Guide · Container capacity
How many pallets fit in a 20 ft or 40 ft container?
In our test, 11 Euro pallets or 10 standard pallets fit on the floor of a 20 ft container, and 25 Euro or 22 standard pallets in a 40 ft. Treat these as floor counts: your real number depends on the pallet height, how you load, and your carrier’s figures.
See the counts ↓
01 · The counts
Floor counts for one layer of pallets.
| Pallet | 20 ft | 40 ft |
|---|---|---|
| Euro, 120 × 80 cm | 11 | 25 |
| Standard, 120 × 100 cm | 10 | 22 |
The test used typical inside sizes: 590 × 235 × 239 cm for the 20 ft and 1,203 × 235 × 239 cm for the 40 ft. Sizes vary by carrier and container, so use your own figures.
02 · Why the pattern matters
Turning some pallets fits more on the floor.
Two standard pallets side by side, each 100 cm wide, use 200 of the 235 cm width and waste the rest. Turn one row so its long side runs across, and 120 + 100 cm uses 220. That is why the plan reaches 22 standard pallets in a 40 ft, where straight rows give 20.
03 · Floor count or loading count
A tight floor plan may not be loadable.
A floor count says the pallets fit once they are in place. It does not say a forklift can put them there. You will often see 20 or 21 quoted for standard pallets in a 40 ft. Ours leaves 3 cm spare along the length, which may not be practical to load. CargoLab checks the fit, not the handling.
04 · What changes your number
What to check first.
- Pallet footprint, including any overhang of the load. A few centimetres can lose you a pallet.
- Height, including the pallet itself. In a space 239 cm high, pallets up to 119 cm can stand two high, if they can be stacked.
- Weight. Divide the cargo weight limit by the weight of one pallet. Heavy pallets often stop you before the floor does.
- The door and the way in. Check the door opening and how each pallet reaches its place.
- Securing. Allow for the dunnage or bracing that keeps the load from moving.
05 · Test your own load
Try your pallets in 3D.
Enter the inside size and the cargo weight limit from your carrier (CargoLab adds up the cargo only), then one cargo line with a few more pallets than you expect to fit. With an account, Auto-Pack proposes an arrangement and shows what is left over. As a guest you can place pallets by hand. See the 3D container load calculator, or how many boxes fit for cartons.
See a finished plan: open the fictional Project X example in 3D ↗ (no account needed). A plan in CargoLab is a preliminary proposal: check the real equipment and cargo, and the carrier makes the final decision.