Calculators
Container loading calculator for cartons
Independent site, not a government service. General information, not customs advice.
Pick a container and enter one carton. The tool lays them flat in one direction and shows the most that could geometrically go in, and whether weight stops you first.
Cartons in a container, as an upper limit
Cartons, geometry and weight
500
| Per layer | 100 |
| Layers | 5 |
| Weight at that count | 7,500 kg |
| Limit that binds | Space |
One orientation, no gaps. Payload 28,800 kg, one carrier's nominal figure; road limits are often lower.
To estimate how many cartons fit in a container, divide the inside length, width and height by the carton sides, drop the remainders, then multiply. A 600 by 400 by 400 millimetre carton in a 40 foot box with an inside of 12,032 by 2,352 by 2,395 millimetres gives 20 along the length, 5 across and 5 high in the first direction, or 500. Then check weight, since a carton of 15 kilograms times that number stays far below a payload near 28,800 kilograms, while heavy goods reach the limit before the box is full. This tool does exactly that, trying both ways round on the floor, one orientation at a time. A real load plan does better or worse: mixing orientations can add cartons, while pallets, dunnage, door clearance and road limits remove them. Treat the result as a ceiling for planning, never as a booking figure.
Pallets on a container floor
Pallets on the floor
8
| Inside floor | 5,900 × 2,352 mm |
| Fits under the door | Yes |
| Door height | 2,292 mm |
One orientation only. Mixed patterns can gain a pallet: measure before you book.
Tariff and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Limits per container for sample cartons
| Carton (mm) | 20' | 40' | 40' high cube |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 × 300 × 300 | 686 | 1,470 | 1,890 |
| 500 × 400 × 300 | 392 | 840 | 1,080 |
| 600 × 400 × 400 | 225 | 500 | 600 |
| 800 × 600 × 500 | 84 | 180 | 225 |
| 1200 × 800 × 1000 | 16 | 40 | 40 |
What this count leaves out
- Tolerance. The brochure says its sizes are nominal and production differences are possible. Cartons also bulge.
- Door clearance. The door opening is lower and narrower than the inside. The second tool checks loaded pallet height against it.
- Weight spread. A heavy load must be spread evenly along the floor, not all in one end.
- Dunnage. Air bags, bars and lashing take up space.
Where the sizes come from
The standard for container sizes, ISO 668, is sold by ISO, and the site refused our automated reader, so we did not read it. We use the nominal inside sizes printed in a Hapag-Lloyd brochure dated March 2016. That is one carrier's fleet, some years ago, in a document that calls itself non-binding. The plate on your own container and your carrier's current sheet take priority. See the full table in container dimensions.