How many pallets and packages fit in a shipping container?
The answers below are calculated with the LULL & STORM Stuffing Desk, from the typical inside dimensions of each container. For pallets, the tool allows 2 cm of clearance per pallet, as on the dock. Each answer opens the 3D load plan, which you can adapt to your cargo.
Indicative figures based on typical dimensions. Always confirm with your carrier before loading.
| Question | Answer | 3D |
|---|---|---|
| How many EUR pallets fit in a 20ft container? | 11 EUR pallets | Open in 3D → |
| How many EUR pallets fit in a 40ft container? | 23 EUR pallets on the floor | Open in 3D → |
| How many pallets fit in a 40' HC when double stacked? | 46 EUR pallets on 2 tiers | Open in 3D → |
| How many pallets fit in a 45ft container? | 27 EUR pallets in a standard-width 45' HC | Open in 3D → |
| How many 120 × 100 pallets fit in a 20ft container? | 9 pallets of 120 × 100 on the floor | Open in 3D → |
| How many 120 × 100 pallets fit in a 40ft container? | 20 pallets of 120 × 100 on the floor | Open in 3D → |
| How many cartons fit in a 20ft container? | 255 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm | Open in 3D → |
| How many cartons fit in a 40' HC? | 660 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm | Open in 3D → |
| How many 50 kg bags fit in a 20ft container? | 546 bags of 50 kg | Open in 3D → |
| How many 200 litre drums fit in a 20ft container? | 80 drums of 200 L on 2 tiers | Open in 3D → |
| How many 1,000 litre IBCs fit in a 20ft container? | 9 IBCs on the floor | Open in 3D → |
How many EUR pallets fit in a 20ft container?
11 EUR pallets (120 × 80 cm) on the floor.
A 20' dry container measures about 5.90 m long and 2.35 m wide inside. The pallets are placed both ways to use the full width. At 150 cm high they cannot be stacked: 11 pallets of 600 kg make 6.6 t, well below the 28.2 t payload.
20' dry · inside 590 × 235 × 239 cm · payload 28.2 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many EUR pallets fit in a 40ft container?
23 EUR pallets on the floor, 25 as a theoretical maximum.
The 40' dry container is about 12.03 m long and 2.35 m wide inside. With 2 cm of clearance per pallet, 23 pallets fit on the floor. With no clearance at all the calculation reaches 25, a figure rarely achieved on the dock. The 40' HC has the same floor: it takes the same number of pallets, its extra height only helps when stacking.
40' dry · inside 1203 × 235 × 239 cm · payload 26.7 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many pallets fit in a 40' HC when double stacked?
46 EUR pallets on 2 tiers, if they are no more than 120 cm high and stackable.
The 40' HC offers 2.69 m of inside height, against 2.39 m in a standard 40', where two 120 cm pallets do not fit on top of each other. At 400 kg per pallet the load reaches 18.4 t for a 26.5 t payload. Check that the packaging can carry the weight of the pallet above.
40' HC · inside 1203 × 235 × 269 cm · payload 26.5 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many pallets fit in a 45ft container?
27 EUR pallets in a standard-width 45' HC.
The 45' HC is about 13.56 m long inside, with the same width as a 40'. Wider 45' pallet-wide containers, designed for European pallets, also exist: they take more but are not modelled in the tool.
45' HC · inside 1356 × 235 × 269 cm · payload 27.7 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many 120 × 100 pallets fit in a 20ft container?
9 pallets of 120 × 100 on the floor.
This size uses the 2.35 m width less well than the EUR pallet: space is lost along the sides. 9 pallets of 700 kg make 6.3 t.
20' dry · inside 590 × 235 × 239 cm · payload 28.2 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many 120 × 100 pallets fit in a 40ft container?
20 pallets of 120 × 100 on the floor.
Over the 12.03 m of the 40', the tool places 20 pallets by combining both orientations. At 700 kg per pallet the load reaches 14 t.
40' dry · inside 1203 × 235 × 239 cm · payload 26.7 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many cartons fit in a 20ft container?
255 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm, on 5 tiers.
The number depends entirely on the carton size. For this common size the tool places 51 cartons per tier. At 12 kg per carton the load weighs 3 t: volume is the limit here, not weight. Enter your own dimensions to get your figure.
20' dry · inside 590 × 235 × 239 cm · 33.1 m³Open the plan in interactive 3D →
How many cartons fit in a 40' HC?
660 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm, on 6 tiers.
The 2.69 m inside height of the HC allows a sixth tier of this carton. The container is filled to 83 % of its volume and the load weighs 7.9 t.
40' HC · inside 1203 × 235 × 269 cm · 76.0 m³Open the plan in interactive 3D →
How many 50 kg bags fit in a 20ft container?
546 bags of 50 kg (75 × 45 × 17 cm), or 27.3 t.
For rice, sugar or grain in bags, the container is filled to nearly 95 % of its volume and close to its 28.2 t payload. Road weight limits at origin or destination may require a lighter load: check them before booking.
20' dry · inside 590 × 235 × 239 cm · payload 28.2 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many 200 litre drums fit in a 20ft container?
80 drums of 200 L on 2 tiers.
With a diameter of 58.5 cm, four drums fit across the 2.35 m width. 80 full drums of 220 kg weigh 17.6 t. For dangerous goods, the IMDG Code also sets the rules for segregation and securing.
20' dry · inside 590 × 235 × 239 cm · payload 28.2 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
How many 1,000 litre IBCs fit in a 20ft container?
9 IBCs on the floor, 18 on 2 tiers if they are stackable.
A 1,000 L IBC measures 120 × 100 × 116 cm: two tiers fit in the 2.39 m of the 20'. 18 full IBCs of 1,100 kg make 19.8 t, below the 28.2 t payload. Check the stacking load shown on the IBC plate.
20' dry · inside 590 × 235 × 239 cm · payload 28.2 tOpen the plan in interactive 3D →
Different dimensions? Import your packing list and get your own 3D load plan, free.
Open the Stuffing Desk →Indicative figures based on typical dimensions. Always confirm with your carrier before loading. Typical inside dimensions and payloads: they vary with the manufacturer, the body builder and the options. Check the CSC plate of the container or the registration document of the vehicle. Unit counts are geometric maximums for identical units; secure the load according to the CTU Code and EN 12195-1.