Question 1

How many cartons fit in a 20ft container?

Accepted Answer

A standard 20ft container (20GP) has internal dimensions of 5.9m × 2.35m × 2.39m, giving 33.2 CBM of usable space with a max payload of 21,770 kg. The exact number of cartons depends on their dimensions — use our calculator above to get a precise answer for your specific carton sizes.

Question 2

What is the difference between a 40ft and 40HQ container?

Accepted Answer

A standard 40ft container (40GP) is 2.39m tall internally, while a 40HQ (High Cube) is 2.69m tall — 30cm more height. This gives the 40HQ about 76 CBM vs 67 CBM capacity. 40HQ costs only slightly more to ship but holds 13% more volume, making it the most popular choice.

Question 3

How do I calculate container utilization?

Accepted Answer

Container utilization is the percentage of available space actually used. Calculate it as: (total carton volume ÷ container internal volume) × 100. Good utilization is above 80%. Our calculator accounts for stacking patterns, weight limits, and practical gaps between cartons.

Question 4

What is the maximum weight for a shipping container?

Accepted Answer

Maximum payload varies by container type: 20GP holds up to 21,770 kg, 40GP up to 26,680 kg, and 40HQ up to 26,480 kg. Note that road weight limits in some countries (e.g., 24,000 kg in the US) may be lower than the container's structural limit.

Question 5

Should I use pallets or floor-load my container?

Accepted Answer

Pallets make loading/unloading faster and protect goods, but waste 10-15% of space. Floor-loading (direct stacking) maximizes space utilization. Choose pallets for heavy goods, fragile items, or when fast unloading matters. Floor-load lightweight cartons to reduce shipping cost per unit.

Question 6

How does container loading affect freight cost?

Accepted Answer

Better container utilization directly reduces your per-unit shipping cost. For example, fitting 1,200 cartons instead of 1,000 in a 40HQ saves you 17% on per-unit freight. Our calculator helps you optimize dimensions and stacking to maximize units per container.

Container Loading Calculator

Carton dimensions & quantity

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