Container Load Calculator
Enter carton size and quantity to estimate how many fit a 20ft, 40ft, or high-cube container, how full the load is, and how many containers a shipment needs.
Fill the box, not the invoice
Ocean freight is priced by the container, so a half-empty box is money left on the table and an over-ordered one is a second container you didn’t plan for. Checking how your cartons fill a 20ft, 40ft, or high-cube before you finalise a purchase order helps you size the order to the space, choose the right container, and see when a slightly larger or smaller run tips you into a different number of containers.
Remember that carriers also bill by weight — check the Volumetric Weight Calculator — and fold the freight into the full cost with the Landed Cost Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cartons fit in a shipping container?
As a first estimate, divide the container's internal volume by one carton's volume. This tool uses approximate internal capacities of about 33.2 m³ for a 20ft, 67.7 m³ for a 40ft, and 76.4 m³ for a 40ft high-cube. A 1 m³ carton would give a geometric maximum of 33 in a 20ft — but a real load fits fewer, because cartons never pack with zero wasted space.
Why does the real number come out lower than the calculator?
Because this is a pure-volume estimate. In practice cartons don't tessellate perfectly, you lose height to pallets, you leave gaps for bracing and airflow, and a container has a weight limit you can hit before it is full. A common rule of thumb is to plan for roughly 80–90% of the geometric figure, and to check the weight as well as the volume.
What is the difference between a 40ft and a 40ft high-cube?
A high-cube (40hc) is about a foot taller than a standard 40ft container, giving roughly 9 extra cubic metres of space — around 76 m³ versus 68 m³. If your cargo is light and bulky, the high-cube often carries more cartons before you hit a weight limit, which is why it is popular for volume goods.
Should I rely on this for booking?
Treat it as a planning estimate. The real fit depends on your exact carton dimensions, how they stack, pallet configuration, and weight distribution. Confirm the load plan and the container's actual internal dimensions and payload with your freight forwarder or carrier before you book.
Geometric estimate by volume only. Real container fit is lower once packing gaps, pallets, and weight limits are counted — confirm the load plan and payload with your freight forwarder before booking.