Container Loading & CBM Calculator
Enter your carton specs — get CBM, cartons per 20GP/40GP/40HQ (integer packing, best of 6 orientations), and how many containers your order needs. The same math your forwarder uses.
Result
| CBM per carton | 0.0877 m³ |
|---|---|
| Total volume | 43.85 m³ |
| Total gross weight | 4,000 kg |
Container fit (floor-loaded, best orientation)
| 20GP | 336 cartons/container · 89% volume · need 2× |
|---|---|
| 40GP | 672 cartons/container · 87% volume · need 1× |
| 40HQ | 792 cartons/container · 91% volume · need 1× |
Integer packing estimate (no pallets, no stacking limits). Interior dims: 20GP 5.90×2.35×2.39m · 40GP 12.03×2.35×2.39m · 40HQ 12.03×2.35×2.70m. Confirm final load plans with your forwarder.
How many CBM does a 40HQ container hold?
A 40-foot high cube has ~76.4 CBM of interior volume (12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m). Practical carton loading typically reaches 68–72 CBM (~90% utilization) depending on carton sizes and stacking.
When should I use LCL instead of a full container?
Below roughly 13–15 CBM, LCL (less-than-container-load) usually beats FCL on cost. Above ~15 CBM, ask your forwarder to price both — the crossover depends on the route.
Does this calculator account for pallets?
No — it computes floor-loaded cartons with integer packing across all six orientations. Palletized cargo loses ~10–15% utilization; ask suppliers for both palletized and floor-loaded quotes.
Planning a shipment? Source it here first.
Tell us what you're buying — 33 verified consumer-electronics manufacturers quote you with export carton specs included.
Prefer to browse first? Verified manufacturers · Full RFQ form