# Container Load Calculator

> Free web tools that tell importers, exporters and freight forwarders how many cartons, boxes or pallets fit in a shipping container (20ft, 40ft, 40ft high cube, 45ft, reefer), with a 3D loading plan, weight check and container size comparison. All calculations run in the browser; no sign-up.

Key facts (typical inside dimensions; confirm with the carrier):
- 20' Standard (20GP): 590 × 235 × 239 cm, 33.1 m³, max payload 28,200 kg, door 234 × 228 cm
- 40' Standard (40GP): 1203 × 235 × 239 cm, 67.6 m³, max payload 26,700 kg, door 234 × 228 cm
- 40' High Cube (40HQ): 1203 × 235 × 269 cm, 76.0 m³, max payload 26,500 kg, door 234 × 258 cm
- 45' High Cube (45HQ): 1356 × 235 × 269 cm, 85.7 m³, max payload 27,700 kg, door 234 × 258 cm
- Usable carton volume is typically 25–28 m³ (20ft), 55–60 m³ (40ft) and 65–70 m³ (40HQ).
- Euro pallets (120 × 80 cm), single tier: 11 in a 20ft, 23–24 in a 40ft (25 geometric maximum).
- US pallets (48 × 40 in), single tier: 9 in a 20ft, 20 in a 40ft.
- Cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm: 262 (20GP), 550 (40GP), 660 (40HQ).

## Tools
- [Container Load Calculator](https://containerloadcalculator.com/): 3D loading plan for mixed cartons and pallets, rotation and stacking rules, payload limits, container comparison.
- [CBM Calculator](https://containerloadcalculator.com/cbm-calculator/): cubic meters, cubic feet, sea LCL W/M, air (÷6000) and courier (÷5000) chargeable weight.
- [Container Dimensions](https://containerloadcalculator.com/container-dimensions/): inside size, door, volume, payload and tare for 20GP, 40GP, 40HQ, 45HQ, 20RF, 40RH.

## Guides
- [How Many Pallets Fit in a 20ft Container? (Euro & US Pallets)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-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. Tables and loading patterns.
- [How Many Pallets Fit in a 40ft Container? (40GP & 40HQ)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-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. A 40ft high cube can double-stack pallets up to 129 cm tall.
- [How Many Boxes Fit in a 20ft Container? Carton Size Table](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-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. See the table for common carton sizes.
- [How Many Boxes Fit in a 40ft Container? Carton Size Table](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-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. Table of common carton sizes.
- [How Many Boxes Fit in a 40ft High Cube (40HQ) Container?](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-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. Carton table and loading tips for 40HQ.
- [40HQ vs 40GP: 40ft High Cube vs Standard Container Compared](https://containerloadcalculator.com/40hq-vs-40gp/): A 40HQ is 30 cm taller than a 40GP and holds about 8.5 m³ more. Compare sizes, payload, carton and pallet capacity.
- [20ft vs 40ft Container: Size, Capacity and Which to Choose](https://containerloadcalculator.com/20ft-vs-40ft-container/): A 40ft container has about twice the volume of a 20ft (67.6 vs 33.1 m³) but a lower payload. Compare sizes, pallets, cartons and when to use each.
- [20ft Container CBM: How Many Cubic Meters Fit? (Usable Space)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/20ft-container-cbm/): A 20ft container is 33.1 m³ inside, but real carton loads use about 25–28 CBM. See utilization by carton size.
- [40ft Container CBM: Usable Cubic Meters in 40GP and 40HQ](https://containerloadcalculator.com/40ft-container-cbm/): A 40ft standard is 67.6 m³ and a 40ft high cube 76.0 m³ inside. Usable space is about 55–60 CBM and 65–70 CBM. Table by carton size.
- [Container Weight Limits: Max Payload of 20ft and 40ft Containers](https://containerloadcalculator.com/container-max-weight/): A 20ft container carries about 28,200 kg and a 40ft about 26,700 kg of cargo. Payload, tare and gross weight for each container, and when cargo weighs out.
- [How to Calculate Container Loading: Step-by-Step Guide](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-to-calculate-container-loading/): Step-by-step method to calculate container loading: measure cartons, check CBM and weight, count cartons per layer and layers, and handle rotation and stacking.
- [20ft Container Dimensions: Size, CBM & Payload](https://containerloadcalculator.com/20ft-container-dimensions/): A 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.
- [40ft Container Dimensions: Size, CBM & Payload](https://containerloadcalculator.com/40ft-container-dimensions/): A 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.
- [40ft High Cube Container Dimensions: Size, CBM & Payload](https://containerloadcalculator.com/40ft-high-cube-container-dimensions/): A 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.
- [45ft High Cube Container Dimensions: Size, CBM & Payload](https://containerloadcalculator.com/45ft-container-dimensions/): A 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.
- [Reefer Container Dimensions: 20ft & 40ft Refrigerated Containers](https://containerloadcalculator.com/reefer-container-dimensions/): 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).
- [Shipping Container Door Dimensions (20ft, 40ft, High Cube)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/container-door-dimensions/): Standard container doors open about 2.34 m wide and 2.28 m high; high cube doors about 2.58 m high. What the door means for pallets and tall cargo.
- [Standard Pallet Sizes by Region and How Many Fit in a Container](https://containerloadcalculator.com/pallet-sizes/): The 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.
- [How Many Boxes Fit on a Pallet? Euro & US Pallet Carton Table](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-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. Table for common carton sizes with no overhang.
- [How Many Pallets Fit in a Reefer Container? (20ft & 40ft)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-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.
- [How to Calculate CBM for Shipping (Formula + Examples)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-to-calculate-cbm/): CBM = length × width × height in meters. Formula, worked examples in cm and inches, and how CBM relates to container size and freight charges.
- [1 CBM to KG: How Freight Converts Volume to Weight (W/M)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/cbm-to-kg/): In sea freight LCL, 1 CBM counts as 1,000 kg (W/M). Air freight uses 167 kg per CBM and courier 200 kg. How carriers convert volume to chargeable weight, with examples.
- [Volumetric Weight: Air Freight & Courier Formula (÷6000, ÷5000)](https://containerloadcalculator.com/volumetric-weight/): Volumetric weight = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000 for air freight or ÷ 5000 for courier. How chargeable weight is decided, with examples and tips to reduce it.
- [LCL vs FCL: When Is a Full Container Cheaper?](https://containerloadcalculator.com/lcl-vs-fcl/): LCL is charged per CBM; FCL is a flat rate per container. Break-even volume, pros and cons, and how to decide between LCL and a 20ft or 40ft container.
- [What Is a TEU? Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit Explained](https://containerloadcalculator.com/what-is-teu/): TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) measures container capacity: a 20ft container is 1 TEU, a 40ft is 2 TEU (1 FEU). How TEU is used for ships, ports and freight.
- [How to Load a Shipping Container: Weight Distribution & Securing](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-to-load-a-container/): Practical container loading rules: plan the load, spread weight evenly, heavy goods low, fill gaps, secure cargo, and document it. Based on the IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code.
- [How Many 25 kg Bags Fit in a 20ft Container?](https://containerloadcalculator.com/how-many-25kg-bags-fit-in-a-20ft-container/): About 1,128 bags of 25 kg: a 20ft container reaches its 28,200 kg weight limit before it is full. Why a 40ft holds fewer, and how to plan bagged cargo.

## Linking to a pre-filled calculation (for agents and assistants)
Open the calculator with cargo already filled in and calculated using URL query parameters:
- `c`: container id, one of 20GP, 40GP, 40HQ, 45HQ, 20RF, 40RH (default 40HQ)
- `u`: `metric` (cm, kg; default) or `imperial` (in, lb)
- `items`: semicolon-separated items, each `name|length|width|height|weight_per_unit|quantity|rotation|stackable`
  - rotation: `any`, `upright` (this side up) or `fixed`; stackable: `1` or `0`
- Single-item shorthand: `l`, `w`, `h`, `wt`, `qty`, `rot`, `stack`, `name`

Examples:
- https://containerloadcalculator.com/?c=40HQ&items=Carton|60|40|40|12|700|any|1
- https://containerloadcalculator.com/?c=20GP&items=Euro%20pallet|120|80|110|500|22|upright|1
- https://containerloadcalculator.com/?c=40GP&u=imperial&l=24&w=16&h=16&wt=25&qty=500

## Data
- [containers.json](https://containerloadcalculator.com/data/containers.json): container specifications and single-tier pallet counts as JSON.

## About
- [About](https://containerloadcalculator.com/about/): how the loading engine works and its limits.