How many boxes fit in a 40ft container?
A 40ft standard container (40GP) holds about 550 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm or 966 cartons of 50 × 40 × 30 cm. A 40ft high cube holds more of the same cartons, 660 and 1,150, because it is 30 cm taller. Typical carton loads use 55–60 m³ of a 40GP and 65–70 m³ of a 40HQ.
Cartons per 40ft container by size
| Carton size | CBM each | 40GP | 40HQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 × 30 × 30 cm 11.8 × 11.8 × 11.8 in | 0.027 m³ | 1,960 78% full | 2,240 80% full |
| 40 × 30 × 30 cm 15.7 × 11.8 × 11.8 in | 0.036 m³ | 1,610 86% full | 1,840 87% full |
| 40 × 40 × 40 cm 15.7 × 15.7 × 15.7 in | 0.064 m³ | 750 71% full | 900 76% full |
| 50 × 40 × 30 cm 19.7 × 15.7 × 11.8 in | 0.060 m³ | 966 86% full | 1,150 91% full |
| 50 × 50 × 50 cm 19.7 × 19.7 × 19.7 in | 0.125 m³ | 384 71% full | 480 79% full |
| 60 × 40 × 40 cm 23.6 × 15.7 × 15.7 in | 0.096 m³ | 550 78% full | 660 83% full |
| 60 × 40 × 50 cm 23.6 × 15.7 × 19.7 in | 0.120 m³ | 460 82% full | 570 90% full |
| 70 × 50 × 50 cm 27.6 × 19.7 × 19.7 in | 0.175 m³ | 312 81% full | 375 86% full |
| 80 × 60 × 60 cm 31.5 × 23.6 × 23.6 in | 0.288 m³ | 165 70% full | 220 83% full |
Both containers are about 1203 × 235 cm on the floor. The 40GP is 239 cm tall inside and the 40HQ is 269 cm. The extra height adds one more layer for most carton sizes, which is 10–25% more cartons.
40GP or 40HQ for cartons?
If your cartons are light (below roughly 350 kg per m³), a 40HQ usually ships them at a lower cost per carton. For heavy goods, the extra space may go unused because you reach the weight limit first. See 40HQ vs 40GP for a full comparison.
Mixed carton sizes
Real shipments mix several carton sizes. Put the largest and heaviest cartons on the floor first, stack lighter ones on top, and fill gaps with small cartons. The load calculator does this automatically and shows the loading sequence in 3D.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes fit in a 40ft container?
About 550 boxes of 60 × 40 × 40 cm, or 750 boxes of 40 × 40 × 40 cm.
How many boxes fit in a 40ft high cube?
About 660 boxes of 60 × 40 × 40 cm, or 900 boxes of 40 × 40 × 40 cm.
How many 18 × 18 × 24 inch boxes fit in a 40ft container?
About 486 in a 40GP and 520 in a 40HQ.