How many pallets fit in a 20ft container?
A standard 20ft container fits 11 Euro pallets (120 × 80 cm) or 9 standard US pallets (48 × 40 in) on the floor in a single layer. If your loaded pallets are no taller than about 114 cm (44.9 in) and can bear weight, you can double-stack them and load 22 Euro or 18 US pallets.
Pallets per 20ft container at a glance
| Pallet | 20GP |
|---|---|
| Euro 120 × 80 cm (47.2 × 31.5 in) | 11 |
| US 48 × 40 48 × 40 in (121.9 × 101.6 cm) | 9 |
| 120 × 100 120 × 100 cm (47.2 × 39.4 in) | 9 |
These counts come from the floor plan of a 20ft dry container: about 590 × 235 cm inside. The best Euro pallet pattern is two lanes along the length: one lane of 4 pallets placed lengthwise (120 cm along the container) and one lane of 7 pallets placed crosswise (80 cm along the container). The two lanes take 200 cm of the 235 cm width.
US 48 × 40 in pallets are wider, so they fit in two lanes of 4 and 5 pallets. Some load plans quote 10 US pallets in a 20ft (see pallet sizes for other standards). That needs a very tight fit, so plan on 9 unless your forwarder confirms otherwise.
Can you double-stack pallets in a 20ft container?
Yes, if the pallets are strong enough and low enough. The inside height is 239 cm, but the door opening is only about 228 cm high. A forklift has to drive the stack through the door, so two stacked pallets must be lower than the door, which means each loaded pallet can be at most about 114 cm tall.
| Pallet height | 20GP |
|---|---|
| 100 cm (39.4 in) | 22 double |
| 110 cm (43.3 in) | 22 double |
| 120 cm (47.2 in) | 11 |
| 140 cm (55.1 in) | 11 |
What limits the number of pallets?
- Floor space. Pallet size decides how many fit on the floor, as shown above.
- Height. Double stacking only works below the door height. Tall pallets always ship single tier.
- Weight. A 20ft container carries about 28,200 kg of cargo. 22 Euro pallets at 1,000 kg each would be 22,000 kg, so heavy pallets often hit the weight limit first. Road weight limits in your country can be lower still.
- Overhang. Cartons that stick out past the pallet edge make the footprint larger. Measure the loaded pallet, not the empty one.
Frequently asked questions
How many Euro pallets fit in a 20ft container?
11 Euro pallets fit in one layer. Double-stacked, up to 22 fit, if each loaded pallet is under about 114 cm tall.
How many 48 × 40 pallets fit in a 20ft container?
9 standard US pallets fit on the floor in one layer, or 18 when double-stacked below the door height.
How many 1200 × 1000 pallets fit in a 20ft container?
9 pallets of 120 × 100 cm fit in a single layer, or 18 when double-stacked.
Is a 20ft container better than a 40ft for pallets?
A 40ft container holds a bit more than twice as many pallets for less than twice the freight cost on most trade lanes, but a 20ft carries a slightly higher payload. Use a 20ft for heavy pallets and a 40ft for light, bulky ones.