Tools / Container load calculator
How much fits in the box?
A free container load calculator: enter your carton sizes, weights and quantities to see how many fit, how many containers you need, and how they load.
- Containers needed
- Cartons in this container
- Space used
- Weight
How it works
Three things to have to hand.
Everything you need is on the supplier’s packing list or the carton itself.
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[01]
Carton dimensions
Outside length, width and height of each carton size, in centimeters or inches. Add a line for each size in the shipment.
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[02]
Weight and count
Gross weight per carton and the number of cartons. Weight matters: dense cargo often hits the road limit before the container is full.
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[03]
How it can travel
Mark cartons that must stay upright, or that can’t take weight on top. The plan respects both.
Reference
Container dimensions at a glance.
| Container | Inside (L × W × H) | Door opening (W × H) | Capacity | Max payload | Typical US road limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20′ Standard | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 33.2 m³ | 28,230 kg | 17,236 kg |
| 40′ Standard | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 67.7 m³ | 28,750 kg | 19,958 kg |
| 40′ High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | 2.34 × 2.58 m | 76.3 m³ | 28,600 kg | 19,958 kg |
| 45′ High Cube | 13.56 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | 2.34 × 2.58 m | 86.0 m³ | 27,700 kg | 19,050 kg |
Typical figures. Exact dimensions and weights vary by carrier and box, so check the booking confirmation for yours. Road limits assume a standard chassis; heavier loads may need a tri-axle chassis or a permit.
FAQ
Container load calculator questions.
[01]How many cartons fit in a 20ft container?
It depends on the carton. A 20′ Standard is about 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m inside (33.2 m³), but cartons rarely fill all of it. A 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton, for example, fits up to 280 in a 20′, 590 in a 40′ and 700 in a 40′ High Cube. Enter your own carton sizes above to see your number.
[02]What’s the difference between a 40′ Standard and a 40′ High Cube?
The High Cube is about 30 cm (one foot) taller inside: 2.70 m against 2.39 m, which adds roughly 9 m³ (76.3 m³ against 67.7 m³). Floor space is the same, so it helps most with light, bulky cargo that can stack higher.
[03]Why is the weight limit lower than the container’s maximum payload?
On US roads a truck can’t gross more than 80,000 lb, and that includes the tractor, the chassis and the empty container. So the cargo you can legally truck on a standard chassis is usually well below what the container itself is rated for. The calculator uses the typical limits on a standard chassis (about 17,236 kg / 38,000 lb for a 20′ and 19,958 kg / 44,000 lb for a 40′); switch to “Carrier maximum payload” to plan against the container’s rating instead.
[04]How accurate is the calculator?
It works out a real, carton-by-carton plan, trying every allowed orientation and filling the gaps, so the count is achievable on paper. Real loads usually land a little lower: cartons bulge, pallets and dunnage take space, and loaders need clearance at the doors. Forwarders usually plan on about 90% of the calculated figure for a single carton size, and about 85% for mixed sizes; the calculator shows that number too.
[05]What does “this side up” do?
It keeps the carton’s height vertical, so the calculator only turns it on the floor (two orientations instead of six). “Can be stacked” off means nothing goes on top of that carton, which is how you’d plan fragile goods or pallets that can’t be double-stacked.
[06]What is a CBM, and how do I work it out?
A CBM is one cubic meter, the unit ocean freight is measured in. Multiply a carton’s length, width and height in meters (60 × 40 × 40 cm is 0.6 × 0.4 × 0.4 = 0.096 m³), then multiply by the number of cartons. The calculator shows the total for your whole shipment.
[07]Can you load cartons from several suppliers into one container?
Yes. Our origin team consolidates cargo from several suppliers at our origin warehouses, plans the load and books the space, with every PO tracked in OWL Vision.
Rather we did it?
Send us the packing list.
Our origin team plans loads every day. We’ll consolidate across suppliers, build the plan and book the space, with every PO tracked in OWL Vision.