How many pallets fit in a container? 20 ft, 40 ft and high cube
Five standard containers, three pallet sizes: how many fit on the floor, how high you can stack, and how much each pallet can weigh.
A container's floor is narrower than a trailer's: 235 cm inside. Those 10 centimetres mean Euro pallets can't go three across, and capacity drops noticeably. The numbers below were calculated for each container and pallet pair separately; they aren't estimates.
Short answer: a 40 ft container takes 23 Euro pallets (120×80 cm) or 20 industrial or US pallets; a 20 ft takes 11 Euro pallets. A high cube has the same floor as a standard container; the only difference is height.
Open the container loading calculator
Pallet capacity by container type (single layer)
The table shows pallets on the floor in one layer. Every container keeps 5 cm of loading clearance along its length and width: pallets overhang their nominal size, and a forklift needs room.
The last column is the highest average weight per pallet when the container is full of Euro pallets. Values above 1,500 kg are more than a Euro pallet is rated for: in that container the floor fills up long before the weight limit.
| Container | Interior (cm) | Payload | Euro 120×80 | Industrial 120×100 | US 48×40 (122×102) | Max avg per Euro pallet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft standard (DV) | 589×235×239 | 28,200 kg | 11 | 9 | 9 | 2,563 kg |
| 40 ft standard (DV) | 1203×235×239 | 26,700 kg | 23 (25) | 20 (22) | 20 | 1,160 kg |
| 40 ft high cube (HC) | 1203×235×269 | 26,500 kg | 23 (25) | 20 (22) | 20 | 1,152 kg |
| 45 ft high cube (HC) | 1355×235×269 | 27,700 kg | 27 | 24 | 24 | 1,025 kg |
| 40 ft reefer (RF) | 1158×229×255 | 29,000 kg | 23 | 20 | 20 | 1,260 kg |
Double stacking: the door sets the limit
In a container the door, not the roof, limits stacking height: the load has to go through it. A standard container's door is 228 cm high, a high cube's 258 cm. With 5 cm of clearance, two layers means each layer can be at most 111 cm in a standard container and 126 cm in a high cube.
Payload doesn't change: a 40 ft high cube takes 46 Euro pallets double-stacked, but the average pallet must stay under 576 kg.
| Container | Door height (cm) | Max height per layer (cm) | Euro pallets (2 layers) | Max avg per Euro pallet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft standard (DV) | 228 | 111 | 22 | 1,281 kg |
| 40 ft standard (DV) | 228 | 111 | 46 | 580 kg |
| 40 ft high cube (HC) | 258 | 126 | 46 | 576 kg |
| 45 ft high cube (HC) | 258 | 126 | 54 | 512 kg |
Why 23 pallets in a 40 ft container, not 25?
A container is 235 cm wide inside; three Euro pallets side by side need 240 cm and don't fit. The best layout is two lanes: in one the pallets are turned so the 120 cm side goes across, in the other they stay straight. 120 + 80 = 200 cm, with 35 cm to spare.
With no gaps at all, the turned lane takes 1,203 / 80 = 15 pallets and the straight lane 1,203 / 120 = 10: 25 in total. Leave loading clearance and each lane loses one, which leaves 23. That's why you'll see anything from 23 to 25 quoted for a 40 ft: the difference is how tightly the pallets are packed.
20 ft or 40 ft?
A 40 ft container is twice as long as a 20 ft and takes slightly more than twice the pallets (23 against 11). But its payload is lower: 28,200 kg for a 20 ft, 26,700 kg for a 40 ft. With heavy goods such as stone, metal, paper or drinks, a 20 ft carries far more weight per pallet.
The rule of thumb: heavy load, 20 ft; light and bulky, 40 ft or 40 ft high cube. Road weight limits in most countries are also lower than the payload on the container plate, so check the road leg too.
When is a high cube worth it?
A high cube has the same floor as a standard container, so it takes the same number of pallets in one layer. The difference is 30 cm of extra height: with a 258 cm door you can double-stack loads up to 126 cm each, where a standard container stops at 111 cm.
If your load can't be stacked, or your pallets are taller than 126 cm, a high cube gains you nothing on the floor.
Why the same load takes less room on a trailer
A 13.6 m curtainside trailer is 245 cm wide inside, so Euro pallets go three across and it takes 33. A 40 ft container is almost as long but takes 23. All ten of those pallets come from 10 cm of width.
If you have the choice on a road leg, factor it in: the same pallets can mean more trips by container.
How we calculated this
Each container's floor was reduced by 5 cm in both directions. Pallets were laid out on it in one layer, in both orientations and in mixed patterns, and the valid layout that placed the most pallets was kept. It's the same method as the truck guide and the pallet calculator.
The calculation doesn't consider weight distribution, forklift access at the door or load securing. The table is for planning; it doesn't replace your carrier's loading instructions.
Frequently asked questions
- How many pallets fit in a 40 ft container?
- 23 Euro pallets (120×80 cm), or 20 standard US pallets (48×40 in) or industrial pallets (120×100 cm), in a single layer. With no gaps at all, 25 Euro pallets fit on paper. If the load can be stacked and each layer stays under 111 cm, double stacking takes you to 46 Euro pallets.
- How many pallets fit in a 20 ft container?
- 11 Euro pallets, or 9 standard 48×40 in pallets. The US pallets go in two lanes: five with the 48 in side across and four with the 40 in side across (48 + 40 = 88 in, within the 92.5 in interior width). Because a 20 ft has a higher payload than a 40 ft, it's the usual choice for heavy goods.
- Does a high cube container fit more pallets?
- Not in one layer: the floor is the same as a standard container. A high cube's door is 30 cm taller, so stackable loads can go two high at up to 126 cm per layer, where a standard container's limit is 111 cm.
- How much weight can a container carry?
- Typical payloads are 28,200 kg for a 20 ft, 26,700 kg for a 40 ft and 26,500 kg for a 40 ft high cube. The exact figure is on the CSC plate on the container door. Road weight limits are often lower than that; check the road leg too.
- How do I plan a container load?
- In the 3D load planner, pick the 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft high cube container as your vehicle (or enter a custom size for other types), then add your box and pallet list. The planner shows the layout, the fill rate and anything that doesn't fit.