20ft, 40ft and 40ft high cube
Container loading calculator
See how many boxes or pallets fit in a 20ft, 40ft or 40ft high-cube container. One cargo line uses a straight grid. Several lines are packed largest first into the gaps that remain. The count stops early if the planning payload is reached.
How the calculation works
The grid tries each way of rotating the cargo and keeps the orientation that fits the most pieces. Fitted quantity is the smallest of that grid, the quantity you asked for, and how many the payload can carry.
Planning internals are 589.8 × 235.2 × 239.3 cm for a 20ft, 1,203.2 × 235.2 × 239.3 cm for a 40ft, and 269.8 cm high for a 40ft high cube. Payloads used for the weight check are 28,200 kg, 26,700 kg and 26,500 kg. The CSC plate on the real container governs.
This is not a 3D load planner. It does not model overhang, lashing, axle weights or mixed orientations in the same row. Utilisation is the cargo cube divided by the container cube.
Worked examples
40 × 30 × 30 cm cartons in a 20ft container
- Fitted
- 686
- Volume used
- 74.4%
- Stopped by
- space
The same cartons at 50 kg each, stopped by payload
- Fitted
- 564
- Volume used
- 61.2%
- Stopped by
- weight
120 × 80 × 120 cm pallets in a 40ft high cube
- Fitted
- 40
- Volume used
- 60.4%
- Stopped by
- space
Questions
How many pallets fit in a 40ft high cube?
A 120 × 80 × 120 cm pallet fits 40 times in the planning high cube: 10 along, 2 across and 2 high. A different pallet size changes the count. Run it rather than relying on a rule of thumb.
Are the container dimensions exact?
They are typical internal planning sizes. Manufacturers differ by a few centimetres, and the payload on the CSC plate is the legal limit for that unit.
What does utilisation mean?
Volume utilisation is the cube of the pieces that fit, divided by the container’s internal cube. Weight utilisation is their weight divided by the planning payload. The lower limit is what stops the load.
Can I turn this into paperwork?
Yes. From the result you can open a packing list, commercial invoice or bill of lading with the pieces filled in. The paid file is a clean PDF; the preview is watermarked.