Container Loading Calculator
Enter your box size to see how many fit a 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft High Cube container. You get the load plan (how many along, across and high), a top view of one layer, how full the container is, and whether the weight limit stops you first. Free, with no sign-up.
Boxes per container
14 along × 7 across × 7 high · 75% of the space
30 along × 7 across × 7 high · 78% of the space
30 along × 7 across × 9 high · 89% of the space
40ft Standard, top view · each box placed 40 cm along × 30 cm across × 30 cm high · 7 layers
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Theoretical max for identical boxes; no bracing or mixed stacking. Confirm load plans with your carrier.
How the load plan is worked out
The calculator divides the container's inside size by your box size in every direction. It rounds down, since half a box does not load, and tries all six ways the box can be turned. Tick “this side up” and it only turns the box on the floor.
Example: a 40 × 30 × 30 cm carton in a 20 ft container (5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m inside). Along: 5.90 ÷ 0.40 = 14. Across: 2.35 ÷ 0.30 = 7. High: 2.39 ÷ 0.30 = 7. That is 14 × 7 × 7 = 686 boxes, using about 75% of the space. The rest is thin gaps at the end, side and top. The same box fits 1,470 in a 40 ft and 1,680 in a 40 ft High Cube, where the extra height adds an eighth layer.
How many boxes fit in a container?
Full-grid counts for common carton sizes, from the same math as the calculator:
| Box | 20 ft | 40 ft | 40 ft HC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 × 40 × 40 cm | 225 | 500 | 600 |
| 50 × 50 × 50 cm | 176 | 384 | 480 |
| 40 × 30 × 30 cm | 686 | 1,470 | 1,890 |
| 24 × 18 × 12 in | 315 | 665 | 780 |
| 18 × 18 × 16 in | 350 | 725 | 780 |
Identical boxes, best orientation, no pallets or bracing. If a box must stay upright, some counts drop. For example, 18 × 18 × 16 in boxes fit 350 in a 20 ft when they can lie on their side, but 300 upright.
When weight fills the container first
Heavy cartons hit the payload limit before they fill the space. Take 60 × 40 × 40 cm boxes at 45 kg each. A 40 ft High Cube has room for 600, but its typical payload of 26,500 kg allows only 588. Enter a box weight and the calculator uses whichever limit is lower. Trucks and roads can set a lower limit than the container's own rating, so confirm the weight with your forwarder.
Container sizes used
| Container | Inside L × W × H | CBM | Typical payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | 5.9 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 33.1 | 28,200 kg |
| 40ft Standard | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 67.6 | 26,700 kg |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.7 m | 76 | 26,500 kg |
Typical figures. Outside sizes and door openings are on the shipping container dimensions page. Each container line and build differs a little, so check the plate on the door for the exact numbers.
Beyond one box size
This calculator plans identical boxes, which covers most single-product loads. For total volume across many carton sizes, and sea and air chargeable weight, use the CBM calculator. Shipping on pallets? Plan them with the pallet calculator, then request a freight quote.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes fit in a 20 ft container?
It depends on the box. A 40 × 30 × 30 cm carton fits 686 in a standard 20 ft container (14 along, 7 across, 7 high). A 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton fits 225, and a 24 × 18 × 12 in carton fits 315. These are full-grid numbers for identical boxes, so real loads come in a little lower.
How do you calculate container loading?
Divide the container's inside length, width and height by the box's size, round each down, and multiply. Try every way the box can be turned and keep the best. Then check the weight: divide the container's payload by one box's weight. The smaller of the two numbers is what you can load.
What is container stuffing?
Stuffing is the shipping term for loading cargo into a container. A stuffing plan says how many boxes go in, which way they face and how they stack, so the load uses the space well and stays under the weight limit.
How many pallets fit in a 20 ft or 40 ft container?
On the floor in one layer, a 20 ft container takes 9 pallets of 48 × 40 in (its 5.90 m floor is too short for a 10th) or 11 Euro pallets. A 40 ft takes about 20 of 48 × 40 in or 24 Euro. Use the pallet calculator to plan the cartons on each pallet.
Why can't I fill 100% of the container?
Boxes rarely divide evenly into the inside length, width and height, so gaps are left at the end, the side and the top. Real loads also need room for the doors, bracing and pallets. The calculator shows the fill % so you can see how much space the gaps take.