How many cartons fit a 20ft, 40ft & high-cube — free, no sign-up
Enter one package (carton, box, crate or pallet) and see how many fit each standard container — with weight limits and realistic packing gaps accounted for, so you order the right quantity and book the right box.
💡 The fields below are pre-filled with an example. Replace them with your own package's actual size and weight to get your result.
The outside size of one package (carton, box, crate or pallet), measured at the widest points including packaging.
Gross weight of one package — lets the tool catch the container's weight limit.
Sellable items inside each package — used to total the units per container.
Boxes never fill a container perfectly — 85–90% is a realistic planning assumption.
20ft Standard
≈ 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m
Packages
415
Units
9,960
Volume used
90%
Load weight ≈ 7,470 kg of 28,000 kg max
40ft Standard
≈ 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m
Packages
846
Units
20,304
Volume used
90%
Load weight ≈ 15,228 kg of 26,700 kg max
40ft High-Cube
≈ 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m
Packages
955
Units
22,920
Volume used
90%
Load weight ≈ 17,190 kg of 26,500 kg max
Container reference (approximate)
20ft Standard — ~33 m³ internal · ~28,000 kg max payload
40ft Standard — ~67 m³ internal · ~26,700 kg max payload
40ft High-Cube — ~76 m³ internal · ~26,500 kg max payload
Cartons that fit = (internal volume × packing efficiency) ÷ CBM per package, capped by the weight limit.
The tool works out your package's CBM, multiplies each container's internal volume by your packing efficiency to get a realistic loadable volume, and divides to find how many packages fit. If you enter a package weight, it also checks the container's payload limit — and shows you which one runs out first. Dense cargo often hits the weight cap with the container half-empty; light, bulky cargo fills the space long before the weight limit. Everything runs in your browser.
The three standard dry containers cover almost all ocean freight. A 20ft standard gives about 33 m³ of internal space and the highest payload (~28 tonnes) — ideal for heavy, dense cargo. A 40ft standard roughly doubles the volume (~67 m³) for a similar payload, so it's the workhorse for general goods. A 40ft high-cube is the same footprint but ~30 cm taller (~76 m³), adding around 9 m³ for light, bulky product. Two limits always apply at once — volume and weight — and whichever you hit first caps the load. That's why heavy goods often "weigh out" a container before it's full, while light goods "cube out" it with tonnes of payload to spare. This calculator shows you which happens for your specific package.
How many cartons fit in a 20ft or 40ft container?
It depends on the carton size — divide the container's loadable volume by the carton's CBM. A 20ft holds roughly 33 m³ of internal space, a 40ft about 67 m³, and a 40ft high-cube about 76 m³. Enter your carton dimensions above and this tool gives the exact carton and unit count for each, allowing for realistic packing gaps.
What is the CBM capacity of a shipping container?
Internal volume is about 33 m³ for a 20ft standard, 67 m³ for a 40ft standard, and 76 m³ for a 40ft high-cube. You can rarely use 100% of that — boxes leave gaps — so a practical load is usually 85–90% of the internal figure, which this calculator applies as an adjustable packing efficiency.
Why can't I fill the whole container?
Rectangular cartons never tessellate perfectly inside a container, and you need room to load and brace the cargo. A packing efficiency of 85–90% is a realistic planning assumption; drop it lower for irregular or fragile goods that can't be stacked tightly.
What is the weight limit of a container?
Payload (max cargo weight) is roughly 28,000 kg for a 20ft and about 26,500 kg for a 40ft or 40ft high-cube — though road and port limits in your country are often lower. Dense cargo can hit the weight limit long before the container is full: enter a carton weight and this tool flags when weight, not volume, is the binding constraint.
What's the difference between a 40ft and a 40ft high-cube?
Same floor length and width, but a high-cube (HC) is about 30 cm taller — roughly 2.70 m internal versus 2.39 m. That extra height adds around 9 m³ of usable volume, so a high-cube fits noticeably more of a light, bulky product.
How do I turn this into a cost per unit?
Once you know how many units fit a container, use our freight cost calculator to split the shipping down to a per-unit cost for LCL sea or air freight. Pair it with the CBM calculator for the volume figure. The tools are designed to be used together.
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