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 20ft standard, 40ft standard, 40ft high cube, or 45ft high cube — each with real internal dimensions, volume, and payload limits.
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.
Container size comparison
Instantly compare your load across all four container sizes to find the option that minimizes wasted space and cost.
Visual load preview
A clean visual representation of your container fill so you can see used versus unused space at a glance.
Smart recommendations
Get plain-language guidance when your load is under-utilized, overweight, or a better container size is available.
Metric & flexible units
Enter cargo dimensions in centimeters or meters and weight in kilograms — built for global trade documentation.
Every standard container size, ready to calculate
Typical ISO dry-container specifications used for planning purposes. Actual capacity varies by carrier and container condition.
20ft Standard
The workhorse for dense, heavy cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 6×2×2.39m
- Volume
- 33.2 m³
- Max payload
- 28,230 kg
40ft Standard
The most common box in global trade
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.39m
- Volume
- 67.7 m³
- Max payload
- 28,750 kg
40ft High Cube
Extra headroom for bulky, light cargo
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 12×2×2.7m
- Volume
- 76.3 m³
- Max payload
- 28,580 kg
45ft High Cube
Maximum volume for light, voluminous freight
- Internal (L×W×H)
- 14×2×2.7m
- Volume
- 86.1 m³
- Max payload
- 27,600 kg
Your load plan, explained in plain language
Beyond the numbers, ContainerLoadCalculatorX highlights what your results actually mean — and what to try next. Ask LoadX AI is rolling out to answer cargo-fit questions directly, in natural language.
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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 all four 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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