How to Calculate How Many Cartons Fit in a Container (Step by Step)

Knowing exactly how many cartons fit in your container helps you plan production quantities, negotiate better freight rates, and avoid costly overloads or half-empty containers. This guide shows you the exact calculation method.

Step-by-Step Calculation Method

Step 1 — Get Your Container Dimensions

Container	Internal Length	Internal Width	Internal Height
20ft Standard	589 cm	233 cm	240 cm
40ft Standard	1203 cm	235 cm	239 cm
40ft High Cube	1203 cm	235 cm	270 cm

Step 2 — Try All 6 Carton Orientations

A carton with dimensions L × W × H can be placed in 6 different orientations. For each orientation, calculate:

Cartons along container length: floor(Container L ÷ Carton dimension)
Cartons along container width: floor(Container W ÷ Carton dimension)
Layers (cartons along container height): floor(Container H ÷ Carton dimension)
Total = A × B × C

Pick the orientation that gives the highest total.

Worked Example

Carton dimensions: 32 × 24 × 13 cm in a 20ft container (589 × 233 × 240 cm)

Orientation (L×W×H along container)	Along Length	Along Width	Layers	Total
32L × 24W × 13H	floor(589/32)=18	floor(233/24)=9	floor(240/13)=18	2,916
24L × 32W × 13H (best)	floor(589/24)=24	floor(233/32)=7	floor(240/13)=18	3,024
32L × 13W × 24H	floor(589/32)=18	floor(233/13)=17	floor(240/24)=10	3,060
13L × 32W × 24H	floor(589/13)=45	floor(233/32)=7	floor(240/24)=10	3,150
13L × 24W × 32H	floor(589/13)=45	floor(233/24)=9	floor(240/32)=7	2,835
24L × 13W × 32H	floor(589/24)=24	floor(233/13)=17	floor(240/32)=7	2,856

Best orientation: 13L × 24W × 32H → 3,150 cartons in a 20ft container.

Important: This is theoretical maximum. Practical loading achieves 85–95% of theoretical due to weight limits, loading practicality, and stacking stability. For this example, expect 2,600–3,000 cartons in practice depending on carton weight.

Step 3 — Check Weight

Multiply carton count by carton weight. Ensure it doesn't exceed container payload:

20ft max payload: 28,000 kg
If your carton weighs 2 kg: 28,000 ÷ 2 = 14,000 cartons maximum by weight
If volume gives 3,150 but weight limit allows 14,000 → volume is the limiting factor

Step 4 — For Pallet Loading, Calculate Per Pallet First

If shipping on pallets (120 × 100 cm), calculate cartons per pallet:

Per layer: floor(120 ÷ carton_L) × floor(100 ÷ carton_W)
Layers: floor(180cm stack height ÷ carton_H)
Per pallet: layers × per layer
Total: cartons per pallet × 10 pallets (for 20ft using pinwheel)

Why a Calculator Is Better Than Manual Calculation

Manual calculation only tries one orientation at a time. ContainerLoad automatically tests all 6 orientations and picks the best. It also accounts for:

Weight limits (auto-stops when payload is reached)
Pallet base height
Stack height limits
Pinwheel pallet loading (10 pallets in 20ft, not 8)
Mixed carton sizes in one container

Calculate Your Carton Count in 30 Seconds

Enter your dimensions → instant result with 3D diagram and full breakdown

Try ContainerLoad Free →

FAQ

How do I calculate cartons per layer in a container?

Divide the container length by the carton length (take the floor/integer), then divide the container width by the carton width (floor). Multiply these two numbers: cartons per layer = floor(container_L ÷ carton_L) × floor(container_W ÷ carton_W). Try all 6 orientations to find the best.

What is the formula for container loading calculation?

Total cartons = floor(Container_L ÷ Box_L) × floor(Container_W ÷ Box_W) × floor(Container_H ÷ Box_H). Calculate this for all 6 box orientations and take the highest value. Then verify the total weight doesn't exceed the container payload limit.

How many cartons fit in a 20ft container?

It completely depends on your carton dimensions. For example: a 30×24×13cm carton fits approximately 3,150 units in a 20ft container in the best orientation. Use ContainerLoad to get the exact count for your specific dimensions in under 30 seconds.