Imagine you’re a business owner preparing to ship your products overseas. You’ve got everything ready—products packed, destinations confirmed—but one question lingers: “How much product can fit in a freight container?”

It’s a common concern. Understanding freight container capacities is crucial for efficient shipping and cost management. In this post, we’ll demystify the sizes and capacities of commonly used freight containers by freight container movers providing you with the knowledge to make informed decisions for your shipping needs.

How Much Product Can Fit in a 20ft container?

A 20ft container has 146 sq ft (13.86m²) of floor space and 1,172 cubic ft of volume (33.2m³). It can generally squeeze about 25-28cbm worth of goods inside (possibly less if very large cartons – more wasted space; possibly more if fairly small cartons – less wasted space). This is massively dependent on the nature of the goods as some commodities won’t be able to stack and some boxes are too large to fit in efficiently. You can often load over 15,000kg without incurring a ‘heavyweight surcharge.’

A 20ft container can typically hold around 10 standard pallets or 11 Euro pallets, with a total volume of approximately 33 cubic meters (1,172 cubic feet). This container size is suitable for smaller shipments, such as a one to two-bedroom apartment’s worth of belongings or a small to medium-sized vehicle.

While it isn’t the largest container available, the 20ft container can still fit a great deal of cargo. For this reason, the 20ft container is the most popular choice, as it offers a vast amount of space for less cost than the 40-foot container.

• Dimensions of a 20ft container: 2.38m x 2.35m x 5.87m
• Fresh air in a 20ft container: 33cbm
• Usable capacity: 32.6m³
• Max gross weight: 24,000 kg (52,910 lbs)
• Tare weight: 2000kg (4,409lbs)

How much product can fit in a 40ft container?

As you’d expect, a 40ft container has the capacity of around double a 20ft container. It has 285 sq ft (26.47m²) of floor space and 2,120 cubic ft (60m³) of volume. A 40ft container can generally squeeze about 54-58cbm worth of goods inside (possibly less if very large cartons – more wasted space; possibly more if fairly small cartons – less wasted space). Again, this is dependent on the nature of the goods and the size of the cartons. You can often load over 20,000kg without incurring a ‘heavyweight surcharge.’

A 40ft container, can accommodate around 22 standard pallets or 24 Euro pallets, with a total volume of roughly 67 cubic meters (2,366 cubic feet). This larger size is perfect for shipping the contents of a three to four-bedroom house, larger vehicles, or substantial commercial shipments. Due to their size, 40-foot containers are generally used to carry light-weight, but bulky items.

While the 20-foot container will generally be enough to transport your cargo, this won’t always be the case; it will be cheaper to transport a single 40-foot container over two 20-foot containers.

• Dimensions of a 40ft container: 2.38m x 2.35m x 12m
• Fresh air in a 40ft container: 67cbm
• Usable capacity: 67m³
• Max gross weight: 30,480kg ( 67,196lbs)
• Tare weight: 3,470kg  (7,650lbs)

When to use a 40ft High Cube container?

A 40ft High Cube (also known as 40ft HC or 40ft HQ) is the king of the containers and is the largest that is currently being used routinely by freight container movers. If you need a little extra space – but not enough to warrant another container – then 40ft HC is a good option as 40ft HC is a little taller than the 40ft container. Although only a 27cm height increase, this adds up to a total extra volume of 9cbm. Still 40ft in length but taller at 2.65m in height it can hold 60-68 cbm of your good (if boxed).

• Dimensions of a 40ft HC container: 2.65m x 2.35m x 12.0m
• Fresh air in a 40ft HC container: 76 cbm
• Usable capacity: 76.4m³
• Max gross weight: 32,500 kg (71,650 lbs)
• Tare weight: 3,900 kg (8,598 lbs).

How to calculate shipping container capacity?

Step # 1

Measure the internal container dimensions– the inside length, width, and height of the shipping container. For instance, the inside of a 20ft long container usually measures 19 feet 4 inches long, 7 feet 9 inches wide, and 7 feet 10 inches high.

Step # 2

Multiply the length, width, and height of your container to determine the volume available for your items. For instance, from our dimensions above, a 20-foot container would offer approximately 1,173 cubic feet.

Step # 3

Measure each individual box, bin, pallet, or crate to determine the volume of each shipping unit.

Step # 4

Divide 90 percent of the total shipping volume of the shipping container by the volume of the shipping unit to estimate the number of boxes, bins, pallets, or crates that will fit inside your container.

Note

Expect that carton size and shape, as well as loading configuration and orientation, can further limit container loading capacity.

You may also need to consider using dunnage (also known as padding) that will be placed between cargo items to prevent damage. When using dunnage, be sure to wrap your item ahead of time and then measure the volume of each item. This ensures that you correctly calculate exactly how many items will fit in the shipping container’s capacity.

Last words

Understanding the capacities of freight containers is crucial for efficient and cost-effective shipping. We hope that you’re now familiar with the three most common container sizes and know that factors like packing efficiency, product dimensions, and weight limits can influence how much you can actually load.

To navigate these complexities and ensure your shipments are optimized, it’s beneficial to consult with logistics experts like JJT Transportation and Logistics. Their experience can guide you in selecting the most suitable container size and type for your specific needs. For tailored solutions and expert handling, we recommend partnering with them as they are one the most experienced freight container movers near you who ensure your products are shipped efficiently and safely.