Container Loading Calculator: The Short Answer
A buyer with 1,500 cartons of hoodies wants to know how many containers to book. Each carton measures 60 × 40 × 40 centimetres. The container loading calculator tries every orientation of that carton against the internal dimensions of each container and finds that a 40ft high cube holds 600 cartons, a 40ft holds 500 and a 20ft holds 225. With 60 hoodies a carton, a 40ft high cube carries 36,000 hoodies, so 1,500 cartons need three of them. This container loading calculator reaches that answer in seconds, and shows how much of each container the cartons actually use.
The answers are theoretical, since they assume whole cartons stacked without gaps. They are good enough to plan a booking and to check a forwarder's estimate, but your loading plan will decide the final figure.
Use the Container Loading Calculator for Clothing Cartons
Enter the outside dimensions of one carton in centimetres and choose whether cartons can go any way up or must stay upright. Add the pieces per carton and your total number of cartons if you want garment totals and the number of containers. The container loading calculator for clothing cartons tests every allowed orientation in each container and reports the best, along with the volume used and the share of the container that represents.
Container loading calculator
Cartons per container by size
Uses approximate internal dimensions: 20ft 5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m, 40ft 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.393 m and 40ft high cube 12.032 × 2.352 × 2.698 m. Equipment varies slightly by container.
Try small changes to the carton in the container loading calculator. Reducing one side by a few centimetres can add a whole row of cartons, and the calculator shows the effect straight away. That is a cheap decision to make during development and an expensive one to regret at the port.
Container Dimensions Used in the Calculator
The calculator uses the approximate internal dimensions of the three container types most used for garments. Internal dimensions are smaller than the outside measurements, and they vary slightly between manufacturers, so treat them as a guide and allow a little tolerance. The standard sizes are set internationally, and the ISO publishes the relevant freight container standards.
Approximate internal dimensions of common containers
| Container | Length | Width | Height | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft | 5.898 m | 2.352 m | 2.393 m | 33.2 CBM |
| 40ft | 12.032 m | 2.352 m | 2.393 m | 67.7 CBM |
| 40ft high cube | 12.032 m | 2.352 m | 2.698 m | 76.3 CBM |
Approximate internal dimensions from published container specifications. Individual containers vary by a few centimetres; allow for tolerance.
The high cube container is about a tenth taller than the standard 40ft, which is why it often holds a whole extra layer of cartons. If your carton height divides neatly into the container height, high cube can add a lot of capacity for little extra cost.
How the Calculation Works
The fit is a simple floor division in each direction. Divide the container length by the carton length, the width by the carton width and the height by the carton height, drop the remainders, and multiply the three whole numbers. The calculator repeats this for every allowed orientation and keeps the best.
Fitting cartons into a container
- 1Pick an orientationDecide which carton side runs along the container length.
- 2Divide each directionContainer length, width and height divided by the matching carton side.
- 3Drop the remaindersOnly whole cartons count, so round each result down.
- 4MultiplyThe three whole numbers multiplied give cartons per container.
- 5Compare orientationsKeep the orientation that fits the most cartons.
The leftover space in each direction is where the loss comes from. A carton that divides the container width almost exactly wastes little; one that leaves 20 centimetres of gap on every row wastes a lot. That is why a small carton change can move the total so much.
Cartons per Container for Typical Sizes
The table applies the calculation to five common carton sizes. It shows the best whole-carton fit in each container, and it makes plain that the number is not proportional to carton volume: the odd cartons fit a container better than others.
Cartons that fit in each container, best orientation, any way up
| Carton size (cm) | 20ft | 40ft | 40ft high cube |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 × 40 × 30 | 392 | 840 | 1050 |
| 60 × 40 × 40 | 225 | 500 | 600 |
| 60 × 40 × 50 | 180 | 400 | 500 |
| 70 × 50 × 40 | 168 | 360 | 450 |
| 80 × 60 × 50 | 84 | 180 | 240 |
Calculated by fitting whole cartons into the approximate internal dimensions, trying every orientation. Theoretical figures, before pallets, dunnage and weight limits.
Multiply the 40ft high cube counts by each carton's volume and the load fills between about 75% and 83% of the container across these five sizes, so the same container is used more or less efficiently depending on how the carton divides into it. Our CBM calculator for clothing cartons gives the volume side of the same story.
How Much of the Container Do You Really Use?
Volume used divided by container volume tells you how efficient the load is. For the 60 × 40 × 40 carton, the efficiency varies by container, because the carton height fits some containers better than others. The chart shows the share of each container's volume used by whole cartons.
Share of container volume used by 60 × 40 × 40 cm cartons
Volume used
Arithmetic from the whole-carton counts above: cartons × 0.096 CBM ÷ approximate internal volume. Theoretical, before pallets and dunnage.
The unused space is a reminder that a container's published volume is a ceiling. Planning a booking on the full volume invites a surprise. Our guide to how many T-shirts fit in a 40ft container turns the carton count into garments.
What Fills the 40ft High Cube?
Putting the 60 × 40 × 40 centimetre example into a pie makes the unused space visible. In the 40ft high cube, 600 cartons of 0.096 CBM use 57.6 cubic metres of the 76.28 available, and the rest is gaps that no whole carton can fill.
Share of a 40ft high cube used by 600 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm
- Cartons (57.6 CBM)75.5%
- Unused space (18.7 CBM)24.5%
Arithmetic only: 600 × 0.096 CBM against an approximate internal volume of 76.28 CBM. Theoretical, before pallets and dunnage.
A container loading calculator is useful precisely because it shows this gap. If another carton size fills more of the container, the same order may need fewer containers.
Palletised or Floor-Loaded?
Cartons can be loaded onto the container floor by hand or stacked on pallets that a forklift loads. Floor loading uses space well but takes time and labour. Palletising protects the cartons and speeds up handling but costs height and floor area, so fewer cartons fit. The calculator assumes floor loading, so if your shipment is palletised, work out the cartons per pallet with the pallet calculator for clothing cartons.
Floor loading compared with palletised loading
What each helps with
- Floor loading fits the most cartons in the container
- Palletised loads are quicker and gentler to handle
- Palletising can suit part loads and mixed shipments
What each costs
- Floor loading takes more labour and time at each end
- Palletising uses height and floor space, so fewer cartons fit
- Pallets add weight and cost to the shipment
Qualitative comparison. Your forwarder can advise on what suits your route and handling.
Neither is right for every shipment. The choice depends on volume, handling at the destination and what your forwarder or the carrier prefers.
A practical way to decide is to run the calculator twice. First enter the carton as it is, to see the floor-loaded ceiling. Then enter the carton size with the pallet height added to the carton height stack in mind, or ask the forwarder how many pallet positions the container offers. The gap between the two answers is the price of handling convenience, and it is worth knowing before you choose.
Common Mistakes When Planning a Container
Most container surprises come from assuming the whole volume is usable. A few simple checks, done before you book, avoid them.
Checks before you book a container
- Use whole cartons, not volume, to count what fits
- Check the weight of a full load against the carrier's limit
- Allow for pallets, dunnage and door clearance if used
- Confirm the container type and its internal dimensions
- Ask the forwarder whether a part load costs less than a full one
- Plan carton size during development, not after packing
A planning checklist. Your forwarder confirms what is allowed on your route.
Weight is the check people forget. Garments are light for their volume, so a container usually fills up long before it reaches a weight limit, but dense items such as heavy denim or accessories can change that, so confirm with your forwarder, and ask the FIATA member you work with for advice.
How Ruhrose Helps You Plan Loads
Ruhrose develops hoodies, fleece, jersey, denim and woven casualwear for UK buyers, with production in Bangladesh. We can discuss carton sizes and pieces per carton during development, so you know how an order will load before it is packed. Our guide to sea freight versus air freight for clothing covers the wider shipping choices, and Ruhrose's clothing manufacturing pages show what we make.
When the container count is settled, carry the cartons into the volumetric weight calculator if part of the order may fly, and into the landed cost calculator to see what the freight adds to each piece.
Before you book a container, ask yourself one question: does your carton size fit the container, or does the container have to fit your carton?