Calculate shipping container capacity in CBM, weight, and carton count. Covers 20ft, 40ft, 40ft High Cube, and Reefer containers.
Calculate Your Capacity Free →Container capacity comes down to three numbers: volume (CBM), weight, and how efficiently your cartons pack — whichever one runs out first sets your real limit.
| Container Type | Volume (CBM) | Max Payload |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | ~32.9 m³ | 28,000 kg |
| 20ft Reefer | ~28.3 m³ | 27,700 kg |
| 40ft Standard | ~67.6 m³ | 26,500 kg |
| 40ft High Cube | ~76.3 m³ | 26,460 kg |
| 40ft Reefer High Cube | ~66.0 m³ | 27,700 kg |
Light, bulky cargo (garments, furniture, packaging) usually runs out of volume first — the container looks full long before it hits its weight limit. Dense, heavy cargo (metal parts, canned goods, tiles) usually runs out of weight first — you'll have empty space left but can't legally load any more. ContainerLoad calculates both simultaneously and tells you which one is actually capping your shipment, so you're never guessing.
Dividing total volume by carton volume gives a theoretical maximum that real-world loading never hits — cartons don't tessellate perfectly against a container's walls, pallets add wasted space, and stacking height has practical limits well below the container's full height. Real packing efficiency for floor-loaded cartons is typically 75–92% depending on carton dimensions relative to the container; for palletized loads it's usually lower once you account for pallet footprint and stacking gaps. ContainerLoad simulates the actual layer-by-layer, pallet-by-pallet placement rather than using a rough divide, so the count you get matches what will really fit.
Enter your carton dimensions and weight, and see exactly how many fit — with the real limiting factor called out.
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