How many CBM in a 20ft container?
A 20ft container holds about 33 m³ (CBM) — roughly 10 standard pallets, or one TEU. It is the workhorse for smaller full-container loads and for dense, heavy cargo that reaches the weight limit before it fills the space.
Internal volume
33.1 m³
1,169 ft³
GMA pallets
10
single layer
Euro pallets
11
single layer
Max payload
28 t
28,200 kg
20ft Standard container dimensions
These are the typical internal dimensions — what actually fits inside. The door opening is slightly smaller, so measure tall or wide cargo against the doorway, not just the box.
| Internal length | 5.9 m | 19' 4" |
| Internal width | 2.35 m | 7' 8" |
| Internal height | 2.39 m | 7' 10" |
| Capacity (CBM) | 33.1 m³ | 1,169 ft³ |
| Max payload | 28,200 kg | 62,170 lb |
| Equivalent | 1 TEU | 20' GP · 1 TEU |
How many pallets fit in a 20ft container?
Floor-loaded in a single layer, a 20ft container takes about 10 standard GMA pallets (48×40 in) or 11 Euro pallets (1200×800 mm). If your cargo stacks and you are under the weight limit, double-stacking can roughly double those numbers. Work out how many of your cartons fit per pallet first with the pallet calculator.
How many boxes fit in a 20ft container?
That depends on your box size — a 20ft container is 33.1 m³, but real packing efficiency is usually 80–90% once orientation and gaps are accounted for. Enter your carton dimensions in the container loading calculator to see how many fit this and other containers, or total your shipment volume with the CBM calculator.
Weight, not volume, is usually the 20ft's real limit
Divide the 20ft's ~28,200 kg payload by its 33.1 m³ interior and you get a break-even density of about 852 kg/m³. Any cargo denser than that — ceramic tile, paper reels, canned goods, rice, beverages, metal parts — hits the weight ceiling before the box looks full. That's exactly why the 20ft exists alongside the 40ft: it offers nearly the same payload as a 40ft (in fact slightly more, 28,200 vs 26,700 kg) in half the space, so dense freight isn't paying to ship air.
For US imports there's a second, lower ceiling: highway weight limits generally cap over-the-road cargo around 20,000 kg per container without overweight permits, well under the box's rated 28,200 kg. Heavy shippers either load to the road limit, use tri-axle chassis and permits, or transload at the port.
What the 33 CBM looks like in practice
The nominal 33.1 m³ assumes perfect cube utilisation, which real cargo never achieves. Palletised freight loses volume to pallet decks, stacking gaps and the space above the top layer, so a planning figure of 25–28 m³ is realistic; loose-loaded ('floor-loaded') cartons pack tighter and can approach 30 m³.
On the floor itself, ten 48 × 40 in GMA pallets or eleven Euro pallets fit in a single layer. With cargo stacked to about 1.15 m per pallet, the 2.39 m internal height lets you double-stack — twenty pallet positions — provided the lower layer can bear the load and the total stays under the weight limit.
Frequently asked questions
How many CBM are in a 20ft container?
A 20ft container has an internal volume of about 33.1 m³ (1,169 ft³). In practice you can load roughly 80–90% of that once you account for pallet patterns, packaging and bracing.
How many pallets fit in a 20ft container?
Floor-loaded in a single layer, a 20ft container holds about 10 standard GMA (48×40 in) pallets or 11 Euro (1200×800 mm) pallets. Double-stacking can roughly double that if your cargo and weight limit allow.
What is the maximum payload of a 20ft container?
A 20ft container carries up to about 28,200 kg (62,170 lb) of cargo. Dense freight often hits this weight limit before it fills the volume — always check both.
When should I book a 20ft instead of a 40ft?
When your cargo is dense (roughly 850 kg/m³ or more) or simply under ~25–28 m³. A 20ft actually carries slightly more payload than a 40ft (about 28,200 vs 26,700 kg), so very heavy shipments sometimes split across two 20fts — around 56,400 kg of combined payload — instead of overloading one 40ft.
How many CBM can I really load in a 20ft container?
Plan on 25–28 m³ of the nominal 33.1 m³ for palletised cargo, or up to about 30 m³ floor-loaded. Pallet decks, stacking gaps and door clearance absorb the rest.