Freight & Logistics
Container Loading Calculator
Estimate a loose-carton container load from a mixed-SKU packing list. Choose permitted carton orientations and stacking, then inspect loaded and leftover counts, cargo cube, payload use and a three-dimensional placement preview.
Change any input to update the calculation. Unit changes preserve the physical quantity.
Inputs
Cargo only, excluding container tare; enter the actual equipment/carrier limit.
Subtract twice this value from length/width and once from roof height.
Loose carton packing list · up to 2,000 pieces per calculation
1 / 100 rows · each row keeps its own units
Calculated locally in your browser. No sign-up or input upload.
Results
Cartons loaded
10Cartons left over
0Cartons requested
10Loaded external carton volume
0.96 m³33.902 ft³Loaded gross cargo weight
120 kg264.555 lbUsable cube utilization
2.935 %Cargo payload utilization
0.427 %Calculation breakdown
- Carton A
- 10 loaded / 10 requested · 0 left over
- Placement method
- Supported guillotine placement · best of input, volume and footprint orders
Assumptions & checks
This is a geometric planning estimate. It does not validate compression strength, stacking capacity, restraints, load stability, axle loads or structural ratings.
The plan checks geometric placement and a per-carton door aperture, but does not simulate handling equipment, an accessible loading sequence or unloading. Mixed-span support and packing across combined support cartons are intentionally not assumed.
Supports 100 SKUs and 2,000 total cartons per run to keep browser work bounded. Equipment dimensions are editable carrier examples, not universal container standards.
Formula
A deterministic 3D guillotine heuristic tries input, descending-volume and descending-footprint orders, retaining the best loaded count then cube. Each upper carton has full footprint support from a single permitted supporting carton. A result is a feasible tested arrangement, not a proven optimum.
Worked example
Using the default values shown in the calculator, the same formula gives the following result. This is a quick sanity check for the calculation, not a design recommendation.
Inputs
- Container inside length
- 5.9 m
- Container inside width
- 2.352 m
- Container inside height
- 2.395 m
- Door aperture width
- 2.34 m
- Door aperture height
- 2.292 m
- Permitted cargo payload
- 28130 kg
- Clearance at each wall and roof
- 0.01 m
- Row 1 · SKU / name
- Carton A
- Row 1 · Dimension unit
- cm
- Row 1 · Carton length
- 60 cm
- Row 1 · Carton width
- 40 cm
- Row 1 · Carton height
- 40 cm
- Row 1 · Quantity
- 10
- Row 1 · Gross weight per carton
- 12 kg
- Row 1 · Allowed carton orientations
- floor
- Row 1 · Allow cartons on top of this carton
- yes
Result
- Cartons loaded
- 10
- Cartons left over
- 0
- Cartons requested
- 10
- Loaded external carton volume
- 0.96 m³
- Loaded gross cargo weight
- 120 kg
- Usable cube utilization
- 2.935 %
- Cargo payload utilization
- 0.427 %
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Frequently asked questions
Does this just divide container cube by carton cube?
No. Cartons receive explicit coordinates and permitted orientations in disjoint three-dimensional spaces. Door and payload limits apply before placement, and leftover counts are retained by SKU.
Is the result mathematically optimal?
No. It is the best of three bounded guillotine orderings. Tight gaps, combined support surfaces and other loading patterns can produce better real-world arrangements.
Does a rendered plan prove load stability?
No. Full footprint support is a geometric condition only. Compression ratings, restraints, center of gravity, access and safe handling require a separate loading assessment.
Reference data & method sources
- Hapag-Lloyd: 20 standard example specification
Equipment varies by manufacturer. Verify internal dimensions, door aperture and payload on the allocated container. High-cube table width (2,350 mm) is used instead of its illustration's 2,352 mm.
- Hapag-Lloyd: 40 standard example specification
Equipment varies by manufacturer. Verify internal dimensions, door aperture and payload on the allocated container. High-cube table width (2,350 mm) is used instead of its illustration's 2,352 mm.
- Hapag-Lloyd: 40 standard high cube example specification
Equipment varies by manufacturer. Verify internal dimensions, door aperture and payload on the allocated container. High-cube table width (2,350 mm) is used instead of its illustration's 2,352 mm.