Optimize Every Container Load
Calculate container capacity, estimate cargo fit, and reduce wasted shipping space before you export.
- Container Sizes
- 4
- Cargo Items
- Unlimited
- Cost to Use
- Free
Space Utilization
Weight Capacity
8,500 / 26,500 kg
From cargo list to load plan in three steps
No sign-up, no spreadsheets. Just answers you can plan a shipment around.
Select a container
Choose from dry, reefer, open top and hardtop containers in 20ft, 40ft and high cube sizes, each with internal dimensions, volume, and payload limits from the ShipContainerX dataset.
Add your cargo
Enter item names, quantities, dimensions, and weight. Add as many cargo types as your shipment needs, in cm, meters, or kilograms.
Get your load plan
See exactly how much fits, how full your container is, and how much weight capacity remains, with recommendations to optimize your load.
Everything you need to plan a container load
Volume & weight utilization
See precisely how much of your container's volume and payload capacity your cargo uses, down to the cubic meter and kilogram.
Multi-item cargo lists
Mix and match cargo types, cartons, pallets, drums, crates, in a single shipment and see how they share container space.
How many containers
When your cargo does not fit in one box, see how many containers of each size the shipment needs, by space and by weight.
2D load layout
A top view and a side view of how your boxes sit in the container, with rows, boxes across and stack height for each cargo type.
Smart recommendations
Get plain-language guidance when your load is under-utilized, overweight, or a better container size is available.
Metric and imperial units
Enter dimensions in centimeters, meters, inches or feet and weight in kilograms or pounds. Results switch to cubic feet when you work in imperial.
Dry, reefer, open top and hardtop containers, ready to calculate
Representative ISO container specifications from the ShipContainerX dataset (v1.0.0). Actual capacity varies by carrier, series and container condition.
20ft Standard
Closed steel box with rear doors
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 6×2×2.39m
- Volume
- 33.2 m³
- Max payload
- 30,200 kg
40ft Standard
Closed steel box with rear doors
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.4m
- Volume
- 67.7 m³
- Max payload
- 28,750 kg
40ft High Cube
Closed steel box with rear doors
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.7m
- Volume
- 76.3 m³
- Max payload
- 28,600 kg
45ft High Cube
Closed steel box with rear doors
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 14×2×2.7m
- Volume
- 86 m³
- Max payload
- 27,800 kg
20ft Reefer
Refrigerated, for temperature-controlled cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 5×2×2.26m
- Volume
- 28.1 m³
- Max payload
- 29,140 kg
40ft High Cube Reefer
Refrigerated, for temperature-controlled cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.55m
- Volume
- 67.6 m³
- Max payload
- 29,580 kg
20ft Open Top
Removable roof, for tall or crane-loaded cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 6×2×2.38m
- Volume
- 32.5 m³
- Max payload
- 30,050 kg
40ft High Cube Open Top
Removable roof, for tall or crane-loaded cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.68m
- Volume
- 74.9 m³
- Max payload
- 28,250 kg
40ft Open Top
Removable roof, for tall or crane-loaded cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.38m
- Volume
- 66.5 m³
- Max payload
- 28,450 kg
20ft Hardtop
Removable steel roof, for heavy or over-height cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 6×2×2.38m
- Volume
- 32.1 m³
- Max payload
- 29,650 kg
40ft Hardtop
Removable steel roof, for heavy or over-height cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.39m
- Volume
- 67.2 m³
- Max payload
- 25,780 kg
40ft High Cube Hardtop
Removable steel roof, for heavy or over-height cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.7m
- Volume
- 76.3 m³
- Max payload
- 27,300 kg
Understanding container capacity calculations
Why container capacity is more than just volume
It’s tempting to divide a container’s total volume by a single box’s volume to estimate how many will fit. In practice, that number is almost always too high. Real containers have fixed internal length, width, and height, cargo has to stack in whole units along each axis, so leftover space that’s smaller than one more box goes to waste. A reliable container load calculator accounts for this by testing how cargo actually stacks, not just how much volume it occupies.
Volume vs. weight: which one limits your load?
Every container has two capacity limits: how much space it holds (volume) and how much it can legally carry (payload weight). Light, bulky cargo like insulation or furniture tends to run out of volume first. Dense cargo like machinery parts, metal stock, or bagged fertilizer often hits the weight limit long before the container looks full. Knowing which constraint applies to your shipment changes how you should pack it, and which container size makes financial sense.
Choosing between 20ft, 40ft, and high cube containers
A 20ft standard container suits dense or heavy cargo and partial loads. A 40ft standard container roughly doubles the volume at a similar weight allowance, making it the default choice for general cargo. High cube containers (40ft and 45ft) add extra height for bulky, lightweight goods that would otherwise waste volume in a standard-height box. Comparing the sizes against your actual cargo list, rather than guessing, is the fastest way to avoid paying for space you won’t use.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about calculating container capacity and cargo fit.
What is a container load calculator?+
A container load calculator is a tool that estimates how much cargo fits inside a shipping container based on the container's internal dimensions and your cargo's size, quantity, and weight. It helps importers and exporters plan shipments, choose the right container size, and avoid paying for wasted space.
How do I calculate how many boxes fit in a container?+
Enter your box dimensions (length, width, height), quantity, and weight per box. The calculator tests every orientation of the box against the container's internal dimensions to find the arrangement that fits the most units, then checks that total weight stays within the container's payload limit.
What is container stuffing?+
Container stuffing (also called container loading) is the process of packing cargo into a shipping container for export. A container stuffing calculator like this one helps you plan that process in advance, estimating fit and utilization before cargo ever reaches the port or warehouse.
What's the difference between a 40ft standard and 40ft high cube container?+
A 40ft high cube container has the same footprint as a 40ft standard container but is roughly 30cm (1ft) taller, giving it about 76m³ of volume versus 68m³ for the standard. High cubes are ideal for bulky, lightweight cargo that runs out of height before it runs out of weight allowance.
How accurate is this container capacity calculator?+
This calculator provides a practical planning estimate using geometric fit and weight-capacity math. It is not a full 3D bin-packing simulation, so real-world results can vary based on stacking method, pallets, dunnage, and load securing requirements. Always confirm final capacity with your carrier or freight forwarder.
Plan your next container load in minutes
Free to use, no account required. Get a full load plan with utilization, weight capacity, and recommendations.
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