From the factory door to the first warehouse · Filling the box without breaking it
FCL container utilisation and loading limits
A container is limited by cubic capacity, payload and door dimensions. Planning against nominal capacity leaves cargo behind or overweight.
Key facts
| 20ft capacity | About 33 CBM nominal, roughly 28 CBM usable after packing losses |
|---|---|
| 40ft capacity | About 67 CBM nominal, roughly 58 CBM usable |
| 40HC capacity | About 76 CBM nominal, roughly 68 CBM usable |
| Payload | Typically 21-28 tonnes of cargo depending on the box and road limits |
| Door height | About 2.28 m on a standard 20ft/40ft, about 2.58 m on a high cube |
| Binding limit | Whichever is reached first: volume, payload or door dimensions |
Nominal capacity is not usable capacity
Container capacity quoted by carriers is the internal volume of an empty box. Cartons do not tessellate perfectly, pallets leave gaps, and bracing and dunnage consume space. Planning at 85 per cent of nominal is a common working assumption for cartoned cargo; palletised cargo can lose more.
Measure the carton, not the product. A carton that is slightly too tall to stack two high can waste the top third of a container even though the cubic metres add up on paper.
Payload and road limits bind earlier than volume
Dense cargo such as liquids, ceramics, metal parts and printed matter can reach the payload limit with the box half full. Road regulations in the destination country may cap the combined vehicle weight below the container rating, so the last-mile truck becomes the constraint.
Check the cargo gross weight including pallets and packaging before booking. Overweight containers are rejected at the terminal or repacked at the shipper cost.
Loading plan and door dimensions
The door opening is smaller than the internal width and height. Machinery, large cartons and pallets on stilts may fit inside but not through the door. A loading plan that sequences cartons and leaves an inspection gap at the door reduces damage and speeds unloading.
For mixed SKUs, load the heaviest cartons low and centred, keep labels facing the door, and record the plan. A photo of the loaded container is useful evidence if damage is claimed later.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic metres fit in a 20ft container?
About 33 CBM nominal and roughly 28 CBM usable for cartoned cargo. Palletised cargo usually fits less because of pallet footprints and gaps.
Can I load 28 tonnes in a 40ft container?
Often not. The container rating, the road weight limit and the chassis limit all apply, and many routes cap the cargo below the box rating. Confirm the payload with the carrier and the trucker.
Is a 40HC always better than a 40ft?
A high cube adds height, not floor area, so it helps light, tall or palletised cargo. Dense cargo gains nothing and may hit the payload limit sooner.
What is the most common loading mistake?
Planning to nominal capacity. Cartons that are a few centimetres too tall, pallets that cannot be double-stacked and weight limits are the usual reasons a planned load does not fit.
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