Container Loading Calculator: How Many Pallets Fit in a Container

A typical 20ft container fits 9 standard 48 × 40 in pallets or 11 EUR pallets on the floor; a 40ft fits 20 or 25. Enter your pallet or carton to count it by dimensions and payload.

Pallets that fit in a 40ft standard (40GP) 20 pallets 20 floor positions × 1 tier · 9 lengthwise + 11 turned 90°

Floor used87.6%

Gross weight30,000 lb

Limited bySpace

Lengthwise Turned 90° Top view of one layer, drawn to scale.

Pallet size

Pallet length (in)

Pallet width (in)

Loaded height (in)

Weight per pallet (lb)

Cartons per pallet

Pallets to ship

Stacking

Container

Units

Container inside size and payload

Length (in)

Width (in)

Height (in)

Payload (lb)

Presets load typical values. Inside size and payload vary by owner and build, so type the figures for the box you book. Editing them switches to a custom size.

The same load in every container

Container (typical inside)	Fits	Floor × tiers	Limited by	Used	Containers for your order
20ft standard (20GP)232.2 × 92.5 × 94.1 in	9 pallets	9 × 1 tier	Space	80.4% floor	7
40ft standard (40GP)473.7 × 92.5 × 94.1 in	20 pallets	20 × 1 tier	Space	87.6% floor	3
40ft High Cube (40HC)473.7 × 92.5 × 106.1 in	20 pallets	20 × 1 tier	Space	87.6% floor	3
45ft High Cube (45HC)533.7 × 92.6 × 106.2 in	24 pallets	24 × 1 tier	Space	93.2% floor	3

The calculation runs in your browser.

Quick reference

How Many Pallets Fit in a 20ft, 40ft and High Cube Container

Floor positions in one layer, counted by dimensions with the same engine as the calculator. Container sizes are typical inside values.

Pallet	20ft standard	40ft standard	40ft High Cube	45ft High Cube
48 × 40 in (GMA)	9	20	20	24
1200 × 800 mm (EUR)	11	25	25	27
1200 × 1000 mm	9	22	22	24
42 × 42 in	10	22	22	24

Why 48 × 40 fits fewer

Two 48 in pallets side by side need 96 in, wider than the box. The best layout mixes lengthwise rows with pallets turned 90°.

Why EUR fits more

A lengthwise row of EUR pallets (800 mm wide) beside a row turned 90° (1,200 mm wide) uses 2,000 mm of the typical 2,350 mm width.

High Cube floor

A 40ft High Cube has the same floor as a 40ft standard. It only adds height, which matters when you stack two tiers.

Pallet sizes

Which Pallet Are You Loading?

ISO 6780 lists several pallet footprints. These four cover most container loads. Pick the one you use in the calculator, or enter a custom size.

48 × 40 in (GMA)

The common North American pallet, 1219 × 1016 mm. Placed crosswise, two would need 96 in of width, so the best rows mix orientations.

9 in a 20ft · 20 in a 40ft

1200 × 800 mm (EUR)

The EUR pallet used across Europe. Its smaller footprint means more pallets per container, though each one carries less.

11 in a 20ft · 25 in a 40ft

1200 × 1000 mm

A widespread industrial size in Asia and the UK, and the closest metric match to 48 × 40 in.

9 in a 20ft · 22 in a 40ft

42 × 42 in

A square pallet often used for drums and paint. Square footprints have no wrong way round.

10 in a 20ft · 22 in a 40ft

Before you book the container

Measure a built pallet. Take the loaded footprint, including any carton overhang, and the height from floor to the top of the load.
Weigh it. Use the gross weight of a built pallet, not the product weight on the order.
Get the box specification. Ask for the inside size, door size and payload of the equipment you are booking.
Run both stacking options. Compare one tier with two, and a shorter pallet build with a taller one.
Share the plan. Copy the result and send it to your supplier so the pallets are built to the plan.

Double stacking

When Can Pallets Go Two High?

Each tier can be at most half the inside height. Every pallet must also pass through the door on its own.

Container	Tallest pallet for two tiers	Door opening height	48 × 40 in pallets, two high
20ft standard (20GP)	1,195 mm (47.0 in)	2,280 mm (89.7 in)	18
40ft standard (40GP)	1,195 mm (47.0 in)	2,280 mm (89.7 in)	40
40ft High Cube (40HC)	1,347 mm (53.0 in)	2,585 mm (101.7 in)	40
45ft High Cube (45HC)	1,348 mm (53.0 in)	2,585 mm (101.7 in)	48

Height. Two loaded pallets, deck included, must fit under the inside height. The calculator checks this and drops to one tier when they do not.
Payload. Twice the pallets means twice the weight. The calculator caps the count at the payload and tells you which limit applies.
Strength. The lower pallet and its bottom cartons carry the upper load. The calculator cannot check crush strength, so confirm it with your packaging supplier.

Worked example

A Savannah, Georgia Importer Planning 100 Pallets

A home goods brand ships 100 pallets of 48 × 40 in from Asia to the Port of Savannah. Each pallet is 52 in tall loaded and weighs 1,400 lb, with 40 cartons on it.

20floor positions in a 40HC (9 lengthwise + 11 turned 90°)

2 tierstwo 52 in pallets need 104 in, under the 106.1 in inside height

40 pallets1,600 cartons per container, 56,000 lb gross

3 containersfor 100 pallets; the last one carries 20

Scenario	Floor × tiers	By space	By payload	Fits	Limited by	Containers for 100
40HC, 52 in, 1,400 lb	20 × 2	40	45	40	Space	3
40HC, 52 in, 1,800 lb	20 × 2	40	35	35	Payload	3
40ft standard, 52 in, 1,400 lb	20 × 1	20	42	20	Space	5
40HC, 54 in, 1,400 lb	20 × 1	20	45	20	Space	5

At 1,400 lb, payload is not the issue: the typical 40HC allows 63,493 lb, leaving 7,493 lb spare.
At 1,800 lb, the same pallets stop at 35 per container on payload, so the order needs 3 containers with 30 in the last.
In a 40ft standard, two 52 in tiers do not fit under the roof, so it carries 20 and the order needs 5 containers.
Build the pallets to 54 in and the 40HC drops to 1 tier: 20 pallets per box and 5 containers.

Loose cartons

How Many Boxes Fit in a Container

Cartons loaded upright, counted in whole cartons by dimensions. The last two columns compare that with dividing container volume by carton volume.

Carton	20ft	40ft	40ft HC	40ft HC by volume division	Volume overstates by
24 × 16 × 12 in	357	742	848	1,009	19.0%
18 × 12 × 12 in	665	1,365	1,560	1,794	15.0%
20 × 20 × 20 in	176	368	460	581	26.3%
24 × 18 × 18 in	230	485	485	598	23.3%
600 × 400 × 300 mm	357	770	880	1,058	20.2%
600 × 400 × 400 mm	255	550	660	793	20.2%

Count cartons, not cubic feet. Volume division assumes a carton can be cut to fill the last gap. A real carton either fits whole or it does not, which is why the calculator floors every row and layer.

Loose or on pallets: what the pallet costs in space

A 24 × 16 × 12 in carton on a 48 × 40 in pallet with an example 6 in deck, at 5 cartons per layer.

Load	Container	Pallets	Cartons
Loose, upright	40ft	–	742
Loose, upright	40ft HC	–	848
4 layers, 54 in tall, 20 per pallet	40ft	20 (1 tier)	400
4 layers, 54 in tall, 20 per pallet	40ft HC	20 (1 tier)	400
3 layers, 42 in tall, 15 per pallet	40ft	40 (2 tiers)	600
3 layers, 42 in tall, 15 per pallet	40ft HC	40 (2 tiers)	600

One layer less per pallet can let a High Cube take two tiers. Run both builds in the calculator before you set the pallet pattern.

The method

How the Calculator Counts What Fits

Take the inside size. Length, width and height of the container you pick, plus its payload. Presets are typical values.
Pack the floor. It places some rows lengthwise and fills the strip left over with units turned 90°, tries every split along the length and across the width, and keeps the best.
Count the layers. Cartons: inside height ÷ carton height, rounded down. Pallets: one tier, or two when both fit under the roof.
Check the payload. Payload ÷ unit weight, rounded down. The answer is the lower of the space count and the weight count.

Space limit

floor positions × tiers (or layers)

Every row, column and layer is rounded down to whole units.

Weight limit

floor(payload ÷ unit gross weight)

Use the gross weight: product, packaging and pallet.

Mixed floor split

i × floor(W ÷ q) + floor((L − i×p) ÷ q) × floor(W ÷ p)

i rows of depth p, then the strip filled with units turned 90°.

Space or weight

Cube Out or Weigh Out

A container has two independent limits. The calculator reports both and names the one you hit first.

Cube out

The box fills before the payload is reached. Typical of light, bulky freight.

Apparel, bedding and soft goods
Homeware, toys and flat-pack furniture
Packaging and empty containers

Lever: change the carton or the pallet build.

Weigh out

The payload is reached with space left over. Typical of dense freight.

Tiles, stone and ceramics
Liquids in bottles or drums
Hardware, batteries and printed matter

Lever: split the load or book a box with a higher payload.

Carton	Container	Weight each	By space	By payload	Fits	Limited by	Volume used
24 × 16 × 12 in	40ft HC	30 lb	848	2,116	848	Space	84.0%
24 × 16 × 12 in	40ft HC	80 lb	848	793	793	Payload	78.6%
18 × 12 × 12 in	20ft	45 lb	665	1,387	665	Space	85.3%
600 × 400 × 300 mm	40ft HC	12 kg	880	2,400	880	Space	83.1%
600 × 400 × 300 mm	40ft HC	35 kg	880	822	822	Payload	77.7%

Container sizes

Typical Inside Dimensions and Payload

These are the preset values. They come from one carrier's published dry container specifications and are typical, not universal.

Container	Inside L × W × H	Door W × H	Capacity	Tare	Max payload
20ft standard (20GP)	5,898 × 2,350 × 2,390 mm232.2 × 92.5 × 94.1 in	2,340 × 2,280 mm110 mm lower than inside	33.1 m³1,170 ft³	2,150 kg	28,330 kg (62,456 lb)
40ft standard (40GP)	12,032 × 2,350 × 2,390 mm473.7 × 92.5 × 94.1 in	2,340 × 2,280 mm110 mm lower than inside	67.6 m³2,386 ft³	3,640 kg	26,840 kg (59,172 lb)
40ft High Cube (40HC)	12,032 × 2,350 × 2,695 mm473.7 × 92.5 × 106.1 in	2,340 × 2,585 mm110 mm lower than inside	76.2 m³2,691 ft³	3,700 kg	28,800 kg (63,493 lb)
45ft High Cube (45HC)	13,556 × 2,352 × 2,697 mm533.7 × 92.6 × 106.2 in	2,340 × 2,585 mm112 mm lower than inside	86.0 m³3,037 ft³	4,650 kg	27,850 kg (61,398 lb)

Ask your carrier or forwarder for the specification of the equipment you booked.
Read the CSC plate on the door for tare, maximum gross and payload.
Check the road weight limit between the port and your warehouse, which can be lower than the container payload.
Use the custom option in the calculator when your figures differ.

Source: Ocean Network Express dry container specifications, one-line.com/en/dry-containers, retrieved 14 August 2026. Owners and builds vary.

Carton design

Same Volume, Different Count

Six cartons that all hold 0.072 m³, loaded upright in a typical 40ft High Cube.

Carton	Per layer	Layers	Per 40HC	Volume used	Containers for 10,000 cartons
600 × 480 × 250 mm	95	10	950	89.8%	11
720 × 400 × 250 mm	94	10	940	88.8%	11
800 × 300 × 300 mm	115	8	920	86.9%	11
600 × 400 × 300 mm	110	8	880	83.1%	12
500 × 480 × 300 mm	100	8	800	75.6%	13
400 × 400 × 450 mm	150	5	750	70.9%	14

Shape decides the count. The 600 × 480 × 250 mm carton fits 950 per box and the 400 × 400 × 450 mm carton fits 750, for the same product volume. That is 11 containers against 14 for 10,000 cartons.

Common mistakes

Six Load Planning Mistakes

Dividing volume

Container volume ÷ carton volume says 1,009 cartons of 24 × 16 × 12 in in a 40HC. Only 848 fit whole.

Using EUR counts for US pallets

A typical 20ft takes 11 EUR pallets but 9 of 48 × 40 in, and a 40ft takes 25 against 20. That is 2 and 5 fewer.

Forgetting the deck

Loaded height includes the pallet deck. In a 40HC, pallets up to 53.0 in go two high. At 54 in, it takes 20 instead of 40.

Ignoring the door

A typical High Cube door opening is 2,585 mm high, 110 mm lower than the inside. A pallet built to the ceiling will not go through it.

Stacking without the scale

At 1,800 lb, a 40HC has room for 40 pallets of 52 in but payload for 35. Space is not the limit.

Planning to the last inch

The count is a geometric best case. Dunnage, airbags and load securing take space, so leave some margin.

Next step

Related Load Planning Calculators

Pallet calculator How many boxes fit on one pallet, layer by layer, before it goes in the container. CBM calculator Total shipment volume across carton sizes, with LCL W/M and air chargeable weight. Box size calculator Size a carton around the product before the tooling is committed. Freight class calculator Density and NMFC class for the pallets once they move on by LTL truck.

See all free logistics tools, or read how Locad handles shipping and warehousing once the container lands.

FAQ

Pallets and Container Loading Questions

A typical 20ft container, about 5,898 × 2,350 mm inside, takes 9 standard 48 × 40 in pallets or 11 EUR pallets (1200 × 800 mm) on the floor. Two tiers double that if each loaded pallet is no taller than 47.0 in and the payload allows it.

A typical 40ft container takes 20 pallets of 48 × 40 in, 25 EUR pallets or 22 pallets of 1200 × 1000 mm in one floor layer. The best patterns mix pallets placed lengthwise with a row turned 90°. A 45ft High Cube takes 24 and 27.

9, by dimensions: 8 lengthwise + 1 turned 90°. Some tables quote 10, but five 48 in rows need 6,096 mm of floor and a typical 20ft is about 5,898 mm long inside. Check the internal length of the box you book.

The floor is the same as a 40ft standard, so 20 pallets of 48 × 40 in or 25 EUR pallets in one layer. The extra height is what changes: pallets up to 53.0 in tall can go two high, giving 40 or 50 if the payload allows.

Only when three things hold: two loaded pallets fit under the roof, the total weight stays within the payload, and the lower pallet can carry the upper one. The height limit per tier is about 47.0 in in a standard box and 53.0 in in a High Cube.

It depends on the box. Loaded upright, a 24 × 16 × 12 in carton fits 357 in a typical 20ft and an 18 × 12 × 12 in carton fits 665. Enter your carton in the calculator to get the count by dimensions and weight.

Volume division assumes cartons can be cut to fill every gap. A 40ft High Cube divided by a 24 × 16 × 12 in carton gives 1,009, but only 848 whole cartons fit upright, so the shortcut overstates by 19.0%.

Whichever runs out first. Light goods fill the space before the payload. Dense goods hit the payload first: an 80 lb, 24 × 16 × 12 in carton fits 848 by space in a 40HC but only 793 by payload.

Typical values are 5,898 × 2,350 × 2,390 mm for a 20ft standard and 12,032 × 2,350 × 2,390 mm for a 40ft standard. A 40ft High Cube is typically 2,695 mm high. Figures vary by owner and build, so confirm the box you book.

No. It plans one pallet or carton size per run, in whole units, using two-block floor patterns. It does not mix sizes, model irregular items or check weight distribution. For mixed loads, run each size and use the results as a guide.

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