27 guides
Container loading guides
Straight answers to the questions importers, exporters and forwarders ask before booking a container. Every figure is calculated with the same engine as our load calculator.
6 guides
Container sizes
Container sizes20ft container dimensionsA 20ft container is 5.90 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m inside (19′ 4.5″ × 7′ 8.5″ × 7′ 10″), 33.1 m³, with a max payload of about 28,200 kg.
Container sizes40ft container dimensionsA 40ft container is 12.03 m × 2.35 m × 2.39 m inside (39′ 5.5″ × 7′ 8.5″ × 7′ 10″), 67.6 m³, with a max payload of about 26,700 kg.
Container sizes40ft high cube container dimensionsA 40ft high cube container is 12.03 m × 2.35 m × 2.69 m inside (39′ 5.5″ × 7′ 8.5″ × 8′ 10″), 76.0 m³, with a max payload of about 26,500 kg.
Container sizes45ft high cube container dimensionsA 45ft high cube container is 13.56 m × 2.35 m × 2.69 m inside (44′ 6″ × 7′ 8.5″ × 8′ 10″), 85.7 m³, with a max payload of about 27,700 kg.
Container sizesReefer container dimensions (20ft and 40ft)A 20ft reefer is about 5.44 m × 2.29 m × 2.27 m inside (28.3 m³); a 40ft high cube reefer 11.58 m × 2.29 m × 2.50 m (66.3 m³).
Container sizesShipping container door dimensionsStandard container doors open about 2.34 m wide and 2.28 m high; high cube doors about 2.58 m high.
5 guides
Pallets
PalletsHow many pallets fit in a 20ft container?A 20ft container fits 11 Euro pallets or 9 standard US pallets in a single tier, and double if pallets are under 114 cm tall.
PalletsHow many pallets fit in a 40ft container?A 40ft container fits 25 Euro pallets in theory (23–24 in practice) or 20 US pallets per layer.
PalletsStandard pallet sizes and how many fit in a containerThe six ISO pallet sizes (Euro, US 48×40, 1200×1000, Asia 1100×1100, Australia 1165×1165, 1067×1067) and how many of each fit in 20ft, 40ft and reefer containers.
PalletsHow many boxes fit on a pallet?A Euro pallet loaded to 1.5 m holds 12 cartons of 60×40×40 cm; a US pallet to 60 in holds 15.
PalletsHow many pallets fit in a reefer container?A 40ft high cube reefer fits 23 Euro pallets or 20 US pallets in one layer; a 20ft reefer 10 Euro or 9 US pallets.
3 guides
Cartons
CartonsHow many boxes fit in a 20ft container?A 20ft container holds about 262 cartons of 60×40×40 cm or 472 of 50×40×30 cm.
CartonsHow many boxes fit in a 40ft container?A 40ft standard container holds about 550 cartons of 60×40×40 cm; a 40ft high cube about 660.
CartonsHow many boxes fit in a 40ft high cube container?A 40ft high cube holds about 660 cartons of 60×40×40 cm and 2,240 of 30×30×30 cm.
2 guides
Containers
2 guides
Volume
3 guides
Volume & weight
Volume & weightHow to calculate CBM for shippingCBM = length × width × height in meters.
Volume & weightHow many kg is 1 CBM in freight?In sea freight LCL, 1 CBM counts as 1,000 kg (W/M).
Volume & weightVolumetric weight and chargeable weight explainedVolumetric weight = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000 for air freight or ÷ 5000 for courier.
2 guides
Weight
2 guides
Shipping basics
2 guides
Method
MethodHow to calculate how many cartons fit in a containerStep-by-step method to calculate container loading: measure cartons, check CBM and weight, count cartons per layer and layers, and handle rotation and stacking.
MethodHow to load a shipping container properlyPractical container loading rules: plan the load, spread weight evenly, heavy goods low, fill gaps, secure cargo, and document it.