Container loading calculator
To load a container, work out how many cartons fit on its floor, multiply by the layers that fit under its ceiling, and stop sooner if the weight reaches the payload. A 40 ft high cube is about 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m inside; enter your carton to see the count, the space used and the weight.
1,560cartons
fit in a 40 ft high cube: 195 per layer, 8 layers high.
- Space used when full
- 87%
- of 76.3 m³ inside
- Your 800 cartons
- 1 container
- 51% of a full load
- Their weight
- 19,200 lb
- 8,709 kg
How the calculator loads the container
- It lays the floor: both ways of turning the carton, plus patterns that turn the cartons in the leftover strip, keeping whichever fits the most.
- It stacks layers until the next one would pass the inside height. Cartons stay upright.
- It stops early if the cartons would weigh more than the container’s payload.
- It loads your quantity in walls, floor to ceiling, from the far end toward the doors.
195 per layer × 8 layers = 1,560 cartons
The count assumes cartons loaded straight onto the floor, edge to edge, with no pallets, dunnage or bracing, so treat it as a ceiling. Loading on pallets? Count the pallets first with the pallet calculator. Quoting freight by volume? Add up the shipment with the CBM calculator.
The same carton in each container
| Container | Per layer | Layers | Cartons | Space used | Weight when full |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft standard | 95 | 7 | 665 | 85% | 15,960 lb |
| 40 ft standard | 195 | 7 | 1,365 | 86% | 32,760 lb |
| 40 ft high cube | 195 | 8 | 1,560 | 87% | 37,440 lb |
Inside dimensions of 20 ft and 40 ft containers
Dimensions vary a little from one container to the next. Each container’s payload is printed on its CSC safety approval plate, and road weight limits where it is trucked can be lower, so confirm both with your forwarder.
| Container | Inside length × width × height | Inside volume | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft standard | 5.896 × 2.350 × 2.393 m19 ft 4 in × 7 ft 8½ in × 7 ft 10 in | 33.2 m³ | 28,200 kg62,170 lb |
| 40 ft standard | 12.032 × 2.350 × 2.393 m39 ft 5½ in × 7 ft 8½ in × 7 ft 10 in | 67.7 m³ | 28,800 kg63,493 lb |
| 40 ft high cube | 12.032 × 2.350 × 2.697 m39 ft 5½ in × 7 ft 8½ in × 8 ft 10 in | 76.3 m³ | 28,620 kg63,096 lb |
Common questions
How many cartons fit in a 40 ft container?
It depends on the carton. An 18 × 12 × 12 inch carton fits 195 per layer on a 40 ft container floor. That is 7 layers (1,365 cartons) in a 40 ft standard and 8 layers (1,560 cartons) in a 40 ft high cube, as long as the weight stays under the payload.
What are the inside dimensions of a 20 ft and a 40 ft container?
Maersk lists its 20 ft standard dry container at 5.896 m long, 2.350 m wide and 2.393 m high inside, and its 40 ft standard at 12.032 × 2.350 × 2.393 m. Its 40 ft high cube is 2.697 m high inside. Dimensions vary slightly between containers and lines.
What is the difference between a 40 ft standard and a 40 ft high cube?
They share a floor, but a high cube is one foot taller outside (9 ft 6 in against 8 ft 6 in), which adds about 30 cm of inside height. For cartons that is often one more layer.
How much weight can a container carry?
The maximum payload is printed on each container’s CSC safety approval plate. Maersk’s published examples are 28,200 kg for a 20 ft standard, 28,800 kg for a 40 ft standard and 28,620 kg for a 40 ft high cube. Road weight limits where the container is trucked can be lower, so check with your forwarder.
Does the calculator account for pallets and gaps?
No. It floor-loads upright cartons edge to edge and ignores pallets, dunnage and bracing, so treat the count as a ceiling. If you load on pallets, work out the pallet count first with the pallet calculator.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-28. Rules change; confirm with the carrier or agency before you rely on a number.
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