Container Loading Calculator
Find out exactly how many boxes fit in a 20ft, 40ft or 40ft high-cube (HQ) shipping container. The calculator tries every box orientation, applies whole-box floor division per axis, checks the container's weight limit, and reports total CBM — all in your browser, no sign-up.
Calculate your container load
Space-limited
All containers at a glance
Enter your box above and press calculate — the table below compares the same box across all three container types.
| Container | By space | By weight | Recommended | CBM used | Fill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run the calculator to fill this table. | |||||
Standard container internal dimensions
| Container | Internal L × W × H | Internal volume | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | 5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m | ≈ 33.2 m³ | ≈ 28,310 kg |
| 40ft Standard | 12.031 × 2.352 × 2.393 m | ≈ 67.7 m³ | ≈ 26,680 kg |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.031 × 2.352 × 2.697 m | ≈ 76.4 m³ | ≈ 26,480 kg |
Dimensions and payloads are standard dry-container values rounded to the nearest millimetre/kilogram. Actual equipment varies by carrier and age — confirm max payload and door opening with your freight forwarder before booking.
How the calculation works
- Floor division per axis. Boxes cannot be cut, so along the container length you fit floor(5.898 ÷ box length) boxes, and likewise for width and height. The three counts are multiplied.
- All six orientations. Rotating the box changes each axis count. The calculator evaluates all six rotations and keeps the best one, then tells you which orientation won.
- Weight check. If you enter a box weight, the calculator also computes floor(max payload ÷ box weight). The final load is the smaller of the space fit and the weight fit.
- CBM and fill. Total CBM = one box's volume in cubic metres × boxes loaded. Fill percentage compares that against the container's rated internal volume.
Worked examples
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes fit in a 20ft container?
It depends on box size. A 20ft container has about 5.898 x 2.352 x 2.393 m of internal space, so 50 cm cubes fit 11 along the length, 4 across the width and 4 in height: 11 x 4 x 4 = 176 boxes. Larger or heavier boxes reduce that number, and the calculator above tries every box orientation to find the maximum.
How many boxes fit in a 40ft container?
A standard 40ft container has about 12.031 x 2.352 x 2.393 m of internal space. Fifty-centimetre cubes fit 24 x 4 x 4 = 384 boxes. A 40ft high-cube adds roughly 30 cm of height (2.697 m internal), which often adds one more stacking layer for tall boxes.
Does box orientation really change how many boxes fit?
Yes. Rotating a non-cube box changes the floor-division counts along each axis, so the maximum can differ a lot between orientations. For example, 1.0 x 0.8 x 0.6 m boxes in a 20ft container fit 30 in one orientation but 42 in the best one. This calculator evaluates all six orientations automatically and reports the best.
Can a container be full by weight before it is full by volume?
Absolutely. A 20ft container carries up to about 28,310 kg of payload, so 50 cm cubes weighing 200 kg each hit the weight limit at 141 boxes, well before the 176 boxes that fit by volume. Always enter your box weight: the calculator reports whichever limit - space or weight - governs your load.
What is CBM and how is it calculated for a container load?
CBM means cubic metres. One box's CBM is length x width x height in metres; total CBM is one box's CBM multiplied by the number of boxes loaded. A 20ft container holds about 33.2 CBM in total, but real loads usually use 60-80% of that because boxes rarely tile perfectly.
Why does the calculator use floor division per axis?
Boxes cannot be split, so only whole boxes count along each axis: you take the integer part (floor) of container length divided by box length, and do the same for width and height, then multiply. This is the standard first estimate for container loading before accounting for door clearances, pallets and packaging.
Should I leave space for the container door and handling?
Yes. This calculator is a planning estimate: the container door narrows the usable opening, boxes need hand clearance, and pallets or dunnage consume space. Many shippers plan with 90-95% of the calculated maximum and confirm the final stow with their freight forwarder.
What are the standard internal dimensions of shipping containers?
Standard dry containers measure internally about 5.898 x 2.352 x 2.393 m for a 20ft, 12.031 x 2.352 x 2.393 m for a 40ft, and 12.031 x 2.352 x 2.697 m for a 40ft high-cube. These are the dimensions used by this calculator; verify max payload with your carrier before booking.
Limitations
This is a planning estimate, not a stowage plan: it assumes uniform boxes stacked perfectly with no pallets, no door-clearance loss and no damage risk from tight packing. Heavy or fragile cargo needs a forwarder's stowage check. Weights and dimensions here are standard dry-container values; refrigerated, open-top and flat-rack equipment differ.
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