets of 48 × 40 in, and 22 of 120 × 100 cm on paper, though the 22nd leaves only a few centimeters of slack, so plan for 21. A 20ft takes 9 of either size. Double stacking doubles the count only when two loaded pallets fit under the ceiling, which usually means a High Cube.

What is the maximum weight I can load in a container?

The payload is the maximum gross weight minus the empty box's tare. Typical figures are 28,230 kg for a 20ft, 26,730 kg for a 40ft and 26,540 kg for a 40ft High Cube, but each box's plate gives its own. Road weight limits for the truck at either end often cap the load lower, so check the trucking leg before you plan to load to the limit.

Should I use a 20ft or a 40ft container for heavy cargo?

Use a 20ft for dense cargo such as stone, tiles, metal parts and liquids. A 20ft reaches its typical payload once the cargo is denser than about 850 kg per cubic meter, so heavy goods fill it by weight before they fill it by space. A 40ft has twice the space but a lower payload, so it suits light, bulky goods.

How accurate is this container load estimate?

Good enough to choose a container size, but not a loading plan. It assumes one carton size stacked in a regular block and leaves out dunnage, bracing and mixed orientations. Send us your packing list and we will confirm the stuffing plan before you book.

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