How many pallets fit in a 20 ft and 40 ft container?

The number of pallets that fit in a shipping container depends on one dimension more than any other: the inside width of about 2,352 mm (92.6 in). That width takes two pallets across only if their widths add up to 2,352 mm or less, which is why European pallets fit containers well and 48 × 48 pallets fit badly. This guide gives the counts for standard ISO containers, shows the math, and covers height, weight and export rules. The pallets per truck calculator also handles containers.

#Quick answer: pallets per container (single tier)

The upper figures are the geometric maximum at nominal pallet size. They leave only a few millimeters spare in some directions. Forwarders often plan one or two fewer to allow for pallet tolerance, bulging loads and room to work the forklift. Double stacking can double any of these numbers if height and weight allow.

#Container inside dimensions

These are typical dry-van container dimensions. Individual boxes vary by a few millimeters by manufacturer. Refrigerated containers are narrower and shorter inside.

#The math: how pallets fit in a container

A container is too narrow for most pallets to go two across in the same orientation, so the best layouts use two lanes with the pallets turned differently in each lane.

#EUR pallets (1200 × 800 mm)

• Lane 1: pallets with the 1200 mm side across, 800 mm deep
• Lane 2: pallets with the 800 mm side across, 1200 mm deep
• Width used: 1200 + 800 = 2,000 mm (fits in 2,352)

The 40 ft layout leaves 32 mm of length spare, which is why 23 or 24 is the planning figure many forwarders use.

#US 48 × 40 pallets (1219 × 1016 mm)

• Lane 1: 1219 mm across, 1016 mm deep
• Lane 2: 1016 mm across, 1219 mm deep
• Width used: 1219 + 1016 = 2,235 mm

Loading two across with the 40 in sides side by side (2,032 mm) gives 4 rows in a 20 ft box (8 pallets) and 9 rows in a 40 ft box (18 pallets), so the two-lane layout is better. The figures of 10 and 21 that appear in many charts do not fit at the full 48 × 40 in nominal size. If your pallets are undersized or you are shipping 1200 × 1000 mm instead, recheck with real dimensions.

#1200 × 1000 mm pallets

• Lanes: 1200 mm across (1000 deep) plus 1000 mm across (1200 deep) = 2,200 mm
• 20 ft: 5 + 4 = 9
• 40 ft: 12 + 10 = 22, with 32 mm spare. Plan on 20 to 21.

#Square pallets

Square pallets go two across only if two widths fit in 2,352 mm. A 42 × 42 in pallet (2 × 1067 = 2,134 mm) and a 1165 × 1165 mm pallet (2,330 mm, only 22 mm spare) do. A 48 × 48 in pallet (2,438 mm) does not, so 48 × 48 drum pallets waste nearly half the container floor.

#Height: single or double stacked

Standard containers are about 2,393 mm tall inside, but the door opening is only about 2,280 mm. Each tier of a double stack must pass through the door and allow a forklift to place it.

These are practical planning figures, not rules. The height of the pallet itself counts: a EUR pallet is 144 mm and a 48 × 40 stringer pallet about 4-3/4 to 6 in (121 to 152 mm). See pallet height.

#Weight limits

Containers have a maximum gross weight on their CSC plate, commonly 30,480 kg for older boxes and higher for newer ones. Subtract the tare (roughly 2,200 kg for a 20 ft and 3,700 kg for a 40 ft) for the maximum payload. Road weight limits at origin and destination are often lower than the container's rating, especially for heavy 20 ft boxes on US roads. Check with your forwarder before loading.

Dense cargo usually fills a 20 ft container by weight before it fills it by space. That is why heavy goods such as tiles, metals and liquids ship in 20 ft boxes and light goods in 40 ft high cubes.

#Export rules for pallets in containers

• ISPM 15. Solid wood pallets and dunnage must be debarked, treated (usually heat treated, HT) and marked with the IPPC stamp. See heat-treated pallets and ISPM 15.
• Exempt materials. Plastic, metal, presswood, plywood-only and paper pallets are exempt. See export pallets.
• Moisture. Wet wood in a sealed container can cause mold and condensation damage. Kiln-dried pallets or desiccants reduce the risk. See pallet mold.
• Blocking and bracing. Gaps between lanes and at the doors need airbags, dunnage or straps.

#Pallets or floor loading?

Floor loading (cartons stacked directly on the container floor) uses more of the cube but takes far longer to load and unload. Slip sheets are a middle path: they remove the pallet height and weight but need push-pull forklift attachments at both ends. See pallet vs slip sheet.

#Choosing a pallet size for export

If you design a pallet for container shipping, choose a footprint that uses the 2,352 mm width:

• 1200 × 800 and 1200 × 1000 mm fit in two lanes with room to spare.
• 48 × 40 in fits in two lanes but leaves more floor empty.
• 1140 × 1140 mm (the CP3 size) goes two across with 72 mm spare.
• Avoid 48 × 48 in unless the load needs it.

Pallet-wide containers, common in European short-sea trade, are wider inside (about 2.44 m) and take 1200 mm pallets two across. You can test a footprint in the designer or start from the EUR pallet template.