How many boxes fit in a 40ft container?
It depends entirely on the box size. Here are the counts for three common sizes — or skip straight to the calculator with your exact dimensions.
- Small box (30×20×15 cm)
- ~7,500
- Medium box (60×40×30 cm)
- ~938
- Large box (80×60×40 cm)
- ~352
- Container volume
- 67.5 m³
Box counts by size
| Box size | Dimensions | Per box | Approx. count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 30 × 20 × 15 cm | 0.009 m³ | ~7,500 |
| Medium | 60 × 40 × 30 cm | 0.072 m³ | ~938 |
| Large | 80 × 60 × 40 cm | 0.192 m³ | ~352 |
| Extra large | 120 × 80 × 80 cm | 0.768 m³ | ~87 |
These counts assume optimal packing with no wasted space. In practice, you'll lose 5-15% of the theoretical maximum due to gaps, irregular stacking, and the need to leave space for loading and unloading.
40ft container internal dimensions
| Length | Width | Height | Volume | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40ft standard | 12,032 mm | 2,352 mm | 2,393 mm | 67.5 m³ |
| 40ft High Cube | 12,032 mm | 2,352 mm | 2,698 mm | 76.3 m³ |
A High Cube container adds about 305 mm of headroom, increasing capacity by roughly 13%. If your boxes stack well, this extra height translates directly into more boxes.
Why the real number is always less
Weight limits. A 40ft container's max payload is ~26,580 kg. Heavy items (books, canned goods, machinery parts) will hit the weight limit long before filling the volume.
Irregular sizes. If you're mixing different box sizes, the packing efficiency drops. This is exactly the problem a 3D packing calculator solves — finding the optimal arrangement for mixed loads.
Access and handling. You may need to leave aisles or organize boxes by delivery stop, which reduces the total count further.
Calculate with your box size
Enter your exact box dimensions and quantities — get a 3D loading plan showing exactly how they fit.
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