Container Loading Calculator: How Many Cartons Fit by CBM and Weight
Before you book a container you need to know whether the cargo will fill the box or hit the weight limit first. This calculator estimates cartons per container from carton size, weight and a realistic packing efficiency.
Your numbers
Internal volume varies slightly by builder.
Use the limit on the CSC plate and local road weight limits.
Loss from stacking pattern, dunnage and door gaps. 80 to 90 is typical for uniform cartons.
Your results
A planning estimate only. Actual loads depend on pallets, stacking limits, carton orientation and the loading pattern. Confirm with your forwarder or a load-planning tool before booking.
Cartons per container vs carton weight
Sweeps Carton gross weight from 5 to 60, holding your other inputs fixed.
Packaging and CBM data review
Optional: we can review how carton CBM and weight are stored in your ERP item master and where order planning could use them.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use it
Choose the container type, enter the carton dimensions in centimetres and the gross weight in kilograms, and set a packing efficiency. The tool computes the carton volume in cubic metres, applies efficiency to the container volume and compares the volume limit with the weight limit. Whichever is lower sets the number of cartons. The utilisation figure shows how much of the container volume you actually use.
Cube out or weigh out
Light, bulky goods such as plastic parts or packaging cube out: the container is full before it is heavy. Dense goods such as castings and steel fasteners weigh out: the payload limit is reached while space remains. The chart shows the switch point. Past it, extra carton weight cuts the carton count, so improving density will not help and consolidation or heavier containers may be needed.
- Cube out: volume is the limit, optimise carton size
- Weigh out: payload is the limit, mix lighter cargo
- Check road weight limits, which can be lower than the CSC plate
Worked example
A carton of 60 by 40 by 35 centimetres is 0.084 CBM. In a 40 foot container with 85 percent efficiency, usable volume is about 57 CBM, so volume allows 678 cartons. At 18 kilograms each, a 26,000 kilogram payload allows 1,444 cartons, so volume governs and the answer is 678 cartons, about 12,200 kilograms of cargo. Palletised loads usually give lower efficiency, so reduce the figure.
Common mistakes
Using outside container dimensions, ignoring pallet height, forgetting that cartons cannot always be rotated, and quoting the maximum gross weight instead of payload all overstate capacity. For export quoting, keep carton size, weight and pallet pattern in the item master and add CBM to the packing list so sales, warehouse and forwarder use one figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CBM is a 40 foot container?
A standard 40 foot container has roughly 67 cubic metres of internal volume, a 40 foot high cube about 76, and a 20 foot standard about 33. Exact values differ by manufacturer. Usable capacity is lower than the nominal figure because of stacking gaps, dunnage and door clearance.
What packing efficiency should I use?
For uniform cartons stacked floor to ceiling, 85 to 90 percent is common. Palletised cargo, irregular shapes or mixed cartons often fall to 65 to 80 percent. Test with a real load or your forwarder's experience, and use a lower number for quotes where the exact pattern is not known.
What payload should I enter?
Use the maximum payload shown on the container's CSC plate, then check it against the road or rail limit at origin and destination, which may be lower. Remember that pallets, dunnage and lashing add to the weight your cargo figure must include.
Is CBM the same as chargeable volume?
For FCL bookings you pay per container, so CBM only tells you how full it is. For LCL the carrier charges per cubic metre or per tonne, whichever is greater, so volume and weight both matter. Always confirm the carrier's revenue-ton rule.
If CBM and container fill are worked out in spreadsheets outside the ERP, Netray can help bring the calculation into order and shipment planning.
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