Container Loading Plans & Pallet Maths
a fast calculator for everyday shipping
1 Know your “box” inside dimensions (metric)
| ISO code | Inside L × W × H (m) | Door H (m) | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20GP | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 | 2.28 | Dense cargo, minerals, metals |
| 40GP | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 | 2.28 | General pallets, bagged powder |
| 40HC | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 | 2.58 | Voluminous but light goods, big-bags two tiers |
| 45HC | 13.55 × 2.35 × 2.69 | 2.58 | When carrier/route allows – 13 % more floor area |
(Allow 5 cm tolerance for liner & lashing hardware.)
2 Pallet footprints you meet every week
EURO (EUR-1) 1 200 × 800 mm
Block / ISO (North-Am style)* 1 200 × 1 000 mm (often called “CHEP”)
Big-bag footprint 1 000 × 1 000 mm (1 t bulk mineral FIBC)
3 Quick-load rules you can memorise
| Combination | Fit in 20GP | Fit in 40GP | Cheat-sheet logic |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR-1 pallets 1 × 1 stack | 11 rows × 2 = 22 | 23 rows × 2 = 46 | 5.9 m ÷ 1.2 m ≈ 4.9 → 11 rows, two-wide |
| “CHEP” 1 200 × 1 000 | 10 rows × 1 = 10 | 20 rows × 1 = 20 | Width is limiter (2.35 m / 1.0 m = 2, but need 10 cm play) |
| 1 000 × 1 000 big-bags (single tier) | 5 rows × 2 = 10 | 12 rows × 2 = 24 | Turn bags 90° every second row to use voids |
| Big-bags in 40HC double-tier (≤ 1.35 m tall each) | n/a | 48 | (12 × 2) × 2 tiers; watch payload < 26 t |
4 Rapid area & weight formulae
Rows (length-wise)
rows = floor( inside length ÷ pallet length )Columns (width-wise)
cols = floor( inside width ÷ pallet width )Total pallets
rows × cols(× tiers if stacking allowed)Cargo mass check
total weight = pallets × unit weight
Must be ≤ payload (20GP ≈ 28 t, 40GP ≈ 26 t, 40HC ≈ 25 t).
5 Operational tweaks that save space or claims
Turn every alternate EUR pallet 90° – “pin-wheel” pairs reduce wasted void near doors.
Slip-sheets in 40HC: gain one extra EUR row (48 instead of 46) but need push-pull attachment.
Load plan sheet (sketch or Excel) attached to BL avoids tally disputes at discharge.
Stow dense cargo forward to keep axle weight under road limits when truck-hauling inland.
6 “Rule-of-thumb” answers you can give on the phone
How many 25 kg bags on EUR-pallet (1.2 m × 0.8 m)? 40 bags → 1 000 kg gross.
How many such pallets in a 20 ft? ≈ 20 pallets → 20 t if payload allows.
Need 750 big-bags (1 t each). How many 40HC? 750 / 48 ≈ 16 × 40HC (leave one space buffer).
7 Key take-aways
Memorise inside dimensions of 20GP, 40GP, 40HC.
Run simple rows × cols maths first; weight second.
EUR-1: 22 (20GP) / 46 (40GP) / 48 (40HC slip-sheet) — three numbers worth knowing.
Double-tier only when bag height + pallet + void ≤ inside height and payload doesn’t exceed limit.
Ship dense minerals in 20 ft if weight, not volume, will cap the load – cheaper per tonne on ocean freight.
Keep this sheet handy and 90 % of “How many can you fit?” questions are answered on the spot.