How many euro pallets fit in a 20ft container?
The short answer is 10-11 on the floor. A 20ft container is roughly half the length of a 40ft, but the pallet count doesn't halve neatly due to how the geometry works out.
- Stacked 2-high
- 20–22 pallets
- Container volume
- 33.2 m³
- Internal length
- 5,898 mm
- Max payload
- 25,000 kg
The dimensions
| Length | Width | Height | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet (EUR 1) | 1,200 mm | 800 mm | 144 mm |
| 20ft container (internal) | 5,898 mm | 2,352 mm | 2,393 mm |
| 20ft HC container (internal) | 5,898 mm | 2,352 mm | 2,698 mm |
With the container width at 2,352 mm, you can place two euro pallets side-by-side crosswise (800 + 800 = 1,600 mm) or one lengthwise (1,200 mm) with a gap. Along the 5,898 mm length, mixed orientation yields 10-11 pallets per layer depending on exact placement.
Why the range (10 or 11)?
The exact count depends on orientation strategy. Placing all pallets with the 1,200 mm side along the container length gives you 4 rows of 2 = 8 pallets, which wastes space. A mixed layout — alternating lengthwise and crosswise rows — squeezes in 10 or 11.
Weight is often the constraint. A 20ft container has a payload limit of roughly 25,000 kg (varies by carrier). Dense cargo on 10 pallets can hit this limit before you fill the volume.
Height matters too. Internal height is 2,393 mm (standard) or 2,698 mm (High Cube). If your palletised goods are under 1.1 m tall, two layers fit comfortably in a standard container.
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